INFINITIVE FUNCTIONS

(Функции инфинитива)

 

1. The Subject (подлежащее).

To do it is easy (impossible, a mistake)

 

With the Introductory Subject (с вводным подлежащим):

It is easy to do it.

It was nice to be speaking to her again.

 

2. The Predicative [prI'dIkqtIv] – именная часть составного сказуемого

The main thing was to get a permit. ['pE:mIt]

What I want is to be left alone.

 

3. The Part of a Compound ['kPmpaVnd] Verbal Predicate ['predIkIt]

You needn’t wait. – You can go.

 

3. The Object

He promised to do it.

She didn’t want to be seen.

He pretended to be working hard. (он претворялся)

I was glad to see him. / I was pleased to be talking to him./ I was glad to have talked to him. / I was glad to have been talking to him the whole evening./ I was glad to be seen with him./

 

4. The Attribute (определение)

He was the first to cross the finish line.

I have nothing to give you. / Have you anything else to say?

He is just the man to do it. / It is just the book to read in the train.

 

The passive infinitive is seldom used in the attributive function, only to denote a future action.

(В данном значении пассивный инфинитив используется редко, только для обозначение будущего действия).

 

It is a book to read – not to be read.

Exceptions: there is nothing to be done = nothing to do; there is something to be seen, to be said = something to see, to say.

The houses to be built here should be of the same type.

 

В значении надо, можно, следует:

It is the only thing to do. – Это единственное, что можно и нужно сделать.

He is not the man to do it. – Он не тот, кто мог бы это сделать.

 

5. The Adverbial [qd'vE:bIql] Modifier ['mPdIfaIq] of Purpose

(may be introduced by in order or so as)

I came to speak to you.

She pretended to be well not to be taken to the doctor.

 

6. The Adverbial Modifier of Result

You are too young to wear black.

She is old enough to be taken for her mother.

The girl is stupid enough to have believed every word he said.

She may have been weak enough to have been rushed to hospital.

 

7. The Secondary Predicate ['predIkIt]

She is nice to work with.

Her story is hard to disprove. [dIs'pru:v] Его слова трудно опровергнуть.

This task is easy to be managed.

 

Training (no answers) 

Определите функции инфинитива

1. To tell her the truth is not necessary. 2. The general idea was to go away. 3. Why did you pretend to be ill? 4. I didn’t mean to abuse [q'bju:z] you. 5. She was the first to see the danger. 6. Who of us is brave enough to go to the blackboard? 7. This book is impossible to get. 8. They have astonished to have found me there. 9. The ball was hard to catch. 10. It is necessary to explain it to her. 11. She was obviously pleased to see me. 12. There is no time to wait for him. 13. The weather is too fine to sit at home. 14. They have astonished to have found me there. 15. The first thing to do is to start reading. 16. Who was the last to speak to him? 17. We agreed to go to the village. 18. It is hard to argue with her. 19. He was afraid to be seen with her. 20. I have nothing to give you. 21. I have come here to speak to you. 22. She wore heels to look taller. 23. There is no place to put you box here. 24. You are old enough to understand such things.

 

Замените придаточные предложения инфинитивом.

1 She was pleased that she has seen me. 2 He was the first who came to this shop. 3 He is the only man who can do it better than I. 4 She was not a girl who would miss a chance like that. 5. It was one of those opportunities where you could get something for nothing. 6 He was always speaking about a book he was going to write in the near future. 7 She will always find something she can complain about. 8 There’s simply nothing anyone can do about it. 9 Her mother was the first who kissed her. 10 There seemed to be no one there who could be asked for directions. 11 I have a few more notebooks which must be corrected. 12 Is there anything else that could be said in his defence? 13 There was a long argument over the trees which were going to be planted in the school yard. 14 There still remained things which had to be said and she was the girl who would say them.

 

Перевод

Знать язык значит говорить и писать.

Сказать да было невозможно, сказать нет было невежливо.

Объяснить ему эти задачи было делом трудным.

Трудно читать эту книгу без словаря.

Было приятно поговорить с вами.

Его хобби – коллекционировать нефтеперерабатывающие заводы.

Единственный шанс приобрести оборудование – взять кредит.

Почему вы согласились подписать этот договор?

Я рад разговаривать с вами.

