0
Anonymous Posted 19 years ago
Grammar
Infinite phrase question
Hello, I am trying to understand the following question:
Do the infinitive phrases in the following sentence act as adjectivals or adverbials?
"To pass an exam, there are proven study methods to follow."
I believe that "to pass an exam" is an adverbial that modifies "to follow" ?
As for "to follow", I'm completely lost.
Help?
Do the infinitive phrases in the following sentence act as adjectivals or adverbials?
"To pass an exam, there are proven study methods to follow."
I believe that "to pass an exam" is an adverbial that modifies "to follow" ?
As for "to follow", I'm completely lost.
Help?
Top answer
There are proven study methods -- methods which should be followed -- if your purpose is to pass an exam. What kind of methods? Under what condition(s ) should these methods be followed?
- There are proven study methods -- methods which should be followed -- if your purpose is to pass an exam.
- What kind of methods?
- Under what condition(s ) should these methods be followed?
- What kind?
- normally indicates an adjective.
Get the Weekly English Kit 📬
New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.
4 Answers
0
There are proven study methods -- methods which should be followed -- if your purpose is to pass an exam.
What kind of methods?
Under what condition(s ) should these methods be followed?
What kind? normally indicates an adjective.
For what purpose? and Under what conditions? normally indicate an adverb.
Does that help?
CJ
What kind of methods?
Under what condition(s ) should these methods be followed?
What kind? normally indicates an adjective.
For what purpose? and Under what conditions? normally indicate an adverb.
Does that help?
CJ
00
Hello CJ,
Thank you for your help. Yes, I believe it does clarify the situation for me:
"to follow" qualifies the methods, and therefore acts as an adjective,
while "to pass" acts as an adverb modifying the verb "to follow".
I'm also curious to know if the original sentence presents an error - a dangling modifier - since there isn't really any subject.
Thank you for your help. Yes, I believe it does clarify the situation for me:
"to follow" qualifies the methods, and therefore acts as an adjective,
while "to pass" acts as an adverb modifying the verb "to follow".
I'm also curious to know if the original sentence presents an error - a dangling modifier - since there isn't really any subject.
00
Actually, the subject is methods. The subject follows the verb in a "there" construction.
What you have is a fronted adverbial, which is not really an error, but it does act somewhat like a dangling modifier. The unfronted form is, of course, There are proven methods to follow to pass an exam. But now you have two infinitives in a row, which sounds awkward. Maybe
What you have is a fronted adverbial, which is not really an error, but it does act somewhat like a dangling modifier. The unfronted form is, of course, There are proven methods to follow to pass an exam. But now you have two infinitives in a row, which sounds awkward. Maybe
00
To identify if an infinitive phrase is acting as an adverb, there are a couple of things that can be done:
1. Ask yourself the question "Why?" If the answer to the questions comes to the infinitive phrase then, the infinitive is being used as an adverb. For example, in the sentence:
To pass an exam, there are proven study methods to follow.
The infinitive phrase placed in fro
1. Ask yourself the question "Why?" If the answer to the questions comes to the infinitive phrase then, the infinitive is being used as an adverb. For example, in the sentence:
To pass an exam, there are proven study methods to follow.
The infinitive phrase placed in fro
0
Related Questions