The use of the Objective-with-the-Infinitive Construction

1. The Construction is used after verbs denoting sense perception, such as to hear, to see, to watch, to feel, to observe, to notice, etc.

He felt Wilson take hold of his arm. (Hemingway)

Он почувствовал как Вильсон взял его за руку.

I haven't heard anyone call me. (Wilde)

Я не слышал, чтобы кто-нибудь меня звал.

I saw Brown enter the room. (Bralne)

Я видел, как Браун вошел в комнату.

After verbs of sense perception only the Indefinite Infinitive Active is used. If the meaning is passive we use Participle II.

I saw the fire slowly conquered. (Collins)

Я видел, как пожар постепенно потушили.

If a process is expressed Participle I Indefinite Active is used.

He saw Fleur coming. (Galsworthy)

Note 1. The verb to see is followed by a clause and not by the Objective-with-the-Infinitive Construction when it is not really a verb of sense perception, i. e. when it means 'to understand'.

I saw that he did not realize the danger.

Я видел (понимал), что он не сознает опасности.

After the verbs to see and to notice the Objective-with-the-Infinitive Construction is not used with the verb to be, a subordinate clause is used in such cases.

I saw that he was pale,

Note 2. When the verb to hear is not a verb of sense perception, i. e. when it means 'to learn', 'to be told', a clause or a gerund (and not the Objective-with-the-infinitive) is used.

I hear that he retired. (of his having retired).

Я слышал (мне сказали), что он вышел в отставку.

2. The Objective-with-the-Infinitive Construction is used after verbs denoting mental activity, such as to know, to think, to consider, to believe, to suppose, to expect, to imagine, to find, to feel, to trust, etc.

We believe him to finish the work in two days.

Мы считаем, что он закончит работу через два дня.

No one could expect her to be happy.

Никто не мог ожидать, что она будет счастлива.

Note. With the verbs to think, to consider, to find the same idea can be expressed without an infinitive.

Boldwood thought her beautiful. (Hardy)

She found the subject rather interesting. (Dickens)

You consideryourself an impressive person, eh? (Shaw)

3. The Objective-with-the-Infinitive Construction is used after verbs of declaring: to pronounce, to declare, to report.

The surgeon pronounced the wound to be a slight one.

Врач сказал, что рана легкая.

She declared him to be the most disobedient child.

Она заявила, что это самый непослушный ребенок на свете.

4. The Objective-with-the-Infinitive Construction is used after verbs denoting wish and intention: to want, to wish, to desire, to mean, to intend, to choose (in the meaning of 'хотеть').

Do you wish me to be at home earlier?

Вы хотите, чтобы я была дома пораньше?

I want you to come and dine with me. (Dickens)

Я хочу, чтобы вы пришли пообедать со мной.

I did not mean you to learn the poem by heart.

Я не имел ввиду, чтобы вы выучили стихотворение наизусть.

5. The Objective-with-the-Infinitive Construction is used after verbs and expressions denoting feeling and emotion: to like, to dislike, to love, to hate, cannot bear, etc.

I can’t bear you to be unhappy.

Я не могу вынести того, что ты несчастна.

I dislike you to talk like that.

Я не люблю, когда вы так говорите.

6. The Objective-with-the-Infinitive Construction is used after verbs denoting order and permission: to order, to allow, to suffer, to have, to recommend, etc.

I cannot allow this matter to go any further.

Я не могу позволить, чтобы это продолжалось дальше.

The doctor recommended the medicine to be taken twice a day.

Доктор рекомендовал принимать лекарство дважды в день.

He ordered the door to be thrown open.

Он приказал, чтобы распахнули дверь.

Mr. Dombey suffered Florence to play with Paul. (Dickens)

Мистер Домби неохотно разрешил (позволил скрепя сердце) Флоренс играть с Полем.

Miss Jemima could not suffer Becky to Ieave the Academy without a present.

Мисс Джемайма не могла допустить, чтобы Бекки уехала из пансиона без подарка.

I won't have you speak like it, dear Tess! (Hardy)

Я не могу допустить, чтобы вы так говорили, милая Тэсс!

I can’t have you ruin your reputation.

Я не могу допустить, чтобы ты испортила свою репутацию.

Note. After such verbs as to order and to allow the Infinitive in the Active Voice can be used only when these verbs are followed by an object denoting a person who is ordered or allowed to do something.

The dean allowed the secretary to change the time-table. (Here we find two direct objects and not the Objective-with-the-Infinitive Construction.) Such sentences as "the dean ordered to change the time-table" are impossible in English whereas in Russian they are widely used: "Декан разрешил изменить расписание". So when translating such sentences into English we use the Objective-with-the-Infinitive Construction where the Infinitive is in the Passive Voice.

The dean allowed the time-table to be changed.

From these examples we see that the verb to suffer, when followed by the Objective-with-the-Infinitive, is rendered in affirmative sentences by неохотно разрешить, позволить (скрепя сердце). In negative sentences it is rendered by допускать. The verb to have denotes permission only in negative sentences; it is very close in meaning to the verb to suffer and is translated in the same way.

7. The Objective-with-the-Infinitive Construction is used after verbs denoting compulsion: to make (in the meaning of 'заставить'), to cause (in the meaning of 'заставить', 'распорядиться'), to get (in the meaning of 'добиться'), to have (in the meaning of 'заставить; сказать чтобы').

She caused a telegram to be sent to him. (Galsworthy)

Она заставила послать ему телеграмму.

The sunlight was making the pink cliffs glow. (Galsworthy)

Солнечный свет заставлял розовые скалы светиться.

They made him tell the truth.

Они заставили его сказать правду.

I cannot get her to finish her lessons.

Я не могу добиться, чтобы она закончила свои уроки.

The teacher had his students write a composition.

Учитель велел студентам написать сочинение.

§ 32. The Subjective Infinitive Construction.

The Subjective Infinitive Construction (traditionally called the Nominative-with-the-Infinitive Construction) is a construction in which the infinitive is in predicate relation to a noun in the common case or a pronoun in the nominative case.

The peculiarity, of this construction is that the noun (pronoun) and the Infinitive do not stand together, though they are closely connected and form one syntactical unit– a complex subject. The relation between the nominal component and the Infinitive is that of a secondary subject and secondary predicate.

They were seen to leave the house early.

They... to leave is a complex subject to the predicate were seen. Although the predicate of the sentence were seen agrees only with the subject they it actually refers to the whole complex They... to leave the house early.