Он боялся быть увиденным с ней.

Не такой это был человек, чтобы передумать.

Ему больше нечего было сказать.

Я прочел письмо снова, чтобы лучше его понять.

Она ничего не рассказала, чтобы ее не наказали.

Я не настолько хорошо его знаю, чтобы просить его помочь.

Рано тебе читать такие книги.

С ней трудно спорить.

Результаты невозможно предсказать.

Training (with answers)

Определите функции инфинитива

1. To tell her the truth is not necessary. (subject) 2. The general idea was to go away. (predicative) 3. Why did you pretend to be ill? (object) 4. I didn’t mean to abuse [q'bju:z] you. (object) 5. She was the first to see the danger. (attribute) 6. Who of us is brave enough to go to the blackboard? (a.m. of result) 7. This book is impossible to get. (secondary predicate) 8. They have been astonished to have found me there. (object) 9. The ball was hard to catch. (secondary predicate) 10. It is necessary to explain it to her. (subject) 11. She was obviously pleased to see me. (object) 12. There is no time to wait for him. (attribute) 13. The weather is too fine to sit at home. (a.m. of result) 14. The first thing to do is to start reading. (attribute, predicate) 16. Who was the last to speak to him? (attribute) 17. We agreed to go to the village. (object) 18. It is hard to argue with her. (object) 19. He was afraid to be seen with her. (object) 20. I have nothing to give you. (attribute) 21. I have come here to speak to you. (a.m. of result) 22. She wore heels to look taller. (a.m. of result) 23. There is no place to put you box here. (attribute) 24. You are old enough to understand such things. (a.m. of result).

 

Замените придаточные предложения инфинитивом.

1 She was pleased that she has seen me. (she was pleased to have seen him - object). 2 He was the first who came to this shop. (to come to… attribute) 3 He is the only man who can do it better than I. (to do it… attribute) 4 She was not a girl who would miss a chance like that. (to miss a chance… attribute) 5 It was one of those opportunities where you could get something for nothing. (to get something for… attribute) 6 He was always speaking about a book he was going to write in the near future. (to be read in the near future – attribute) 7 She will always find something she can complain about. (something to complain… attribute) 8 There’s simply nothing anyone can do about it. (anything to do about it… attribute) 9 Her mother was the first who kissed her. (the first to kiss her – attribute) 10 There seemed to be no one there who could be asked for directions. (no one to be asked for directions – attribute) 11 I have a few more notebooks which must be corrected. (notebooks to be corrected – attribute) 12 Is there anything else that could be said in his defence? (anything else to be said – attribute) 13 There was a long argument over the trees which were going to be planted in the school yard. (trees to be planted – attribute) 14 There still remained things which had to be said and she was the girl who would say them. (things to be said, the girl to say – attributes)

 

Перевод

Знать язык значит говорить и писать.	To know the language means to speak and to write.
Сказать да было невозможно, сказать нет было невежливо.	To say "yes” was impossible, to say "no” was impolite.
Объяснить ему эти задачи было делом трудным.	To explain to him these tasks was difficult.
Трудно читать эту книгу без словаря.	It is difficult to read this book without a dictionary.
Было приятно поговорить с вами.	It was pleasant to speak to you.
Его хобби – коллекционировать нефтеперерабатывающие заводы.	His hobby is to collect refineries.
Единственный шанс приобрести оборудование – взять кредит.	The only chance to get the equipment is to take a credit.
Почему вы согласились подписать этот договор?	Why did you agree to sign this contract?
Я рад разговаривать с вами.	I am glad to be speaking to you.
Он боялся быть увиденным с ней.	He was afraid to be seen with her.
Не такой это был человек, чтобы передумать.	He was not the man to change his mind.
Ему больше нечего было сказать.	He had nothing to say.
Я прочел письмо снова, чтобы лучше его понять.	I read the letter again to understand him better.
Она ничего не рассказала, чтобы ее не наказали.	She told nothing to be punished.
Я не настолько хорошо его знаю, чтобы просить его помочь.	I don’t know him well enough to ask him about help.
Рано тебе читать такие книги.	You are too young to read these books.
С ней трудно спорить.	She is difficult to argue with.
Результаты невозможно предсказать.	The results are impossible to predict.