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Navitasan Posted 17 years ago
Grammar

The first man to

Can one use:
1-That officer standing at the bar arrested the first man to serve his sentence in the new prison.
If the 'man' hasn't served his sentence yet, but is to serve his sentence?
  

Top answer

I see no reason why not. The present infinitive (to serve) can refer to the future. A newspaper headline from the early 70s comes to my mind: Nixon to visit China.

— Cool Breeze

  • I see no reason why not.
  • The present infinitive (to serve) can refer to the future.
  • A newspaper headline from the early 70s comes to my mind: Nixon to visit China.
  • The visit was still in the planning stage.
  • CB
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1 Answers
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I see no reason why not. The present infinitive (to serve) can refer to the future. A newspaper headline from the early 70s comes to my mind: Nixon to visit China. The visit was still in the planning stage.

CB
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