Infinitive : result or purpose

Question

A : I went home to find her mother was out.B : I went home to find a light on in my room.I wonder whether A and B can mean 1 or 2 and 3 or 4 according to context.1. I went home in order to find her mother was out. (purpose)2. I went home and found that her mother was out. (result)3. I went home in order to find a light on in my room. (purpose)4. I went home and found a light on in my room. (result)I think A and B can be meant for 1 and 3 if "purpose" is used as expressing "result" and meant for 2 and 4 if "to find" is used as expressing "result".I'd like to ask you whether I'm right on this point.And if I'm right, is there no difference in meaning between 2 and 5 and 4 and 6 even if "only" is added in A and B as below?5. I went home only to find her mother was out.6. I went home only to find a light on in my room.

GPY · Accepted Answer

fire11. I went home in order to find her mother was out. (purpose)

This interpretation is hardly possible since "find (that) her mother was out" strongly suggests a chance or unplanned event.

fire12. I went home and found that her mother was out. (result)

Yes.

"went to her home" seems a more likely fit for the context.

fire13. I went home in order to find a light on in my room. (purpose)
4. I went home and found a light on in my room. (result)

Ditto.

fire15. I went home only to find her mother was out.
6. I went home only to find a light on in my room.

The addition of "only" emphasises that the discovery was inconvenient or thwarted some plan that you had. This is more likely in (5) (e.g. you needed to talk to her mother about something).

Clive · Answer

Basically, native speakers would never express meanings #1 and #3 in this way.

Furthermore, when you think about it, meanings #1 and #3 are rather odd. It's hard to think of a context in which you would have that purpose.

Clive

Infinitive : result or purpose

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