Infinitive as attributive
When an infinitive is used as an attribute, it is usually used as a postattribute to modify the previous noun or pronoun.
First, the relationship between infinitives and modifiers.
1. Subject-predicate relationship
? The modified noun or pronoun is actually the logical subject of the infinitive. For example:
We need Li Jiayuan to help us with our math.
Li Jiayuan will help with math.
We need Li Jiayuan to help us with our math.
2. verb-object relationship
The modified noun or pronoun is the logical object of infinitive. For example:
I have many letters to write.
Write many letters
I have many letters to write.
3. Parity
The infinitive and the noun it modifies refer to the same thing. For example:
We have made a plan to learn from Lei Feng.
We made a plan to learn from Lei Feng.
4. Adverbial relationship
Modifier nouns actually indicate the way and time of infinitive action. Most of these nouns are abstract nouns. For example:
That's what I did.
This is the right thing to do.
I have no time to go there.
I have no time to go there.
Secondly, the infinitive and the words it modifies form a logical verb-object relationship. When the infinitive is an intransitive verb, it must be followed by an appropriate preposition to form a transitive verb phrase. For example:
I'm looking for a room to live in.
I'm looking for a room to live in.
I need a piece of paper to write on.
I need a piece of paper to write on.
There is nothing to worry about.
There is nothing to worry about.
The infinitive is used as an attribute, and the noun it modifies is
When expressing time, place or way, the preposition after the infinitive should generally be omitted. For example:
He has no money and no place to live.
He has no money and no place to live.
3. When nouns or pronouns modified by infinitives are the recipients of infinitive actions,
The active and passive forms of infinitives have different meanings. Try to compare:
There is nothing to do.
There is nothing to do.
(Feeling "bored")
There is nothing to do.
I can't do anything.
(that is, "helpless")
There is nothing to see.
There is nothing to see.
There is nothing to see.
I can't see anything.
First, infinitives are used as attributes.
1. If the infinitive used as an attribute is an intransitive verb, or the noun or pronoun modified by the infinitive is the place and tool of the infinitive action, then the infinitive must be followed by a corresponding preposition. For example:
The browns have a comfortable house to live in.
There is nothing to worry about.
Please give me a knife to cut things.
Here is some paper for you to write on.
But if the noun modified by the infinitive is time, place or way, the preposition after the infinitive is customarily omitted. For example:
He has no money and no place to live.
We found a solution to this problem.
2. When the noun or pronoun modified by the attributive infinitive is the receiver of the infinitive action, the infinitive can be active.
Voice can also be used in passive voice, but its meaning is different. Try to compare:
Do you have anything to send?
Do you have anything to send?
(The actor to send the infinitive is "you")
Do you have anything to send?
Do you have anything to send (to me or others)?
(Is the infinitive actor to be posted "Me" or "Others")
3. Several situations in which infinitives are used as attributes:
The infinitive indicates the future:
I borrowed some books to read during the holiday. Used to modify ordinal numbers, superlatives, or
None, all, any and other qualified headwords. For example:
He is the best person for the job.
He is always the first to come and the last to leave.
She was the first woman to win an Olympic gold medal.
Women and children were the first to board the lifeboat.
When the words used to modify are abstract nouns, the common ones are: ability, opportunity, idea, fact, excuse,
Commitment, answer, reply, attempt, belief, way, reason, time, time
Wait a minute. For example:
Do you have the ability to read and write English?
I have a chance to go sightseeing.
There is a certain logical relationship between infinitive as an attribute and the modified word. There are three common types of these relationships.
1, infinitives have a logical verb-object relationship with modified nouns or pronouns.
He told me that he had a composition to write.
I want something to drink.
According to the above example, the infinitive at this time must be a transitive verb.
If it is an intransitive verb, it should be followed by a structure or
Prepositions needed in meaning. For example:
Can you get me a chair to sit on?
She has nothing to worry about.
2. The infinitive has a logical subject-predicate relationship with the modified noun or indefinite pronouns. For example:
He was the last to arrive.
Is there anyone to take care of the children?
The logical subject of the infinitive action in the example is
Anyone. The infinitive at this time is equivalent to a.
Attributive clauses, such as:
Among the people who will take part in the work, he may be the most active.
Words modified by infinitives are usually used for what infinitives do. For example:
We found a new way to kill voles.
I think he will have a chance to go to his hometown.
It can be seen that the road is used to kill voles, and the chance is used to go to his hometown. Therefore, this type of infinitive translation is more flexible. Can be translated as "?" Or "come/go?" Wait a minute.