The following two sentences

Question

He studied hard ,only to fail.He studied hard , not to pass the exam.Do they mean the same?  In the second sentecne , the infinitive indicate result or purpose?

Clive · Accepted Answer

He studied hard, only to fail.OK. Shows result.
He studied hard, not to pass the exam. Not correct. Odd and unclear meaning.

Perhaps you mean this?

He studied hard, only not to pass the exam. This use of the negative is awkward.

Do they mean the same? In the second sentecne , the infinitive indicate result or purpose?

Yzh1978 · Answer

Thank you for you detailed explaination ,I am an English teacher ,so some students strange questions often baffled me .In our country ,the English grammar is given less attention than spoken English.I learn a lot from you thank you.OK, btw ,another 2 similar questions.
Hearing the news ,they jumped up.
So the participle in this sentence is giving a reason or indicating the time sequence?
it can be rendered into which of the following sentences?
After hearing the news ,they jumped up.
Because they heard the news ,they jumped up.

At the age of 15 , the boy taught his brother a song.
At the age of 15, this phrase is an adverbial or an attributive?
so when it changed into "when the boy was 15 years old ,he taught his brother a song."
The phrase seems to serve as an time adverbial.
"When it changed into the boy at the age of 15 ,he taught his brother a song."
The phrase seems to serve as an attribute to modify the Noun the boy.

Clive · Answer

btw ,another 2 similar questions.
Hearing the news ,they jumped up.
So the participle in this sentence is giving a reason or indicating the time sequence? It seems like a reason to me.
it can be rendered into which of the following sentences?
After hearing the news ,they jumped up.
Because they heard the news ,they jumped up. This one

At the age of 15 , the boy taught his brother a song.
At the age of 15, this phrase is an adverbial or an attributive? Adverbial
so when it changed into "when the boy was 15 years old ,he taught his brother a song." Yes
The phrase seems to serve as an time adverbial. Yes
"When it changed into the boy at the age of 15 ,he taught his brother a song." Incorrect. Makes no sense.

The phrase seems to serve as an attribute to modify the Noun the boy. Not to me.

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The following two sentences

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