infinitive 小结

wangjieava23

关于infinitive modifier
1. 功用：做名词，做形容词，做副词。
2. 做形容词
1)  A technique that alleviates pains is growing popular
   =A technique alleviating pains is growing popular.
but A technique to alleviate pains is growing popular.
Means Someone else use the technique to alleviate pains.
2) There is a book to read.
   There is a book for me to read
3) The plan to conquer the world is in his files.
3. 作名词 （+ it 做placeholder noun）
  It is human to error
  it is futile to resist temptation.
  She made it possible for us to attend the movie.

4. 做副词（简单理解就是表示目的）
  The contractor demolished the building to keep it from falling down accidentaly.
  The building was demolished to keep it from falling down accidentally.
  (注意这里的it的使用。)
  infinitive modifier 在这里，的逻辑主语都是the contractors.

5. 可以用to do, 也可以用in order to do
6. Infinitive modifer 和that 从句一样，一般不要做句子主语，
  To resist temptation is futile.
 就劣于 it is futile to resist temptation.
7.在句尾 infinitive phrase 作副词， 表示 intention, ving 表示 the result
 The investor sold the stock rapidly, casuding panic  这里就是result
 The investor sold the stock rapidly to cause panic.  这里就是investor 自己的主观注意

狈狈比比多味豆

我的整理：

三个作用：名词、形容词、副词

其中，作为副词： 表示目的，可以和 in orderto 互换

前面没有comma的infinitive:

观察以下三个例子：

① The contractorsDEMOLISHED the building tokeep it from falling down accidentally.

verb是主动语态，todo的逻辑主语和句子主语保持一致。

（The subject of themain verb demolished is the noun contractors, which is also the implied subject of the infinitive tokeep, which expresses the purpose of the demolition. The object it refers to the building.）

② The building WASDEMOLISHED to avoid falling downaccidentally.

verb是被动语态，暗示了bysomeone， 这时候to do的逻辑主语应该是这个someone。但是avoid falling down应该是针对这栋楼干的事情，而不是拆楼的人避免自己倒了。（这里我和曼哈顿理解有点不一样）

③ The building WASDEMOLISHED to keep it from falling down accidentally.

此时被动语态的动作发出者someone是真正地在keep it (the building) from fallingdown.

"comma + infinitive"

"comma +infinitive"是adverbial modifier。而我们知道adverbialmodifier的位置可以很灵活，通常可以放前面、后面甚至中间。

To get a high score, we study hard.

We study hard to get a high score.

以上句子没问题，对吧？     但如果这个句子复杂点，怎么办？

To get a high score, we do a lot of practices andanalyze the questions.

We do a lot of practices and analyze the questions,to get a high score.

这个时候，注意第2句话，"toget a high score"前面就有个逗号。

若没有逗号：We do a lot ofpractices and analyze the questions to get a high score. 则引起歧义"questionsto get a high score"，infinitive好像在修饰名词。

“但是commma+不定式不是错的么”我想说，从来就没有这个规则！"comma + infinitive"作adverbial modifier在英语里很普遍，比如就我上面那个句子：We do a lot of practices and analyze the questions, to get ahigh score.

但是！注意主系表结构的句子。

Formembers of the seventeenth-century Ashanti nation in Africa, animal-hideshields with wooden frames were essential items of military equipment,  to protectwarriors against enemy arrows and spears.

这里to protect 不能作adverbial modifier， 因为adverbial modifier是修饰的整个sentence/clause的意思，而这个句子主干是：Shields wereessential items of military equipment，和"toprotect"不搭调。

判断能否作为adverbialmodifier，有个简单的办法，就是像下面这样提问，看能否answer the how/why/where/when questions.

造个新句子：Members ofAshanti nation developed shields as essential items of military equipment, toprotect ....

句子主干：Members developedshields.

Question: why did they develop shields?  Answer: To protect ....

Because "toprotect ..." answers the "why" question, it is regarded as anadverbial modifier.

当你这么检验的时候，你就会发现"toprotect" CANNOT answer the how/ why/ where/ when questions for"Shields were essential items of military equipment".

这和抽象同位语a method一样，你想要修饰整个句子，你可以说做一件事情是个method，但是主系表结构只是在谈论主语的性质，不涉及动作。

只有主系表接comma-ing才可以继续描述主语的其他性质。（OG12-30）

wangjieava23

作为动词的modifier， 有三种形式需要apply to both the verb and verb's suject:

1. Ving  例子不用举了，太多了
2. proposition.  In attempting to do sth, the oil company do sth.
3. TO do (表示目的) To keep it from falling down accidently, the contractor demolished the building.

wangjieava23

One of the earliest known birds with a beak and contour feathers, Confuciusornis sanctus, with large clawlike “thumbs” on its wings, which probably helped them to climb up to a launching position for flight.
A. with large clawlike “thumbs” on its wings, which probably helped them to
B. with large clawlike “thumbs” on their wings, which probably helped it to
C. had large clawlike “thumbs” on its wings, which probably helped them
D. had large clawlike “thumbs” on its wings, probably to help it
E. had large clawlike “thumbs” on their wings, probably to help it


答案：D
", to help it" 这个结构真的挺奇怪的。
接受吧，“,+infinitive modifier” 表示不是句子主要成分的目的。

wangjieava23

The organic food industry has organized a syccessful grassroots campaign—using web sites, public meetings, and also mass mailing—that has convinced the Department of Agriculture to changethe proposed federal regulations for organically grown food

to change... 是 convince the Department of Agriculture的宾部。