The Infinitive as Object

§ 186. The infinitive may be used as an object of a verb. It is lexically dependent in this function. We find it after the following verbs: to agree, to arrange, to ask (=to request), to attempt, to be- gin, to care (=to like), to cease, to choose (=to prefer), to claim, to come (=to begin), to consent, to continue, to decide, to deserve, to determine, to expect, to fail, to fear, to forget, to go on, to hate, to help, to hesitate, to hope, to intend, to learn, to like, to long, to love, to manage, to mean, to need, to neglect, to offer, to omit, to plan, to prefer, to pretend, to promise, to propose (=to in- tend), to refuse, to regret, to remember, to start, to swear, to tend, to threaten, to try, to want, to wish and some others.

e.g. They had arranged to visit the laboratory the next day. Margaret continued to visit Jack in hospital. I came to know him well towards the end of the war. Do you mean to say he actually approves of it? He did not propose to forgive this time. He did not want to be left alone. I pretended not to be listening. She claims to have read his diary.

In addition to the verbs mentioned above, the infinitive as an object is used after the modal phrases can afford and can bear in their negative and interrogative forms, e.g. Some say we cannot afford to do it. I say, we cannot afford

not to do it.

Can you afford to go on such an expensive trip? I couldn't bear to damage him.

The infinitive is also used after the set phrases to make up one's mind, to take care, to take the trouble, to make sure, and some others.

e.g. I took care to ask Strickland nothing about his own doings. The next day he made sure to buy a copy of the newspaper. With all the verbs mentioned above the infinitive is used with the particle to (see the examples above). The only exception is the verb to help which may be followed by an infinitive with or with out to.

e.g. Helen will help to make tea.

I'm sure you will help talk her out of it.

The subject of the infinitive in this function is the same as that of the predicate verb (see the examples above).

(For comparison with the ing-form see §§ 214 and 237.)

§ 187. The infinitive may also be used as an object of an adjec- tive. It is lexically dependent in this case. It is used after various kinds of adjectives: adjectives proper, predicative adjectives and adjectivized participles. The most commonly occurring of them are: (un)able, afraid, aghast, amused, annoyed, anxious, apt, ashamed, astonished, bound, careful, certain, content, crazy, curi- ous, delighted, determined, difficult, disposed, distressed, due, ea- ger, easy, entitled, fit, fortunate, free, frightened, furious, glad, grateful, good, happy, hard, helpless, horrified, impatient, inclined, interested, keen, liable, (un)likely, lucky, moved, obliged, pleased, (im)possible, powerless, prepared, proud, puzzled, quick, ready, re- lieved, reluctant, resolved, right, safe, scared, set {= determined), slow, sorry, sufficient, sure, surprised, thankful, touched, useless, (un)willing, (un)wise, wonderful, worthy, wrong, etc.

e.g. He's still very anxious to see you. I am curious to know the news. He would be crazy not to do so. I felt reluctant to go out. His next book is sure to be worthless. Dinner was ready to be served.

The subject is now not likely to be raised during the talks. I am sorry to have done you harm.

The infinitive is always preceded by to in this function.

Adjectives having infinitives as objects are generally used in the function of a predicative after the link-verb to be (see the ex- amples above). Other link-verbs are also possible, though they are

infrequent.

e.g.- He seemed glad to have me there.

I found them getting ready to go out.

In a vast majority of cases the subject of the infinitive is the person or thing denoted by the subject of the sentence (see the ex-

amples above). However, when the infinitive follows the adjec- tives difficult, easy, good, hard, wonderful, the subject of the sen- tence becomes the object of the action expressed by the infinitive.

e.g. Their language was not difficult to understand.

She was not easy to discourage.

I was angry because he was so hard to persuade.

The apples were good to eat.

Occasionally a for-phrase is used to indicate the subject of the infinitive, e.g. He was impatient for me to meet them.

He was eager for me to start on my new job.

I am prepared for everyone to accuse me of being foolish.

(For comparison with the ing-form see §§ 215, 217 and 238.)

§ 188. The infinitive as object may be part of a phrase intro- duced by the conjunction whether or one of the following conjunc- tive pronouns or adverbs: what, who, whom, which, when, where, how and how long.

e.g. I did not at all know what to say. I don't know who else to ask. Neither of us knew when to begin. He had come away, not knowing where to turn or what to do.

As most of the conjunctive words begin with wh-, this kind of infinitive group may be called the wh-phrase. The infinitive in the phrase is always preceded by to.

As is seen from the above examples, the wh-phrase serves as an object of a verb. It usually occurs after the verb to know (see the examples above). Yet it may also follow some other verbs and set phrases, e.g. to advise, to decide, to make up one's mind, to wonder and some others.

e.g. He could not decide whether to speak or not.

I couldn't make up my mind whether to accept the offer. I stood wondering how to stop the fight.

I'll ask my travel agent. He advises me what to buy and where to go.

As is known, infinitives generally do not serve as prepo- sitional objects. However, the wh-phrase is occasionally found as a prepositional object of a verb or a set phrase.

e.g. As we talked of where to meet, I noticed something unusual

in his tone. Whether he had changed his mind about what to say I did

not know. She gave us orders about how long to stay there.

In most cases the subject of the infinitive in this function is the same as that of the predicate verb; occasionally it is expressed by some secondary part of the sentence (see the examples above).

Although the wh-phrase is not in frequent use, it is not re- stricted stylistically.

Note. The wh-phrase may, in theory, have all the functions of the infinitive in the sentence. But actually it mainly occurs as an object to the verb to know. Here, however, are some examples of the wh-phrase in other functions:

e.g. a) as an object to an adjective: No one seemed sure how to act.

2. as a predicative: The main problem is, of course, where to go.

3. as an attribute: I don't remember that I ever received any instruction on

how to put sentences together.