The Infinitiveas Predicative

The Use of the Infinitive The Infinitive as Subject

§ 181. In this function the infinitive is always used with the
particle to and usually expresses an action following the action
denoted by the predicate verb.

e.g. To fulfil this condition was hopelessly out of my power.
To visit her was all that I desired.

The infinitive as subject may also express actions which are si-
multaneous with the action of the predicate verb,
e.g. To visit her is always a pleasure.

The infinitive often acquires the additional modal meaning of
condition in this function. This meaning is generally supported by
the use of the Conditional Mood in the sentence,
e.g. To take money from him would be like robbing a child (=if

you took money from him...).

To take him seriously would be absurd (= if you took him se-
riously...)-

For the means of expressing the subject of the action denoted
by the infinitive see "Verbs", § 166.

Sentences with the infinitive as subject have certain structural
peculiarities:

a) The infinitive as subject may be used only in declarative sen-
tences; it is never used in interrogative sentences.

b) The infinitive is always placed at the head of the sentence; it
is never preceded by any secondary parts.

c) We generally find the nominal predicate in sentences of this
kind. The predicative is usually expressed by a noun or an adjec-
tive, qualifying the action denoted by the infinitive.

e.g. To go with him to picture galleries was a rare treat.
To do it seemed a proper and natural thing.
Not to go back was awful.

Sometimes another infinitive is used as predicative,
e.g. To influence a person is to give him one's thoughts.

The use of the infinitive as subject is mainly found in literary
English but even there it is infrequent.

(For comparison with the ing-form see §§ 209 and 235.)

§ 182. The infinitive is generally preceded by the particle to in
this function and in most cases expresses an action which follows
that of the link-verb.

The link-verb in sentences with the infinitive as predicative is
always to be.

e.g. His highest ambition was to write a monumental work on art.
The job of a reporter is to expose and record.
His greatest wish was to tell her everything.
The only sensible thing is for you to go away.

The infinitive in this function always has appositive meaning,
i.e- it explains the meaning of the subject of the sentence. Hence,
sentences of this kind have the following structural peculiarity —
the subject of the sentence can be expressed only by a limited
number of nouns. They are nouns denoting abstract notions which

admit of and sometimes even require an explanation of their
meaning. The most commonly occurring of these nouns are: act,
action, advice, aim, ambition, answer, business, consequence, cus-
tom, desire, difficulty, duty, function, habit, hope, idea, instruc-
tion, intention, job, method, need, object (=aim), order, plan, poli
cy, problem, purpose, reason, requirement, role, rule, task, thing
(usually with an attribute), thought, way, wish, work and some
others (see the examples above).

The subject of the sentence may also be expressed by all (and
occasionally by the least and the most) modified by an attributive
clause which usually contains the verb to do.

e.g. All I want to do is to help you.

The least we can do is to try and understand their idea.
The most he could do at the moment was to give me a cigarette.
After this type of subject the infinitive may be used without to.

e.g. All I wanted to do was run away.

All we can do is stick to our decision.

Sentences with the subject expressed by all, the least and the
most cannot be used in the interrogative form.

For the means of expressing the subject of the action denoted
by the infinitive see "Verbs", § 166.

The infinitive as predicative, unlike the infinitive as subject,
is found not only in literary style but also in spoken English.

(For comparison with the ing-form see §§ 210 and 236.)

The Infinitive as Predicate
§ 183. The use of the infinitive as predicate is restricted to the

following sentence patterns:

1) Interrogative (affirmative and negative) sentences begin'
ning with why and implying a suggestion. We always find an in-
finitive without to here.

In interrogative-affirmative sentences the implication is that

there is no need to perform the action,
e.g. Why lose your temper over a little thing like that?
Why waste your time on this kind of work?

In interrogative-negative sentences the implication is that
there is nothing to prevent one from performing the action.

e.g. Why not go there right away?

Why not apologize if you know you're wrong?

The subject of the infinitive in this kind of sentences is always
the person (or the persons) engaged in the conversation.

2) Exclamatory sentences showing that the person denoted by
the subject is unlikely to perform the action of the infinitive —
the speaker rejects the idea as impossible. The infinitive may be
used with or without to.

e.g. You — a man-of-the-world — to suggest this! You know it's

impossible.

"Try to write," she said, "you're expressive, you can say what
you want; why not try to be a writer?" I couldn't keep
from laughing at that. It was so absurd. Me — write! "No,"
I said with a laugh.

Such sentences are emotionally coloured and found only in
spoken English, but they are infrequent.

(For comparison with the ing-form see § 211.)

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