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Anonymous Posted 16 years ago
Grammar

Infinitive to (as subordinate)

Hi,

could anyone explain to me how I know whether or not a clause/ sentence beginning with to+inf. functions as a subordinate?

Maybe I am just to stupid to recognize the difference :-(
  

Top answer

Hi, Can you please provide a couple of examples of what is confusing you? Clive

— Clive

  • Hi, Can you please provide a couple of examples of what is confusing you?
  • Clive
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4 Answers
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Hi,

Can you please provide a couple of examples of what is confusing you?

Clive
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Hi,

I think I have a problem in analyzing/ identifying to+inf. sentences in general :-(. I read in a grammar book about it, but somehow it doesn't help me to know whether or not what follows to+inf is a subordinate clause.

I have for e.g. found the following sentence:

Senate Democratic leaders felt they had to win support from fiscally conservative members of th
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Hi,

In my opinion, it's usually easier to consider such questions using simpler examples.

eg instead of

Senate Democratic leaders felt they had to win support from fiscally conservative members of their party

I suggest

Tom likes to cook dinner.

If you want to add a subject for the infinitive, do you mean something
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AnonymousSenate Democratic leaders felt they had to win support from fiscally conservative members of their party
have to is a semi-modal verb. had to win may be thought of as a single verb phrase or a catenative verb sequence. Whether a subordinate clause is present is a matter of which system of analysis you are using. If you wish to
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