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Deborahjeong Posted 9 years ago
Grammar

Relative infinitive clause

1. His was the last composition to be marked.

2. (=His was the last composition which was marked.)


I saw these two sentences on a grammar site on Relative Infinitive Clause, which I didn't quite understand. I mean, why are those two sentences the same in meaning?

This is my interpretation of the two:

1. The act of marking the composition had not been done yet. Someone was supposed to mark it but we do not know what happened afterwards.

2. The act of marking the composition was indeed marked, done or finished.

So my question is as follows;

Are my interpretations correct?

If they are correct, why do many say that the two mean the same?

Could anyone help me clarify it?

I have one more question.

3. Tropical rainforests appear to be the most diverse expressions of life having flourished.

Is Sentence 3 incorrect?

Thanks.

  

Top answer

Sentence 1 means: someone, say, a teacher with a class of 25 students, gave a composition assignment, and as a result, had 25 compositions to grade; when she graded them, his happened to be the very last one that she graded. Sentence 2 can mean approximately the same thing as sentence 1. But 1 is the better choice in this situation.

— Anonymous

  • Sentence 1 means: someone, say, a teacher with a class of 25 students, gave a composition assignment, and as a result, had 25 compositions to grade; when she graded them, his happened to be the very last one that she graded.
  • Sentence 2 can mean approximately the same thing as sentence 1.
  • But 1 is the better choice in this situation.
  • Sentence 3 is acceptable.
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3 Answers
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Sentence 1 means: someone, say, a teacher with a class of 25 students, gave a composition assignment, and as a result, had 25 compositions to grade; when she graded them, his happened to be the very last one that she graded.


Sentence 2 can mean approximately the same thing as sentence 1. But 1 is the better choice in this situation.


Sentence 3 is acceptable.


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1. His was the last composition to be marked.

The non-finite clauses do not have associated tense. The tense is taken from the main verb.


Suppose the compositions are sorted in the alphabetical order of the author's last name before they are graded.
One student is named Xavier Zyzotia. His name is the last one on the roll.

Then you can say:

Xavier's compositi

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deborahjeongHis was the last composition to be marked.

This is ambiguous. It does not specify whether this refers to the time just before or just after the composition was marked.

... the last composition yet to be marked.
... the last composition [already marked / that was marked].

CJ

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