Sally Marshall's Holiday Column
Last year I spent my annual holiday in Florida. So this year I thought I'd better try somewhere nearer home. And I think, after just three days of this year's annual "escape", I'd much rather be here than anywhere else on earth. Yes, / would much prefer to enjoy a few days rest here than sample the delights of Paris. And from that you will have guessed that I am in France.
A friend advised me: "If you need a rest, you 'd better not go to a city. Go to the country". And here it is - fields and cows, and hardly a car in sight.
I'd rather not say exactly where I am, because I'd prefer to keep it secret, but it's not far from Saint-Loo. I think I'd prefer to recommend Normandy in general.
Come to Normandy! Enjoy the peace and quiet! And don't tell anyone how to get here.
A: Answer the questions:
1. Where did Sally choose to spend this year's holiday?
2. Who advised her to go to the country?
3. What does she like about the place?
B: Speak about Sally's holiday. Say what kind of rest you would rather have in summer.
C: Work in pairs. Share some ideas with your partner of how to enjoy the week-end. Use the correct forms of bare and to-infinitives after had better, would rather, would prefer, would like/hate. Phrases from the box may help you.
| Go out of town. Stay indoors. Go for a drive out into the country. Go on a package tour to .... Go hitchhiking to .... Go mountain skiing. | Play a roulette in the casino. Go fishing. Go camping. Go hunting mushrooms. Play sports. Visit a museum. |
Model: - You'd better go out for a lunch in the restaurant.
- Oh, no. I don't feel like it. I'd rather make a cake and get some friends at my place.
28. Join the ideas from the letter to produce sentences with omitted to.
Ben and Sandra have just come back from a disastrous holiday. Read the notes Ben has made to include in a letter to the travel agency. Then complete the beginning of the letter.
The Notes:
a. We didn 't have a rest!
b. Hotel very dirty. Should we unpack? Should we leave?
c. Some friends asked us to go to their hotel. They asked us to see their hotel.
d. We decide to go back. We would stay one night.
e. The breakfast was terrible. Should we eat? Should we give it to the cats?
The Letter:
Dear sir,
I am writing to tell you about our holiday which was not the "restful experience" your brochure promised! Let we say right away that we managed to do everything a)_____but I except have a rest! Our hotel was so dirty that we didn't know whether b)_____. Some friends asked us c)____ their hotel. It was much better than ours, but it was full, so we decided d)_____one night. Breakfast in the morning was so bad that we didn't know whether e)_____to the cats.
Speak about Ben and Sandra's "restful experience ".
29. Complete the sentences with the words in brackets. Use any
appropriate tense. Discuss the understood meaning of reduced
infinitives.
Model: A: Is he coming to the meeting?
B: He would like to if he has time. ( would like)
1. A: Can you go to the Bank for me before four o'clock? B: Well, ... (try) .... 2. A: Did Jane enjoy the play? B: She (seem) ... . 3. I don't play with toys any more but I (use) ... . 4.1 haven't written my parents yet this week, but I (intend) .... 5. I've never eaten at the restaurant, but I (would like) ... . 6. A: Are you planning to go to the market? B: No, but I suppose I(ought) ... . 7. A: Are you going to the historical society meeting? B: Yes, I (plan) .... And you? 8. Oh! I'm sorry I closed the door in your face! I (not mean) ... ! 9. I must go there whether I (want) ... or not. 10. A: You offended her, you know. B: I'm sorry. I (not mean) ... . 11. I don't want to leave, but I (have) ....
30. Insert to where necessary before the infinitives in brackets.
1. Will you help me (move) the bookcase? 2. You needn't (say) anything. Just nod your head and he will understand. 3. They won't let us (leave) the Customs shed till our luggage has been examined. 4. He would sooner (die) than (betray) his friends. 5. Why not (start) out right now? 6. Have you ever heard him (complain) of difficulties? 7. He was never heard (complain) of difficulties. 8. Don't let us (waste) time. There are hundreds of things (be done). 9. I have never known him (do) such things. 10. He was made (do) his work independently. 11. I know him (have been) an actor once. 12. There is hardly anything (do) but (work) out an alternative plan. 13. I'd like him (go) to a university but I can't (make) him (go). 14. You can (take) a horse to water but you can't (make) him (drink). 15. I'm sorry (disappoint) you but I can't (let) you (have) any more money till the end of the month. 16. He was made (sign) a paper admitting his guilt. 17. He tried (make) me (believe) that he was my stepbrother. 18. I felt the house (shake) with the explosion. 19. It is better (be) sure than sorry. 20. There is nothing (do) but (wait) till somebody comes (let) us out. 21. The American said he had seen nine presidents (come) and (go). He must (be) a very old man. 22. Would you rather (be) more stupid than you look or (look) more stupid than you are? 23. The bank robbers made the cashier (show) them how (open) the safe. 24. Before he let us (go) he made us (promise) (not tell) anyone what we had seen. 25. How dare you (open) my letters! 26. Why (leave) so early? 27. The chairman was heard (second) his proposal. 28. I need scarcely (tell) you that I'm in trouble.
