6. The infinitive as adverbial modifier

The infinitive may be used as different adverbial modifiers:

as an adverbial modifier of purpose it is used to explain why people do things, their purposes:

I went to London to learn English. – Я поехал в Лондон, чтобы учить английский язык.

The same idea can be expressed by using the conjunctions in order to and so as:

I got up early in order to have time to pack. – Я встал рано, чтобы успеть упаковать вещи.

I left very early so as to avoid traffic jams. – Я выехал очень рано, чтобы не попасть в пробки на дороге.

In negative sentences in order not to or so as not to are usually used as the infinitive alone may not be correct:

I am going to start now in order not to miss the beginning of the concert. – Я выезжаю сейчас, чтобы не пропустить начало концерта.

After the verbs to come, to go, to hurry up, to stay, to stop and some other verbs instead of the to-infinitive of purpose the same idea of purpose can be expressed by the conjunction and plus a bare infinitive.

Would you go and tell the children not to be so loud. – Сходи, пожалуйста, и скажи детям, чтобы они так не шумели.

Ex.21. Underline the infinitive or the infinitive phrase used as an adverbial modifier of purpose. Translate the sentences into Russian.

1. He came over here not to quarrel with you but just to warn you that they might do you harm.

2. To get the information you need you’d better go to the agency.

3. Sit still not to fall down.

4. To be a top student you’ll have to work hard.

5. Switch off the light not to wake the baby up.

6. We were quiet and walked slowly not to frighten them.

7. Sylvia cried loudly so as to draw the man’s attention.

8. Jack looked straight into her eyes to understand whether she was lying.

9. The guy stopped to light a cigarette and noticed that somebody followed him.

10. Come to see us in July.

Ex.22. Point out the sentences which contain an infinitive or an infinitive phrase used as an adverbial modifier of purpose. Translate them into Russian.

To make a long story short, they left without saying good-bye.

To spend a day off in the country gives you a good chance to relax.

To make them laugh I had to act as a clown.

To respect a man you don’t need to find any good qualities in him.

To tell the truth, I’ve never met such a worthy person as him.

To find the answer to your questions you need the encyclopedia.

To discuss your plan in details is absolutely necessary.

To grow oranges in this region one needs a hothouse.

To put it mildly, her father was furious.

Not to offend her is next to impossible as every critical remark seems to her very offensive.

Ex.23. Translate the sentences into English.

Чтобы разобраться в этой истории, надо выслушать каждого свидетеля.

Чтобы стать хорошим врачом, необходима большая практика.

Чтобы не попасть в беду, не надо рисковать.

Чтобы не опоздать на совещание, пришлось отложить кое-какие личные дела.

Надо купить немало кирпича, чтобы построить такой коттедж.

Чтобы познать истину, ее надо искать.

Не надо быть слишком умным, чтобы понять, что они влюблены.

Чтобы насладиться природой, надо побыть в каком-нибудь тихом, уединенном месте и ни с кем не общаться.

as an adverbial modifier of result or consequence the infinitive is used to denote an action which became possible or impossible due to some action or state expressed by the words it refers to. It chiefly occurs after adjectives or adverbs modified by enough or too.

The coffee is too hot to drink. = The coffee is so hot that I can’t drink it.

Do you think the water is warm enough to swim? = Do you think that the water is warm enough and we can swim?

In this function the infinitive is also used after adjectives modified by so (so + adjective + as) and nouns modified by such (such + noun + as)

He is so kind as to help me. = He is very kind, that’s why he helped me.

Ex.24. Underline the infinitive or the infinitive phrase used as adverbial modifier of result. Translate the sentences into Russian.

Her little brother is clever enough to understand what you feel.

Jane is too polite to insult anybody.

Phil and Sylvia were so kind as to support us when we were pressed for money.

He is not such an idiot as to marry again. He is fed up with his first marriage.

The journey was too long to enjoy it.

It is too funny to be taken seriously.

Her younger son is talented enough to get the first prize.

The story is too sad to be amusing.

Ex.25. Translate the sentences into English.

Он слишком благороден, чтобы вызвать подозрения.

Она была так добра, что дала мне в долг эти деньги.

Том слишком упрям, чтобы последовать твоему совету.

Его условия слишком тяжелы, чтобы принять их.

Было чересчур шумно, чтобы расслышать слова.

Достаточно твоих слов, чтобы поверить в то, что он не виноват.

