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6 semester / 5 предикативные комплексы (for-to-infinitive and gerundial constructions)

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The predicative complexes that can be any part of the sentence:

the Gerundial Construction and the For-to-Infinitive Construction

1. the For-to-Infinitive Construction

The construction starts with the preposition for + a noun in the Common case or a personal pronoun in the Objective case + an infinitive with the particle to.

It can function as:

  • SUBJECT (often with ‘introductory it’): It was impossible for them to meet anybody. (= For them to meet anybody was impossible.)

  • PREDICATIVE: That is for you to decide.

  • OBJECT: Everybody was impatient for the experiment to begin.

  • ATTRIBUTE: There was nothing for him to say.

  • ADVERBIAL MODIFIER

a) of purpose: I rang for you to show the lady out.

b) of result: The chance was too good for Jack to miss it.

State the function of the For-to-Infinitive construction:

  1. It is quite natural for him to act like this.

  2. The main thing is for us to work in close cooperation.

  3. Let us wait for a definite answer to arrive.

  4. This is a lesson for you to remember for the rest of your life.

  5. I shall leave the magazine for you to read.

  6. The ice has become too thin for the boys to go skating.

  7. He closed the window for the papers not to be scattered by the wind.

  8. It is impossible for him to let us down.

  9. The teacher was eager for his pupils to understand their task properly.

  10. Mother wired for Jack to meet her at the airport.

  11. The arrangement is for Mrs and Mr Stone to go sightseeing to the north-west of the capital.

2. the Gerundial Construction

The construction may consist of a noun in the Common or Genitive case, or a possessive pronoun, or a personal pronoun in the Objective case + a gerund.

It can function as:

  • SUBJECT (often with ‘introductory it’): It is not worthwhile your quarrelling all the time.

  • PREDICATIVE: The only way out will be his taking the job.

  • OBJECT: She liked his worrying about his kids.

  • ATTRIBUTE: The prospect of someone else getting the job was unbearable.

  • ADVERBIAL MODIFIER of time, attendant circumstances, concession or reason:

After his being away for some time the crisis came (time). It this case the construction is always introduced by a preposition.

State the function of the Gerundial construction:

1. I really can’t think of Bobby’s being rude to his elders.

2. Is there any purpose in our trying to catch the first morning train?

3. The trouble is his not knowing Dr Blake personally.

4. It will be rather a treat our spending a fortnight in the mountains!

5. But for her promptly turning the wheel to the left we would have had an accident.

6. Why did they insist on Martha’s leaving their company?

7. It’s a very bad habit his smoking so much.

8. I am the cause for your going away.

The predicative complexes that can be any part of the sentence:

the Gerundial Construction and the For-to-Infinitive Construction

1. the For-to-Infinitive Construction

The construction starts with the preposition for + a noun in the Common case or a personal pronoun in the Objective case + an infinitive with the particle to.

It can function as:

  • SUBJECT (often with ‘introductory it’): It was impossible for them to meet anybody. (= For them to meet anybody was impossible.)

  • PREDICATIVE: That is for you to decide.

  • OBJECT: Everybody was impatient for the experiment to begin.

  • ATTRIBUTE: There was nothing for him to say.

  • ADVERBIAL MODIFIER

a) of purpose: I rang for you to show the lady out.

b) of result: The chance was too good for Jack to miss it.

State the function of the For-to-Infinitive construction:

  1. It is quite natural for him to act like this.

  2. The main thing is for us to work in close cooperation.

  3. Let us wait for a definite answer to arrive.

  4. This is a lesson for you to remember for the rest of your life.

  5. I shall leave the magazine for you to read.

  6. The ice has become too thin for the boys to go skating.

  7. He closed the window for the papers not to be scattered by the wind.

  8. It is impossible for him to let us down.

  9. The teacher was eager for his pupils to understand their task properly.

  10. Mother wired for Jack to meet her at the airport.

  11. The arrangement is for Mrs and Mr Stone to go sightseeing to the north-west of the capital.

2. the Gerundial Construction

The construction may consist of a noun in the Common or Genitive case, or a possessive pronoun, or a personal pronoun in the Objective case + a gerund.

It can function as:

  • SUBJECT (often with ‘introductory it’): It is not worthwhile your quarrelling all the time.

  • PREDICATIVE: The only way out will be his taking the job.

  • OBJECT: She liked his worrying about his kids.

  • ATTRIBUTE: The prospect of someone else getting the job was unbearable.

  • ADVERBIAL MODIFIER of time, attendant circumstances, concession or reason:

After his being away for some time the crisis came (time). It this case the construction is always introduced by a preposition.

State the function of the Gerundial construction:

1. I really can’t think of Bobby’s being rude to his elders.

2. Is there any purpose in our trying to catch the first morning train?

3. The trouble is his not knowing Dr Blake personally.

4. It will be rather a treat our spending a fortnight in the mountains!

5. But for her promptly turning the wheel to the left we would have had an accident.

6. Why did they insist on Martha’s leaving their company?

7. It’s a very bad habit his smoking so much.

8. I am the cause for your going away.