2.2. Инфинитивные конструкции

В российских учебниках по грамматике эти обороты часто называют

“сложное дополнение” и “сложное подлежащее”.

1) Complex Object. Объектный падеж с инфинитивом / сложное дополнение

Русские сложные предложения “Я хочу, чтобы вы помогли мне”, “Мы знаем, что он работает в этой фирме” на английский переводятся простыми предложениями с использованием оборота “существительное в общем падеже или местоимение в объектном падеже + инфинитив”:

“I want you to help me”, “We know him to work in this firm”.

Посмотрим, как переводится английское предложение на русский язык.

The businessmen want the contracts to be signed in May. – Бизнесмены хотят,

чтобы контракты были подписаны в мае.

Этот оборот чаще всего переводится на русский язык дополнительными

придаточными предложениями с союзами как, что, чтобы. Обратим внимание на то, что инфинитив переводится сказуемым придаточного предложения.

Запомните наиболее частотные глаголы, после которых употребляется этот оборот:

1. глаголы желания: to want – хотеть; to wish – желать; would like – хотел бы;

2. глаголы умственного восприятия: to consider – считать, полагать; to expect – ожидать; to believe – полагать, верить; to expose – предполагать; to know – знать; to think – думать;

3. глаголы, означающие просьбу, позволение, разрешение, приказ, запрет: to ask – просить; to allow – позволять; to order – приказывать; to cause – причинять, вызывать; to make (инфинитив употребляется без частицы to) – заставлять;

4. глаголы физического восприятия (инфинитив употребляется без частицы to): to watch – наблюдать; to see – видеть; to hear – слышать; to feel – чувствовать.

Примеры:

1. I would like you to fix the time for delivery. – Мне бы хотелось, чтобы

вы назначили время доставки.

2. We believe her to be in London now. – Мы полагаем, что она сейчас в

Лондоне.

3. This allows us to make further investments. – Это позволяет нам делать

дальнейшие вложения.

4. They didn’t hear the bell ring. – Они не слышали, как прозвенел звонок.

5. We couldn’t make them give us a discount. – Мы не могли заставить их

сделать нам скидку.

Обратите внимание на отсутствие to после глаголов физического восприятия (hear, feel, see, watch, etc.), а также make, let, help.

2) Complex Subject. Сложное подлежащее

Структура оборота: “существительное в общем падеже или личное местоимение в именительном падеже, стоящее перед сказуемым, + инфинитив, следующий за сказуемым”. Русские переводы таких предложений обычно начинаются с полагают, считают, утверждают, известно, что…

He is said to be writing his course paper. – Говорят, что он пишет свою

курсовую работу.

Сложное подлежащее употребляется со следующими глаголами в страдательном залоге: to hear – слышать; to see – видеть; to know – знать; to think – думать; to report – сообщать; to expect – ожидать; to say – говорить; to believe – полагать; to consider – полагать, считать; to assume – оценивать.

Примеры:

You are supposed to be working now. – Предполагается, что вы сейчас

работаете.

He was thought to be very rich. – Думали, что он очень богат.

He is said to be a very talented writer. – Говорят, что он очень талантливый

писатель.

Сложное подлежащее употребляется со следующими глаголами в действительном залоге: to seem – казаться; to appear – казаться; to prove – оказаться; to turn out – оказаться и со словосочетаниями: to be likely / unlikely – вероятно / маловероятно; to be certain – определенно, наверняка; to be sure – определенно, безусловно.

Примеры:

Bill turned out to be a very good translator. – Билл оказался очень

хорошим переводчиком.

He is certain to have kept his word. – Наверняка, он сдержал свое слово.

He seems to know English. – Кажется, он знает английский язык.

Не забывайте, что инфинитивные формы Perfect и Perfect Continuous обозначают действия, предшествующие действию сказуемого.

3) The For - to - Infinitive Construction. Инфинитивная конструкция с предлогом for.