Она была так мила, что согласилась выслушать нас.

Вы слишком слепы, чтобы чувствовать, чего она добивается от вас.

as an adverbial modifier of attendant circumstances or subsequent events the infinitive denotes an action that either takes place at the same time as the action of the predicate оr after it. It gives some additional information about the subject and is semantically relatively independent. That’s why it can be transformed into a homogeneous predicate and is translated into Russian by a finite verb form as a homogeneous predicate joined by the conjunction и or sometimes но.

She woke up to see that the sun was shining. (= She woke up and saw that the sun was shining.) – Она проснулась и увидела …

As it is seen from the above example the infinitive in this function always follows the predicate verb and in this position should not be mixed up with the infinitive used in the function of an adverbial modifier of purpose. Though they may have much in common from the point of view of their position, their meaning is quite different, in fact almost opposite.

She rushed home to find her purse and pay for the purchase. (= She rushed home in order to find her purse and pay for the purchase.) – Она бросилась домой, чтобы найти кошелек и расплатиться за покупку.

She rushed home to find a thief exploring the house. (= She rushed home and found that a thief was exploring the house.) – Она бросилась домой и обнаружила, что ее дом обыскивает вор.

In this function the infinitive is often found after the verb-predicate expressed by a verb of motion (to come, to run, to rush, to leave, to return, to drive away, to get to some place, to arrive, to leave, etc.)

I returned from Europe to find my house in ruins. – Я вернулся из Европы и обнаружил, что дом мой разрушен.

Besides the infinitive itself is usually expressed by the following verbs:

verbs denoting discovery:

to find, to discover

He looked up to find her smiling. – Он поднял глаза и увидел, что она улыбается.

2) verbs of sense perception:

to see, to hear, to feel

He turned to see a policeman. – Он повернулся и увидел полицейского.

3. verbs denoting a change in a state or position:

to appear, to disappear, to emerge, to die, to sink, etc.

He came out on the porch to disappear again almost at once. – Он вышел на крыльцо и почти сразу исчез.

In this function the infinitive is often preceded by the adverb only:

He managed to obtain the concession only to find that no one really needed it. – Он добился уступки, но обнаружил, что это никому не нужно.

Ex.26. Underline the infinitive or the infinitive phrase used as an adverbial modifier of attendant circumstances or subsequent events. Translate the sentences into Russian.

He left her never to see her again.

Oscar left us only to realize soon that he couldn’t live alone.

She argued with her mother only to find out she was wrong.

I heard some noise in the front room and went downstairs to see that there was nobody there.

They bought a new house never to live there.

The phone rang and he entered the room to find that his wife was talking to Eliza.

He visited his aunt to see that she was seriously ill.

The police arrived almost immediately only to find that the criminal had disappeared.

He returned home to find the window broken.

Ex.27. Translate the sentences into English.

Он проснулся рано утром и увидел, что комната была пуста.

Он однажды объяснился ей в любви и больше никогда не произносил этих слов.

Отец дал ему мудрый совет, но лишь убедился, что сын не намерен прислушиваться к нему.

Она улыбнулась и поняла, что ее улыбка вызывает у него восхищение.

Дети прибежали в комнату и увидели, что там полно гостей.

Она сказала ему все об их отношениях и больше никогда не возвращалась к этой теме.

Дэниел закончил играть и увидел, что публика была в восторге.

as an adverbial modifier of condition the infinitive is used to explain the condition on which the action of the predicate depends. In this function the infinitive may either precede or follow the predicate verb. In this function the infinitive is used but seldom. (That’s why there are no exercises on this function of the infinitive in this paper.)

He would have done better to jump off the tower. (= if he had jumped off…) – Было бы лучше, если бы он спрыгнул с башни.

She would be unhappy to marry for money. (= She would be unhappy if she married for money.) – Она была бы несчастна, если бы вышла замуж из-за денег.

as an adverbial modifier of time the infinitive indicates the time of the action or state of the predicate verb.

He was surprised to learn how much he’d spent. (= when he learned …) – Он удивился, когда узнал, сколько истратил.

She was upset to hear that her sister was ill. (= She was upset when she heard …) – Она расстроилась, когда услышала, что ее сестра больна.

Mrs. Brown lived to be 88. (= till she was 88) – Миссис Браун дожила до 88.

In this case the infinitive always follows the predicate.