Infinitive Constructions
Complex Object
| General Note | Indicators | Examples |
| This Complex consists of a noun in the common case or a pronoun in the objective case and the infinitive. It is mostly translated into Russian by an object clause. | After verbs of: a) mental activity: to know, to think, to consider, etc. b) declaring: to declare, to report, to pronounce, etc. c) wish and intention: to want, to wish, to desire, to mean, to intend, etc. d) feeling and emotion: to like, to love, to hate, etc. e) sense perception: to hear, to see, to watch, to feel, etc. f) order, compulsion and permission: to order, to al- low, to have, to make, to get, to let. | a) I believe it to have been a mistake. b) They reported the enemy to be ten miles away. c) I want you to come along with us. d) I hate you to be troubled. e) I saw him get on the bus this morning. f) What makes you think it was me? Let him sit here if he wants. |
NOTE: Function in the sentence: part of a complex object.
Complex Subject
| General note | Indicators | Examples |
| The Subjective with the Infinitive Construction consists of a noun in the common case or a pronoun in the nominative and any of the six forms of the infinitive. In Russian equivalent it is in most cases a subordinate clause. | a) with the following groups of verbs in the Passive Voice: to see to expect to hear to believe to think to suppose to consider to say to know to report b) with the following parts of synonyms in the Active Voice: to seem to prove to appear to turn out to happen to chance c) with word groups containing adjectives / adverbs. To be (un) likely To be sure To be certain / to be bound To be anxious To be pleased To be easy To be happy | She was heard to laugh heartily. He is supposed to have left. He is said to be a good doctor. He seems to notice nothing unusual. The girl appeared to be everybody's attention. He is sure to come. He was not likely to have made a mis- take. He is easy to deal with. |
NOTE: Function in the sentence: the subject of the sentence.
For-Complex
| General note | Uses | Examples |
| This construction is introduced by the preposition for. It consists of a noun or a pronoun in the objective case and an infinitive (or an infinitive word-group). For is not translated into Russian. The construction is translated by a subordinate clause or infinitive. | We use for + noun phrase + infinitive after: 1. an adjective 2. a noun phrase / pronoun 3. a verb Note: often after a verb which has for after it. | It will be best for her to continue this way. It is not the right time for us to speak about it. There 's nothing for him to do about it. I have arranged for you to have a pri- vate room. We are still waiting for them to reply. |
Practice
1. Point out the Objective-with-the-Infinitive Constructions. Translate the sentences into Russian.
1. We expect her to come tomorrow. 2. Everyone consider him to be a clever man. 3. I wish John to come to our place at the weekend. 4. We ordered a huge bunch of flowers to be brought by 7 o'clock. 5. I have never heard him play the piano. 6. Every spring we see the leaves on the trees come out again. 7. Usually English people don't like the strangers to ask personal questions. 8.1 will let you use my car if necessary. 9. The nurse felt him tremble with cold. 10. You could have heard a pin drop. 11. You mustn't let it worry you. 12. What made you think so? 13. People know him to be an honest man. 14. He wished the specialist to cure him of his illness. 15. I know him to be working very hard. 16. What made you come so early? 17. I've never seen them talk together. 18. How can you let your son go there alone? 19. They borrowed the money, didn't they? Let them pay it back.
2. Say what the warning advises I reminds I tells I warns you to
do or not to do.
Use sentences with Complex Object in your answers.
Beach Safety
Hawaii's beaches are breathtakingly beautiful, but they can be very dangerous for newcomers. The beaches are always open, even when there is no lifeguard protection. If you do not see a lifeguard on duty, swim on another beach. Remember: