The present perfect used with forand since 4 page

A if only + present tense/will expresses hope: If only he comes in time = We hope he will come in time. If only he will listen to her = We hope he will be willing to listen to her.

В if only + past/past perfect expresses regret (see also wish+ past/past perfect, 300):

If only he didn't smoke! =

We wish he didn't smoke or We are sorry he smokes.

If only (= I/We wish) Tom were here!

If only you hadn't said, 'Liar'! =

We wish you hadn't said, 'Liar'/We are sorry you said, 'Liar'.

С if only + would can express regret about a present action as an alternative to if only+ past tense (it has the same meaning as wish + would):

If only he would drive more slowly! = We are sorry that he isn 't willing to drive more slowly or a not very hopeful wish concerning the future:

If only (= I/We wish) the rain would stop! (We don't really expect it

to stop.)

(See also wish,300-1.)

if only clauses can stand alone as above or form part of a full conditional sentence.

229 Conditional sentences in indirect speech

A Type 1, basic form. The tenses here change in the usual way: He said, 'If I catch the plane I'll be home by five' = He said that if he caught the plane he would be home by five.

Type 2, basic form. No tense changes:

'If I had a permit I could get a job,' he said = He said that if he had a permit he could get a job.

Type 3, basic form. No tense changes:

'If she had loved Tom,' he said, 'she wouldn't have left him' = He said that if she had loved Tom she wouldn't have left him.

В Examples of if-clauses + commands and requests in indirect speech (see also 320-1):

He said, 'If you have time wash the floor' or

He said, 'If you have time would you wash the floor?' =

He told/asked me to wash the floor if I had time (note change of

order) or

He said that if I had time I was to wash the floor.

'If you see Ann ask her to ring me,' he said = He said that if 1 saw Ann I was to ask her to ring him. (The infinitive construction here would be clumsy and less clear.) PETER (on phone): If you miss the last bus get a taxi = Peter says that if we miss the last bus we are to get a taxi. (The infinitive construction would be much less usual here.) (For if you would. . . requests, see 284 F.)

С if-clauses + expressions of advice in indirect speech:

'If you feel ill,' she said, 'why don't you go to bed?' or

' . . . you 'd better go to bed' =

She advised me to go to bed if I felt ill or

She said that if 1 felt ill I'd better/I should go to bed.

'If I were you I'd stop taking pills,' she said =

She advised me to stop taking pills.

D if-clauses + questions are usually reported with the if-clause last: 'If the baby is a girl what will they call her?' he wondered = He wondered what they would call the baby if it was a girl. 'If the door is locked what shall I do?' she asked = She asked what she should/was to do if the door was locked.

22 Other uses of will/would, shall/should

For will/shall in commands, see 282.

For will/wouldin requests, see 284.

For will/wouldin invitations, see 286.

For would/should used with like, prefer, wishetc., see

chapter 29.

230 Habits expressed by will, would

A Habits in the present are normally expressed by the simple present tense; but will+ infinitive can be used instead when we wish to emphasize the characteristics of the performer rather than the action performed. It is chiefly used in general statements:

An Englishman will usually show you the way in the street. (It is normal for an Englishman to act in this way.)

This is not a very important use of will,but the past form, would,has a much wider use and can replace used towhen we are describing a past routine:

On Sundays he used to/would get up early and go fishing. He used to/would spend the whole day by the river and in the evening used to/would come home with marvellous stories of the fish he had nearly caught.

Note, however, that when used toexpresses a discontinued habit, it cannot be replaced by would.(See 162.) Both will and wouldcan be contracted when used as above.

В will can also express obstinate insistence, usually habitual:

If you \will keep your watch half an hour slow it is hardly surprising that you are late for your appointments.

would is used in the past:

We all tried to stop him smoking in bed but he would do it.

will and would are not contracted here and are strongly stressed.

С would can express a characteristic action, usually one which annoys the speaker:

Bill objects/objected. ~ He would'./He would object! (He always objects.)

231 should/would think + that-clause or so/not(See 347 for so/not used to replace clauses.)

д Will it be expensive? ~ I should/would think so./I should think it

would. (= probably 'Yes') or

/ shouldn't think it would./1 shouldn't/wouldn't think so./

I should/would think not. (= probably 'No')

By this sort of answer the speaker implies that he doesn't really know but that this is his impression. / should/would think is therefore less confident than I think.

so/not is not usually possible when should/would thinkintroduces a comment. A that-clause therefore has to be used:

He's an astrologer, looking for work. ~ I shouldn't/wouldn't think

that he'd find it easy to get work.

В If we are commenting on a past action we use should/would have thought:

He actually got a job as an astrologer. ~ I shouldn't/wouldn't have thought that it was possible to do that.

С should/would have expected + an infinitive construction or a that-clause is also possible. The impersonal pronoun you can sometimes replace I:

She has emigrated. ~ Has she? You'd/I'd have expected her to stay

in this country.

232 wouldfor past intention

As has already been noted wouldis the past equivalent of willwhen willis used for the ordinary future:

He knows he will be late. He knew he would be late. would similarly is the past equivalent of will used to express intention (see 201):

/ said, 'I will help him' =

I said that I would help him.

He said, 'I won't lend you a penny' =

He said that he wouldn 't lend me a penny.

But notice that whereas wouldused for future or intention is restricted to subordinate clauses as in the above examples, wouldn'tused for negative intention can stand alone:

He won't help me today. (He refuses to help.)

He wouldn't help me yesterday. (He refused to help.) wouldcannot be used in this way. So to put a sentence such as / will help him today into the past, we have to replace will by another verb:

/ wanted/intended/offered to help him yesterday.

233 shall I/we?in requests for orders or advice, offers,

suggestions

Requests for orders:

How shall I cook it? Where shall we put this? When the request is for advice only we use either shall or should:

Which one shall I buy? or Which one should I buy? Offers:

Shall I wait for you? Shall I help you to pack? Suggestions:

Shall we meet at the theatre? Let's meet at the theatre, shall we?

(See 318 for shall I/we?in indirect speech.)

234 shallin the second and third persons

shall can express (A) the subject's intention to perform a certain action or to cause it to be performed, and (B) a command. Both these uses are old-fashioned and formal and normally avoided in modern spoken English.

A Examples of shallused to express the speaker's intention:

You shall have a sweet = I'll give you a sweet or

/7/ see that you get a sweet.

He shan't come here = I won't let him come here.

They shall not pass = We won't let them pass.

In the past, i.e. in indirect speech, it is usually necessary to change the wording:

He said, 'You shall have a sweet' = He promised me a sweet.

В Examples of shallused to express a command:

Yachts shall go round the course, passing the marks in the correct

order, (yacht-racing rules)

Members shall enter the names of their guests in the book provided.

(club rules)

This construction is chiefly used in regulations or legal documents. In less formal English mustor are towould be used instead of shallin the above sentences. (See also 282.)

С shall you? is an old-fashioned form which is occasionally still found in some novels possibly because it is shorter and neater than the future continuous tense:

Shall you go? = Will you be going?

235 that . . . shouldafter certain verbs

Certain verbs can be followed by that+ subject + should as an alternative to a gerund or infinitive construction. that . . . shouldis particularly useful in the passive and sometimes is the only possible passive form.

that . . . should is more formal than a gerund or infinitive construction and usually implies less direct contact between the advisers/organizers etc. and the people who are to carry out the action. Verbs which can be used with that . . . shouldinclude the following: advise, agree, arrange, ask, beg, command, decide, demand, determine, insist, order, propose, recommend, request, stipulate, suggest, urge. Note also: be anxious, be determined.

She advised that we should keep the gate locked.

She advised that the gate should be kept locked.

She advised keeping the gate locked/advised us to keep it locked.

(See 267.)

recommend could be used above instead of advise and would sound more formal.

They agreed/decided that the roof should be repaired.

They agreed/decided to repair the roof.

He arranged that 1 should go abroad.

He arranged for me to go abroad.

They arranged that the minister should be met at the airport.

They arranged for the minister to be met at the airport.

be anxious (= wish; see 27 C) takes the same construction as arrange: He is anxious that classes should start/should be started at once. He is anxious for classes to start/to be started at once.

They asked/begged/urged that relief work should be given priority. They asked/begged/urged the authorities to give relief work priority. (See 243.)

He commanded that the army should advance. (He was not

necessarily with the army.)

He commanded the army to advance. (He probably was with the

army.)

She determined/was determined that he should study music.

She determined/was determined to let him/make him study music.

She insisted that he should study music/insisted on his studying

music. (See 262.)

He ordered that Ann should go. (He probably told someone else to

tell her.)

He ordered Ann to go. (He probably told her himself.) (See 320.)

He ordered that the goods should be sent by air.

He ordered the goods to be sent by air.

He proposed/suggested that we should try homeopathic remedies. (See 289.)

He proposed/suggested that homeopathic remedies should be tried. He proposed/suggested (our) trying homeopathic remedies.

They stipulated that the best materials should be used. They stipulated for the best materials to be used.

should is sometimes omitted before be. (See 291 C.)

236 it is/was +adjective + that . . . should

A that . . . should can be used after it is/was advisable, better, desirable essential, imperative, important, natural, necessary, after fair (= just), just, right (these are often preceded by only) and after reasonable, as an alternative to a for + infinitive construction:

It is advisable that everyone should have a map.

It is better for him to hear it from you.

It is better that he should hear it from you.

