On the ambiguity of "for someone to do"
What does this sentence mean, given the options 1 and 2?
* There was the news for the country's unspecified spies to sneak into the facility to steal a military secret.
1. There was the news that the country's unspecified spies "sneaked" into the facility to steal a military secret.
2. There was the news that the country's unspecified spies "were going to sneak" into the facility to steal a military secret.
I think without adding more context, the sentence could mean either 1 or 2. What do you think?
(I know it is best to avoid using such a construction of "for someone to do" to prevent it from sounding ambiguous but there's something I'm curious to know, so I'm asking this question)
Top answer
fire1 I know it is best to avoid using such a construction of "for someone to do" to prevent it from sounding ambiguous A for ... to ... clause (infinitive clause) does not need to be avoided if it is used properly.
- fire1 I know it is best to avoid using such a construction of "for someone to do" to prevent it from sounding ambiguous A for ...
- to ...
- clause (infinitive clause) does not need to be avoided if it is used properly.
- fire1 There was the news for the country's unspecified spies to sneak into the facility to steal a military secret.
- This doesn't make a lot of sense.
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fire1I know it is best to avoid using such a construction of "for someone to do" to prevent it from sounding ambiguous
A for ... to ... clause (infinitive clause) does not need to be avoided if it is used properly.
fire1There was the news for the country's unspecified spies to sneak into the facility to steal a mili
0
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