В этой конструкции перед существительным или местоимением находится предлог for. Сама конструкция может играть роль раз­личных членов предложения При переводе на русский язык используется или придаточное предложение или инфинитив.

It will be very pleasant for us to spend a week in England. – Нам будет очень

приятно провести неделю в Англии. There was nothing else for me to say. – Мне больше нечего было сказать. It is for you to decide. Вам решать. Here are some books for you to read. – Вот несколько книг для вашего

чтения (вам почитать).

It is perfectly possible for union and management to cooperate on some things

and to compete on others. — Профсоюз и руководство предприятия вполне

могут сотрудничать в одних областях и конкурировать в других.

Practice

Ex. 1. Translate the sentences from English into Russian paying attention to the infinitives.

1. Не wanted to get there early, but he failed.

2. То know everything is to know nothing.

3. A lot of people choose to work from home in order to save money, but you have to be careful if you choose this option.

4. The secret of business is to know something that nobody else knows. (Aristotle Onassis)

5. Nature has many secrets to be discovered yet.

6. He is going to take part in the conference to be held in Moscow.

7. The first task of any person wishing to start a business is to get capital.

8. Financial analysts help people decide how to invest their money.

9. He was glad to have been given a new job.

10. I have nothing to say. Ask Annie, she was the first to come.

11. Does it pay to invest in advertising and promotion?

12. “The most important thing is to believe in yourself and believe in your business, confidence breeds success", he said.

Ex. 2. Choose the correct infinitive from the box and translate the sentences.

to delegate, to find, to answer, to get, to lose, to reduce, to have, to represent, to live, to read

1. The manager must learn ….. both work and responsibility.

2. The Republicans promised ….. taxes before the last election.

3. Many elderly people find it very difficult …..on their pensions.

4. It’s very difficult ….. a grant to go to college.

5. The UK public elects Members of Parliament (MPs) ….. their interests and concerns in the House of Commons.

6. A wise man ought ….. money in his head, but not in his heart. (Jonathan Swift)

7. It's easy for me ….. this question.

8. ….. a lot is to know much.

9. She risks……everything if she follows his advice. It is not worth taking.

10. They tried their best ….. solutions to the problem.

Ex. 3. Work in pairs. Make up questions and answer them. Give your reasons:

What is more pleasant (difficult, interesting, dangerous) ….

1. to criticize or to be criticized?

2. to invite guests or to be invited?

3. to teach somebody or to be taught?

4. to take care of somebody or to be taken care of?

5. to help somebody or to be helped?

Ex. 4. 1)Tell the purpose behind the following gestures and activities by adding the appropriate infinitives. Add some more verbs to the list below.

Pattern: to smile

St. A: We smile to show pleasure.

St. B: We smile to express joy.

St. C: We smile to greet people, etc.

-------------------------------

1. to cry; 2. to applaud; 3. to nod one's head; 4. to raise eyebrows; 5. to learn foreign languages; 6. to invite somebody to the restaurant; 7. to go to the concert (the art gallery, the country, the library, sport club, the internet-café, etc.); 8. to ask questions; 9. to work; 10.to enter the institute.

2) More than half of what we communicate is communicated not through words but through body language. Describe some gestures typical for people from different countries. Discuss them in the group. Use infinitives.

Ex. 5. Сombine the parts from two columns and make as many sentences as you can. Translate your sentences.

1. Real estate agents help people 2. I want you 3. I’d like you 4. We expect the company 5. Social workers help people 6. She is expected 7. The water seems 8. The delegation is reported 9. He is likely 10. He is sure 11. She is said 12. The car was seen 13. It is very difficult for them

a) to meet Mr Brown. b) overcome problems. c) to meet their obligations d) to be very beautiful. e) to be boiling. f) to be asked about it. g) to meet our chief accountant. h) to come any minute. i) to have left London. j) to know her address. k) to be reliable. l) to disappear. m) buy and sell houses.

Ex. 6. Match the sentences with the first words in their translations.Translate the sentences.