It is essential for him to be prepared for this.

It is essential that he should be prepared for this.

It is only right that she should have a share. should is sometimes omitted before be:

It is essential that he be prepared.

В that . . . should can be used after it is/was absurd, amazing,

annoying, ludicrous, odd, ridiculous, strange, surprising and similar adjectives as an alternative to that+ present/past tense:

It is ridiculous that we should be (= that we are) short of water in a

country where it is always raining. The perfect infinitive is sometimes used when referring to past events:

It is amazing that she should have said (= that she said) nothing

about the murder.

237 Other uses of should

A After can't think why/don't know why/see no reason why etc. when the speaker queries the reasonableness or justice of an assumption:

/ don't know why you should think that I did it.

I see no reason why you should interfere in their quarrel. The perfect infinitive is usual when the assumption was in the past:

/ can't think why he should have said that it was my fault.

В Idiomatically with what, where, whoin dramatic expressions of surprise:

What should I find but an enormous spider! Quite often the surprise is embarrassing: Who should come in but his first wife!

С After lestand sometimes after in case:

1 In literary English lest . . . shouldis sometimes placed after expressions of fear or anxiety:

He was terrified lest he should slip on the icy rocks. should + perfect infinitive is used when the anxiety concerns a previous action:

She began to be worried lest he should have met with some accident.

о lest can also be used in purpose clauses to mean 'for fear that': He dared not spend the money lest someone should ask where he had got it.

As above, this is a literary form.

in case, which is more usual than lesthere, can be followed by shouldor by an ordinary present or past tense:

in case someone should ask/someone asked (See also 227, 337.)

D should is sometimes used in purpose clauses as an alternative to would/could:

He wore a mask so that no one should recognize him.

(See 336.)

E In conditional sentences instead of the present tense:

If the pain should return take another of these pills. (See 224.)

F In indirect, rather formal, commands when the recipient of the command is not necessarily addressed directly:

He ordered that Tom should leave the house. (See 321 B.) Compare with He ordered Tom to leave which implies that he told Tom himself.

23 The infinitive

238 Form

A Examples of infinitive forms

В The full infinitive consists of two words, to + verb, as shown above. But after certain verbs and expressions we use the form without to, i.e. the 'bare infinitive' (see 246):

You had better say nothing. (See 120.)

С It is not normally advisable to put any words between the to and the verb, but see 248, split infinitives.

D To avoid repetition, an infinitive is sometimes represented by its to: Do you smoke? ~ No, but I used to (smoke). (See 247.)

239 Uses of the infinitive

A The infinitive may be used alone, We began to walk, or as part of an infinitive phrase, We began to walk down the road.

В The infinitive may be the subject of a sentence (see 240).

С The infinitive may be the complement of a verb: His plan is to keep the affair secret.

D The infinitive may be the object or part of the object of a verb.

It can follow the verb directly: He wants to pay (see 241, 243) or follow verb + how, whatetc. (see 242) or follow verb + object: He wants me to pay (see 243, 244).

E be + infinitive can express commands or instructions (see 114). F The infinitive can express purpose (see 334).

G The infinitive can be used after certain adjectives: angry, glad, happy, sorry (see 26) fortunate, likely, lucky (see 27)

H The infinitive can connect two clauses (see 249). I The infinitive can sometimes replace relative clauses (see 77, 250). j The infinitive can be used after certain nouns (see 251).

К The infinitive can be used with too/enoughand certain adjectives/adverbs (see 252).

L An infinitive phrase such as to tell the truth, to cut a long story short can be placed at the beginning or end of a sentence (see 253).

240 The infinitive as subject

A An infinitive or an infinitive phrase can be the subject of the verbs appear, be, seem.The infinitive can be placed first: To compromise appears advisable. To lean out of the window is dangerous. To save money now seems impossible.

В But it is more usual to place the pronoun it first, and move the infinitive or infinitive phrase to the end of the sentence:

It appears advisable to compromise.

It is dangerous to lean out of the window.

It seemed impossible to save money. it here is known as the introductory it. Note its use with interrogatives:

Would it be safe to camp here?

Wouldn't it be better to go on?

The it construction is necessary here. Would + to camp and Wouldn't + to go on would not be possible.

С Usually infinitive constructions of this type consist of it + be + adjective + infinitive. (See 26-7.) But sometimes a noun can be used instead of an adjective:

It would be a crime/a mistake/a pity to cut down any more trees.

It is an offence to drop litter in the street.

D cost/take + object can also be used:

It would cost millions/take years to rebuild the castle.

E The gerund can be used instead of the infinitive when the action is being considered in a general sense, but it is always safe to use an infinitive. When we wish to refer to one particular action we must use the infinitive:

He said, 'Do come.' It was impossible to refuse. But It is not always easy to refuse invitations can be replaced by Refusing invitations is not always easy. Here the action is considered in a general sense, and either gerund or infinitive is possible. (See also 258.)

