The infinitive as predicative

The Infinitive as predicative is used in compound nominal predicates after the link verb to be.

Eg. Their wish is to master English grammar.

N.B!My intention was to go …, to see …, to …

My intention was to go … and see …, or get …

The infinitive as predicative is used in the following way:

1) In sentences with an infinitive in the function of both the subject and predicative (To see her was to admire her)

2) The set of nouns used as the subject is limited (action, aim, ambition, attempt, business, desire, duty, habit, hope, wish, idea, job, rule, wish …about 50 nouns)

3) The predicative infinitive phrase can be introduced by conjunctive adverbs and pronouns how, when, where, what, whom.(The problem was how to begin)

4) The subject can be

a. performed by all or the most, the least(All he wanted was to be left alone)

b. performed by a gerund or what-clause (What we need is to love somebody)

COMMENTARY:

His behaviour is difficult to explain.

“to explain”is a predicative expressed by the indefinite infinitive active with the particle “to”.

THE COMPOUND VERBAL PREDICATE

(consists of two parts the nominal and structural) can be;

The compound verbal modal predicate consists of a modal part and an infinitive.

The modal part may be expressed by

a) A modal verb

b) A modal expression (to be able, be allowed, be willing , had better, would rather…)

c) *An attitudinal verb (like, hate, expect, mean, try, want …) Some scholars consider it to be an object. Kobrina p. 112

The compound verbal aspect (or phasal) predicateconsists of two parts (the nominal and structural) The structural part is represented by verbs denoting various stages of the action:

a) Beginning (to begin, start, commence, to set out, to take to, to fall to, to come)

b) Duration (to go on, to keep on, proceed, continue)

c) Repetition (would, used to)

d) Cessation (stop, finish, cease, to give up, to leave off)

COMMENTARY:

You must be careful.

“be”is part of a compound verbal modal predicate expressed by a bare indefinite infinitive active used after the modal verb “must”.

She continued to ask him questions.

“to ask”is a compound verbal aspect(phasal) predicate expressed by a full indefinite infinitive active.

PRACTICE

INFINITIVE AS SUBJECT

Ex 1. Comment the use of the infinitive. Paraphrase these proverbs and sayings by using the infinitive in the initial position.

MODEL: It’s difficult to explain his behavior.

“to explain”is part of a subject expressed by the indefinite infinitive active with the particle “to”. The subject is introduced by the anticipatory “it”. – To explain his behaviour is difficult.

1. It is never too late to learn. 2. It is easy to be wise after the event. 3. It's better to give than to take. 4. It takes two to make a quarrel. 5. It's a woman's/lady's privilege to change her mind. 6. It is easy to bear the misfortunes of others. 7. It is better to travel hopefully than to arrive. 8. It is easier to pull down than to build. 9. It's never too late to mend. 10. It's useless to flog a dead horse. 11. When guns speak it is too late to argue. 12. It's too late to lock the stable when the horse has been stolen.

Ex.2 a) Use the infinitives given below as subjects:

to give up. to stop, to say, to forget, to explain, to lose, to know, to repair, to hear, to search, to mention, to look up, to wait, to speak, to take.

1. He went off. ... for him now was a torture.

2. It's difficult for him ... smoking.

3. It was impossible ... the bicycle.

4. ... the map well means to be able to show any country or town on it.

5. It took us twelve days ... the island.

6. ... the past was impossible.

7. It was his habit every August ... his family to the seaside for change of air.

8. ... at this stage would be a great pity.

9. It's such a comfort ... you say so, doctor.

10. It took him half an hour ... the words in the dictionary.

11. At this moment ... required more effort than she could make.

12. It takes an effort ... weight.