Arrest her or arrest?

Question

I read this earlier and learned that it is grammatically correct: I discussed the problem to understand.

The construction of the below sentence is similar to the one above.
(Sentence construction is pronoun, verb, noun, then verb)

Sentence: The police followed my sister to arrest.

Is the sentence grammatically correct? If not, why?

Thanks

BarbaraPA · Accepted Answer

Understand can be intransitive.
Arrest cannot. The sentence above is ungrammatical.

Avangi · Answer

AnonymousThe police followed my sister to arrest.

In my opinion, this does not work, because the verb "to arrest" doesn't have an intransitive sense.

You could use it as a noun:
The police followed my sister with the intention of making an arrest.
We assume that your sister would be the simantic object of the implied action.

Sometimes unnatural phrases are adopted by workers in given professions, eg, police work.
Do you have an example of this usage?

Edit: I see that GG has put it more succinctly!

- A.

We often use the infinitive form of transitive verbs in intransitive ways:
They followed her with intent to arrest/to rape/etc. (These may qualify as "fixed expressions," or idioms.)

Anonymous · Answer

Grammar GeekUnderstand can be intransitive. Arrest cannot. The sentence above is ungrammatical.

I think I understand. So when you use an intransitive verb, you don't need to mention the aforementioned noun - is that correct?

As the below sentence contains an intransitive verb, is it correct? (<= is my question grammatically correct?)

I bought a cake to eat.

Thank you

Anonymous · Answer

Actually, I have another example: I baked a cake to sell. Is that correct?

Thanks for explanations GG and Avangi

BarbaraPA · Answer

That's a good example. I can't tell you why a "noun to sell" is okay even though "sell" is transitive but "noun to arrest" is not.

Anonymous · Answer

According to my dic tionary, "arrest" in the context I gave is a verb, and "sell" can be intransitive <img class='emoticon' style='Width:19px;Height:19px;' data-delaysrc='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/7.gif' src='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/7.gif' alt='Emotion: tongue tied'/>

Avangi · Answer

I have no problem with "to sell" as an intransitive verb. "We decided to sell."
Prior context could indicate that we're talking about our house.

I'm not sure which post you're referring to.

AnonymousAccording to my dic tionary, "arrest" in the context I gave is a verb

I guess you're talking about this sentence: << The police followed my sister to arrest. >> .
We may be quibbling about definitions, which have been known to vary from time to time.
I believe we can agree that if we add the object "her," the sentence becomes unremarkable.
But even at that, "to arrest her" is an infinitive phrase modifying the finite verb "followed."

It's become my habit to distinguish between "verbs" (finite verbs -- with a tense) and "verbals" (infinitives/ participles/ gerunds -- without a tense).
Verbals are derived from their parent verbs but tend to function more like nouns, adverbs, and adjectives. Still, they retain some of the properties of finite verbs, notably the taking of objects, when the usage (or sense) is transitive.
In my opinion, in the "blue" sentence, "to arrest" is a verbal functioning as an adverb. (Trying to function as an adverb.)
The usage fails for want of the object, "her," and is therefore ungrammatical.

(If I speak of "the verb to arrest," I'm intending to name the particular verb to distinguish it from other verbs.)

Anyway, when you say, "According to my dictionary, arrest in the context I gave is a verb," I'm hoping that may be open to interpretation.

Rgdz, - A.

Arrest her or arrest?

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