Arriving or to arrive

Question

Hi, teachers.Long time no see.Here is a sentence:  I have guests arriving this afternoon.I wonder if we can say "I have guests to arrive this afternoon" meaning the same thing.Please.Thank you in advance.

Rover_KE · Accepted Answer

No. Stick to 'I have guests arriving this afternoon'.

Rover

Norwolf · Answer

Still confused.
It sounds like guests haven't arrived, which has something to do with the future.

Rover_KE · Answer

They haven't arrived yet. Their arrival is expected later.

Suppose you say 'Hey, Rover, shall we go and watch the game this afternoon?'

I reply 'Sorry, norwolf, I can't — I have guests arriving this afternoon.'

Rover

Norwolf · Answer

Hi, Rover. Nice to see you.
Did you mean this:
I have guests arriving this afternoon. may imply that the arrival of my guests has been arranged already.
I have guests to arrive this afternoon. indicates that it is potentially possible for some guests to arrive.

Rover_KE · Answer

I have guests arriving this afternoon states definitely that the arrival of my guests has been arranged already.

I have guests to arrive this afternoon is not natural English. I would never say it.

Rover

CSnyder · Answer

I think the confusion here is that for many other constructions we would indeed use the infinitive:

"I have work to do"
"I have a concert to attend"
"I have miles to go before I sleep"

but in this case it's inappropriate.

I am no grammarian and I can't tell you what the specific rule that prohibits the "I have guests to attend..." formation is called (if indeed it has a name) but hopefully I can shed some light on it even so.

In the above cases we use the infinitive because we are actually using a verb: "to do", "to attend", "to go". But in this case, while "to attend" looks like an infinitive form of a verb, it isn't - "arrive" is really an adjective describing guests: the guests will be attending, just like you could say "I have guests [who will be] changing rooms this afternoon" (if you were a hotelier) or, in what is perhaps a more clarifying example, "I have a shipment [which will be] arriving this afternoon".

"I have guests to arrive this afternoon" would only make sense if you could somehow perform the action of "arrive" on a guest.

Norwolf · Answer

* I will arrive my guests.
But: I will do the work.
So I have guests to arrive this afternoon is illogical.
1# It plans to reduce capital spending next year.
2# It plans to reduce capital to spend next year.
I found 1# in COCA. Can we change it into 2#, meaning the same thing?

Norwolf · Answer

3# And guests coming next week include first lady Laura Bush.
4# And guests to come next week include first lady Laura Bush.
5# There’s a war coming tomorrow or the day after.
6# There’s a war to come tomorrow or the day after.

Dimsumexpress · Answer

norwolf1# It plans to reduce capital spending next year. Can we change it into 2#, meaning the same thing?

No, Spending - is a verbal noun in this sentence, not a participle

norwolf2# It plans to reduce capital to spend next year.

This construction is incorrect.

Norwolf · Answer

dimsumexpress norwolf1# It plans to reduce capital spending next year. Can we change it into 2#, meaning the same thing?No, Spending - is a verbal noun in this sentence, not a participlenorwolf2# It plans to reduce capital to spend next year.This construction is incorrect.

True.
Thank you all very much. I appretiate it.

Arriving or to arrive

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