2. Structures with the infinitive

In modern English the infinitive can be used:

1. singly: • I have a nice book to read.

1. in a phrase, where the infinitive has one or more words

dependent upon it: • I have a nice book to read on

the train.

c) in a construction, where it is in predicate relation to a noun

or a pronoun. The predicate relation

is revealed by the following modification

of the sentence: • I have a nice book for you to

read. (=> I have a nice book which you can read.)

According to their forms and functions the infinitive constructions are classified into: a) Complex Object Construction (Objective Infinitive Construction - OIC)

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2. Complex Subject Construction (Subjective Infinitive Construc­tion - SIC)

3. For-to-Infinitive Construction.

2.1. OBJECTIVE INFINITIVE CONSTRUCTION (OIC)

In the OIC the infinitive is in predicate relation to a noun in the common case or a pronoun in the objective case. In a sentence this construction always has the function of complex object. The OIC is used after the following groups of verbs:

a) verbs of three senses: feel, hear, listen to, notice, observe (='to see', 'to notice'), overhear, see, watch. Only the bare

indefinite infinitive is used here. The infinitive construction refers to a complete event:

• I saw them arrive.

• She observed them get into the boat.

• Mary overheard him tell the children about it.

• I watched the sun rise.

• She noticed a man steal into the room.

To refer to part of an event we use participial constructions (see Participle).

b) verbs expressing opinion: assume, believe, consider, expect, find, hold, judge, know, presume, prove, show, think.

After these verbs we use mostly the full indefinite infinitive; the perfect infinitive is rare:

• They assumed him to be French.

• The manager judged him to be unfit for the job.

• I found him to be much younger than I had expected.

• I have proved it to be feasible.

• Everybody expected him to marry at the end of the month.

• His visiting card showed him to be a theatre director.

• 1 have never known him tell a lie.

Notes:

I) In modern English the OIC with these verbs sounds formal

and the same idea is more commonly expressed by a that-clause:

• They knew his views to be wrong (= They knew that his views were wrong).

or the Subjective Infinitive Construction:

• They believed him to be a reliable man (= He was believed to be a reliable man).

2) After most of the verbs we find the infinitives to be and to have. To be is often omitted:

• We find her (to be) dependable.

c) verbs of declaring: declare, pronounce, report:

• They declared him to be insane.

However, in modern English the OIC is rarely used with these verbs. Other structures are preferred:

• They declared that he was insane

• He was pronounced dead.

• They were pronounced man and wife.

• She was reported to have murdered her husband (see Subjective Infinitive Construction).

d) verbs denoting wish and intention. The most common verb here is want.

• She did not want them to go.

The verbs wish and desire are now rarely used in this construction. The same applies to the verb choose (= 'wish'). Other verbs include mean and intend:

• He meant it to be his last public performance.

• We never intended this arrangement to be permanent.

e) verbs denoting feelings and emotions: like, can't bear (= 'to feel upset about something') and dislike, hate, which are only rarely used in this construction:

• She could not bear him to leave her.

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Note: With like the gerundial construction is sometimes preferred (see: Gerund):

• J do not like Mm to speak in this way —> 1 do not like him

speaking in this way.

2.2, SUBJECTIVE INFINITIVE CONSTRUCTION (SIC)

In the SIC the infinitive is in predicate relation to a noun in the common case or a pronoun in the nominative case. The construction, that is the infinitive and the nominal element together, performs the function of complex subject. An alternative interpretation is also possible. It is that the nominal part of the construction is the subject of the sentence and the infinitive is part of a compound verbal predicate:

• He is likely to come soon.

The SIC is very often used with passive verbs. These verbs include:

a) verbs of the senses: hear, see, observe:

• The baby was often heard to cry.

• She was seen to tremble.

Note: When verbs of the senses are used in the SIC they are followed

by the full infinitive.

b) verbs expressing opinion and judgement: allege, assume, believe, claim, consider, deem (formal), discover, estimate, expect, feel, find, hold, know, predict, prove (= 'demonstrate'), reckon, report, rumour, say, see (= 'consider'), think, understand.

As it has been already said, the SIC is more common with these verbs than the OIC and the number of verbs really used is greater. The full infinitive that follows the verbs is usually to be, to have, a continuous or a perfect infinitive:

• The house is believed to be haunted.

• The Secretary was alleged to be a member of a secret society.

• This was deemed to detract from the dignity of the republic.

• It was estimated to cost 1.000 pounds.

• He was rumoured to be writing a new book.

• He was understood to have left for Canada.

• His theory was proved to be correct.

The SIC is also used with the following active verbs:

to seem

to appear (= 'to seem')

to turn out

to prove (= 'to turn out') to happen

to chance (= 'to happen')

She seemed to believe me.

He appeared to have been

deceived.

It turned out to be a very nice

party.

It has proved to be quite useless.

She happened to be near at the

moment.

I chanced to notice her.

Finally, the SIC is used with expressions be (un)likely, be sure, be certain:

• She was likely to forget it quite soon.

• The dispute is unlikely to be settled for a long time.

• The growth in demand is certain to drive up the price.

2.3. THE FOR-TO-INFINITIVE CONSTRUCTION

In the for-to-infinitive construction the infinitive is in predicate relation to a noun or a pronoun preceded by the preposition for:

• I waited for them to say something.

The for-to-infinitive construction can have various functions in a sentence:

• subject

• predicative

• complex object

• attribute

It was impossible for him to go there. That is for you to decide. They called for action to be taken against the terrorists. It was a nice example for you to follow.

— adverbial modifier: of purpose:

of result:

She put the money on the table

for me to see it.

She spoke too fast for me to follow.

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