Ex.28. Underline the infinitive or the infinitive phrase used as adverbial modifier of time. Translate the sentences.

I was surprised to learn that Ellen had got that job.

They were happy to be asked for help.

She was displeased to be told that she was a trouble-maker.

His father was furious to learn that he had done a dishonourable thing.

We could hardly believe our eyes to see that the room was full of nice presents and flowers.

Charles was upset to be woken up so early.

Justin was shocked to learn about their having gone abroad.

Ex.29. Translate the sentences into English using an infinitive as adverbial modifier of time.

Он расстроился, когда узнал, что цены поднялись.

Она была счастлива, когда ей сказали, что им предстоит интересное путешествие.

Марк разгневался, когда узнал, что сын без разрешения взял его машину.

Мы были недовольны, когда нам сообщили, что дом продали дешево.

Он был ошеломлен, когда ему сказали, что Лидия будет играть главную роль.

Фред был расстроен, когда его прервали.

Стив был в ярости, когда увидел, что от его дома не осталось и следа. (to find no trace)

as an adverbial modifier of exception the infinitive is used after the prepositions but or except and expresses the only action that is possible in the situation. In this case only a bare infinitive is used.

She does nothing but grumble.

What could I do but agree?

In this function the infinitive occurs only in negative and interrogative sentences.

Ex.30. Underline the infinitive or the infinitive phrase used as adverbial modifier of exception. Translate the sentences into Russian.

1. They do nothing but work all day long.

2. She does nothing but scold her husband from morning till night for not earning enough money.

3. There was nothing to do except leave them alone and wait till they realized that they needed our help.

4. What could she do but forgive them and forget about what they had done?

5. His parents did nothing but persuade him to go to college and get good education.

6. She does nothing but quarrel with her family.

Ex.31. Translate the sentences into English using an infinitive or an infinitive phrase as adverbial modifier of exception.

1. Больше ничего не оставалось, кроме как молиться за него.

2. Он только и делает, что высмеивает ее.

3. Что я мог сделать, кроме как пожалеть его и взять к себе.

4. Больше ничего не оставалось, кроме как воспользоваться их приглашением и отправиться к ним поужинать.

5. Они только и делают, что надоедают ему разговорами о своих семейных делах. (to bother smb. with smth.)

6. Она только и делает, что заставляет его решать свои личные проблемы.

7. Что его отец мог сделать, кроме как высказать свою точку зрения и дать ему мудрый совет?

as an adverbial modifier of comparison or manner the infinitive is introduced by the conjunctions as if, as though or than.

Her lips moved as if to warn him. – Она шевелила губами, как будто хотела его предупредить.

Clare touched his shoulder as though to stop him. – Клэр дотронулась до его плеча, как будто хотела остановить его.

When the adverbial modifier of comparison refers to the predicate group containing adjectives or adverbs in the comparative degree, the infinitive is introduced by the conjunction than.

To do well better than to speak well. – Хорошие поступки лучше хороших слов.

Ex.32. Underline the infinitive or the infinitive phrase used as adverbial modifier of comparison/manner. Translate the sentences into Russian.

1. She waved her hand as if to give some sign to him.

2. Everyone knows that to tell the truth is better than to tell lies.

3. She paused for half a minute as if to drop a hint that she was tired of talking.

4. He shook his head as though to show that he was dissatisfied.

5. He was the first to break the silence and it was wiser on his part at that moment than to wait till they uttered a word.

6. He clutched the papers to his heart as if to show that there was nothing more important for him than to have them with him.

7. To go to Switzerland on business is more important than to stay here and talk things over with our partners.

Ex.33. Translate the sentences into English using an infinitive or an infinitive phrase as adverbial modifier of comparison/manner.

1. Она покраснела и прошептала что-то, как будто хотела сказать, что ей стыдно.

2. Он покачал головой, словно показывал, что он осуждает их.

3. Проводить отпуск на море гораздо лучше, чем сидеть в душном городе все лето.

4. Ей казалось, что беседовать о погоде хуже, чем о современной литературе.

5. Глаза ее сияли, словно говорили, что она с нетерпением ждала встречи с ним.

6. Гораздо благороднее уступить даме, чем настаивать на своем.

7. С ее стороны было бы гораздо разумнее смириться с ситуацией, чем переживать и нервничать.

8. Это было на нее не похоже, но oна разрыдалась, как будто показывая, что его слова оскорбительны для нее.