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Jigneshbharati Posted 8 years ago
Grammar

For patients to be

The goal of asthma treatment is for patients to be symptom free and to be able to lead a normal, active life. More information on asthma, its diagnosis, treatment and management has been covered in previous articles[2],[3]. The diagnosis, treatment and management of COPD has also been covered in previous articles[4],[5]. In England and Wales, 45 million prescriptions for inhalers were issued in 2011 at a cost of around £900m[1].

https://www.pharmaceutical-journal.com/learning/learning-article/how-to-help-patients-optimise-their-inhaler-technique/20201442.article

Please explain the use of two "to be" in the context.

Is there any tense in the prepositional phrase "for patients to be..."?

  

Top answer

The infinitive often expresses a future condition or state. Original sentence: The goal of asthma treatment is for patients to be symptom free and to be able to lead a normal, active life. Paraphrase: The goal is that after treatment the patients will have no symptoms and they will lead a normal, active life.

  • The infinitive often expresses a future condition or state.
  • Original sentence: The goal of asthma treatment is for patients to be symptom free and to be able to lead a normal, active life.
  • Paraphrase: The goal is that after treatment the patients will have no symptoms and they will lead a normal, active life.
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2 Answers
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The infinitive often expresses a future condition or state.


Original sentence: The goal of asthma treatment is for patients to be symptom free and to be able to lead a normal, active life. 
Paraphrase: The goal is that after treatment the patients will have no symptoms and they will lead a normal, active life.
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JigneshbharatiThe goal of asthma treatment is for patients to be symptom free and (for patients) to be able to lead a normal, active life.

Each underlined section is an infinitive clause. The subject of an infinitive clause is indicated by 'for', so 'patients' is the subject of both of those clauses. "for patients to be" can be rephrased as

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