The Infinitive as Adverbial Modifier of Comparison

THAN + the infinitive: To give is more blessed than to receive. It was much more pleasant to give than to be given. Rather than waitany more, I decided to go home by taxi. (no particle “to”) I was more inclined to see her safely married than go on watching over her. (no particle “to”)

NOTE:

1)Although the infinitive of comparison is generally used with to, it may also occur without it.

2)The adverbials of comparison are confined to formal style.

The Infinitive as Adverbial Modifier of Condition

1.The infinitive used as an adverbial modifier of condition denotes an action, which pre-conditions the action of the predicate: To look at Montmorency, you would imagine that he was an angel sent upon earth … (=If you looked…, you would imagine…) I’ll thank you to take your hands off me. (=I’ll thank you, if you take…) 2.Often, although not always, the predicate of the sentence is used in the Conditional Mood. To see him walk down the street, you’d never know he was blind.

NOTE:

The infinitive phrase in this function contains the verbs of sense perception (to see, to hear, to feel, to look, to listen, to touch, to watch, etc), the predicate of the sentence is expressed by the verb of mental activity (to think, to believe, to imagine, etc):

To hear her talk, you’d think she was made of money.

Exercise 17. Paraphrase the following sentences as in the pattern:

Pattern: If you heard her talk, you would think she was a celebrity.

To hear her talk, you would think she was a celebrity.

1.If you saw them together, you’d think they were an old married couple.But they only met yesterday. 2.If you looked at his pictures, you would think the Impressionists had never been. 3. I smiled. If one heard him, one would think he was always short of money. 4. You wouldn’t believe it if you looked at him. 5. If you looked at him, you would think he was a boss.6. If you heard him talking to Jones you would have thought he commanded at least a battalion. 7. If one heard him, one would think he was as poor as a church mouse.

The Infinitive as Adverbial Modifier of Exception

The Infinitive as an adverbial modifier of exceptiondenotes the action, which is the only possible one in the situation. The infinitive of this function is used in negative and interrogative sentences: prepositions but/ except + infinitive, which is generally used without to: I had nothing to do but wait. There is nothing to do except turn back.What could I do but submit?

NOTE: The adverbials of exception are confined to formal style.

Exercise 18. Complete the following sentences as in the pattern:

Pattern: This woman had nothing to do … (to talk).

This woman had nothing to do but talk.

1.I had nothing to do … (to wait). 2. What could he do … (to smile)? 3. There was nothing we could do …(to wait). 4. She did nothing … (to complain the whole time she was here). 5. I couldn’t help… (to realize that something was wrong). 6. I couldn’t do anything …(to just sit there and hope). 7. Daniel held out his arm to her. She had no choice … ( to obey). 8. There was nothing we could do …(to try). 9.He rarely went out … (to take part in the social life of the town).

Date: 2015-12-24; view: 2028

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