F An it + infinitive construction may be preceded by believe/consider/ discover/expect/find/think (that) and wonder (if):

He thought (that) it would be safer to go by train. After findused in this way we can omit that+ the verb be, i.e. we can say:

He found (that) it was easy to earn extra money or

He found it easy to earn extra money.

He will find (that) it is hard to make friends or

He will find it hard to make friends. This is sometimes also possible with think:

He thought it safer to go.

After other verbs, however, the student is advised not to omit the be. (For similar gerund constructions, see 258.)

G The perfect infinitive can also be used as the subject of a sentence:

To have made the same mistake twice was unforgivable. Similarly with it first:

It is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.

241 The infinitive as object or complement of the verb

A The most useful verbs which can be followed directly by the infinitive are:

* See D, ** see F.

Auxiliary verbs

be dare have must ought will fan do may need shall used

(For verbs taking object + infinitive, see 244.

For verbs taking infinitive or gerund, see chapter 25.)

В The following phrases can also be followed by an infinitive:

be about it + occur* + to + object

be able + afford (negative or interrogative)

do one's best/ set out

do what one can take the trouble

make an/every effort turn out* (= prove to be)

make up one's mind* (= decide)

* See D.

С Examples of A and В

She agreed to pay £50.

Two men failed to return from the expedition. I managed to put the fire out.

They are preparing (= getting ready) to evacuate the area. We are not prepared (= willing) to wait any longer. The tenants refused to leave. Prices always tend to go up. She volunteered to help with Meals on Wheels. He is just about to leave, (on the point of leaving; see 114 C) We can't afford to live in the centre. He didn 't bother/trouble to answer personally. Opposite of the above:

He took the trouble to answer personally.

D Starred verbs or expressions can also be used with a that-clause (see 346):

I promise to wait = I promise that I will wait.

He pretended to be angry = He pretended that he was angry. it + occur + to +object + thatis used in the affirmative, negative and interrogative. Note the difference in meaning between this form and occur+ infinitive:

It occurred to me that he was trying to conceal something. (The idea

came to me.)

It didn't occur to me to ask him for proof of his identity. (I didn't

think of asking. So I didn't ask.)

appear, happen, seem, turn out, when used with a thatconstruction, require an introductory it:

It turned out that his 'country cottage' was an enormous bungalow. Compare with the infinitive construction:

His 'country cottage' turned out to be an enormous bungalow.

E A verb + infinitive does not necessarily have the same meaning as the same verb used with a that-clause. With learn, forget, occur(see D above) and rememberthe meaning will be different:

He learnt to look after himself.

He learnt (= was told) that it would cost £100.

He forgot to leave the car keys on the table. (He didn't leave them.)

He forgot that his brother wanted to use the car. remember could be used similarly with the opposite meaning. agree/decide+ infinitive expresses an intention to act.

agree that . . . expresses an opinion.

decide that . . . expresses a conclusion or a decision not necessarily

leading to action.

F Verbs with two stars take an infinitive or a that . . . should

construction, that . . . shouldis particularly useful in the passive (see 302).

They decided/agreed to divide the profits equally.

They decided that the profits should be divided equally.

I arranged to meet/for Tom to meet them.

1 arranged that Tom should meet them.

I arranged that they should be met.

G The continuous infinitive is often used after appear, happen, pretend, seem:

/ happened to be looking out of the window when they arrived.

He seems to be following us.

It is also possible after agree, arrange, decide, determine, hope, manage, planand the auxiliary verbs (see 254).

H The perfect infinitive is possible after appear, hope, pretend, seem

and the auxiliary verbs (see 255).

242 Verb + how/what/when/where/which/why +infinitive

A The verbs most frequently used in this way are ask, decide, discover, find out, forget, know, learn, remember, see ( =

understand/perceive), show+ object, think, understand, want to know, wonder:

He discovered how to open the safe.

I found out where to buy fruit cheaply.

I didn't know when to switch the machine off.

I showed her which button to press.

She couldn 't think what to say.

(Note that this construction is not usual after thinkin the simple present or past, but can be used after other tenses of think,or after thinkas a second verb, as in the last example above.)

В whether + infinitive can be used similarly after want to know, wonder:

/ wonder/wondered whether to write or phone

and after decide, know, remember, thinkwhen these verbs follow a negative or interrogative verb:

You needn 't decide yet whether to study arts or science.

He couldn't remember whether to turn left or right.

С ask, decide, forget, learn, remember can also be followed directly by the infinitive (see 241). But the meaning is not necessarily the same. learn how+ infinitive = 'acquire a skill': She learnt how to make lace

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