The Predicative

1.

-------- is

-------- was to do smth

-------- will be to be done

* What I want is to be left alone.

* His hobby is to collect stamps.

2.

nice

smb is hard

smth was difficult to do (at, with)

pleasant

impossible

* She is nice to work with.

* The house was not easy to find.

Part of a Compound Verbal Predicate (Modal and Aspect).

1. With modal verbs, modal expressions, and verbs expressing modality the infinitive forms part of a Compound Verbal Modal Predicate.

* We mustn`t leave him by himself.

2. With verbs denoting the beginning, duration or end of the action the infinitive forms part of a Compound Verbal Aspect Predicate.

* He began to read this book two days ago.

The Object

1. promise

offer

remember

forget to do smth

agree to be doing smth

decide to be done

pretend

want

mean

* Helen learned to dance at school.

* We agreed to differ.

2. be glad to do smth

pleased to be doing

astonished to have done

angry to have been doing

delighted to be done

afraid to have been done

* She was pleased to see me.

* They were angry not to have found me there.

* The girl was delighted to have been dancing the whole evening.

The Attribute

The use of the infinitive as an attribute is far more extensive in English than in Russian. In Russian it modifies only abstract nouns, whereas in English it modifies:

1. ordinal numerals

the first

last to do smth

second

* She was the last to take the exam.

* She was the first to see the danger.

* He was the second to cross the finish line.

2. indefinite pronouns

somebody

nobody to do smth

anything

someone

* I have nobody to say a kind word to me.

* I have nothing to give to you.

* Have you anything else to say?

3. class nouns

man

place to do smth

time

thing

* She wasn`t a woman to suffer in silence.

* I haven` t got any time to examine this room.

* It`s just the book to read in the train.

NOTE: The passive infinitive is seldom used in the attributive function. This is why we say “ it is a book to read “ and not “ to be read ”.

Exceptions: there is nothing to be done and nothing to do; there is something to be said and something to say

NOTE: The attribute passive infinitive may have a future meaning.

* The houses to be built here will be of the same type.