1. MPs and Members of the House of Lords are expected to adhere to high standards in their public life.

2. Money is known to speak all languages.

3. She is said to be learning English now.

4. My elder brother is considered to be a good manager.

5. He is supposed to have started his own business.

6. They are unlikely to arrive tomorrow.

7. Our new director seems to have graduated from the law faculty of the

University.

---------------------------

a) Известно, …

b) Считают, …

c) Говорят, …

d) Ожидается, …

e) Полагают, …

f) Кажется, …

g) Маловероятно, …

Ex. 7. Choose the correct option. Translate the sentences.

1. The Greeks seem to have known / to have been known papyrus as early as the beginning of the 5th century BC.

2. A Scottish sailor, Alexander Selkirk, was marooned (был высажен на необитаемом острове) on one of the islands between 1704 and 1709, and his experiences are supposed to have inspired / to be inspired the novel Robinson Crusoe, by Daniel Defoe.

3. Let her do / to do it herself. She is considered to be / being a careful

researcher and can't stand being helped.

4. You look rather tired. You are unlikely to have finished / to finish the work in time. You had better going / go home now.

5. The pre-1914 gold standard is considered by many to be / to have been the golden age of international monetary arrangements at the beginning of the 20th century.

6. He wants the book to return / to be returned tomorrow.

7. He was made to leave / leave the town and did not want to spend the last money on renting an apartment in the suburbs.

8. If the manufacturer wants his goods to sell / to be sold, he must maintain quality.

Ex.8. How can you finish these sentences?

1. It would be useful for them to know…

2. It is advisable for him to find out…

3. It is necessary for us to check…

4. It is difficult for me to decide…

5. It is important for you to make…

Ex.9. Read these lines from the poem. What do you think of them?

What is this life, if full of care,

We have no time to stand and stare?

(From William H.Davies)

Ex. 10. Choose the suitable infinitive from the list. Translate the sentences from English into Russian. Consult the dictionary.

The president of the company agreed, stating "It is a good time for companies 1__________.”	a) to set up and run the business.
The Falkland Islands Meat Company (FIMCo) was established to give wool farmers an opportunity 2__________ as well as traditional wool farming.	b) to make their marketing more efficient.
Our adviser provided excellent support and advice to help raise the capital 3________	c) to find out
During the startup phase, it can be easy 4_________but there can be serious consequences for your business if your projections are not realistic.	d) to develop financial infrastructure
It is impossible to create successful small and mediumsize businesses, 5___________, and transform large industrial businesses without high quality management and entrepreneurship.	e) to help them with hiring and paperwork.
Banks and mutual fund companies will need more financial analysts 6__________ which stocks and bonds they should buy or sell.	f) to diversify into meat production
Organizations will need human resources assistants 7___________	g) struggle to survive
You must research your market 8________ what makes your customers buy.	h) to make over-optimistic forecasts
Millions of young people face bleak employment opportunities. They see their parents 9_____________, and find it even harder for themselves.	i) to recommend

Ex. 11. Match the parts of the sentences. Translate them.

1. National currencies are considered 2. She doesn't seem 3. Employment of loan officers is expected 4. Why are banks expected 5. The changes are likely

a) to grow at a rate about as fast as the average for all jobs through 2018. b) to be announced in the next year budget. c) to be as strong as the national economies, which support them. d) to actively use telecommunications and computer systems? e) to understand me.

Ex. 12. Translate the sentences paying attention to the usage of infinitive constructions.

1. Among the unemployed, the number of persons who lost their job and did not expect to be recalled to work increased by 298,000 to 4.7 million in November.

2. The delegates seemed positive about the event and felt it was a good forum for new marketing ideas to be aired.

3. The link between health and income seems pretty uncontroversial: healthier children are likely to stay in school longer and learn more, earning more when they enter the workforce.

4. The number of jobs for human resources assistants is expected to grow about

as fast as the average for all occupations through the year 2016.

5. In banking practice, the bank payment is, of course, expected to be made with interest.

6. During times when Parliament is not sitting, the Government can ask for the

House of Commons to be recalled.