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Park sang joon Posted 12 years ago
Grammar

The subject of to-infinitive

1) I have many dictionaries, some to help with my translations, others to keep the door open.

I'd like to know why in each to-infinitive phrase, "for" before the subject of to-infinitive is omitted.

Thank you in advance for your help.
  

Top answer

I can't see what you're getting at. Could you write the sentence as you visualise it with "for" included?

  • I can't see what you're getting at.
  • Could you write the sentence as you visualise it with "for" included?
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19 Answers
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I can't see what you're getting at. Could you write the sentence as you visualise it with "for" included?
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There's a chance that I might have misunderstood the structure.

To-infinitive should have a subject along with "for" only if its subject is different from the main clause's that like followings.
2) The lake is clean enough for us to swim in.
3) For a movie to be successful, it should have a good story.

1) I have many dictionaries, for some to h
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park sang joon1) I have many dictionaries, for some to help with my translations, for others to keep the door open.
This does not make sense. I can't see any relevant connection between your sentence and (2) or (3). Your sentence means this:

I have many dictionaries. I have some dictionaries to help with my translations, and I have
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Thank you, GPY, for your answer. Emotion: smile
By any chance, don't you think to-infinitive in my example expresses the result?

How
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park sang joondon't you think to-infinitive in my example
Sorry, I don't know which example you are referring to now.
park sang joonHow about this example?: 2) The prisoners were transported to Siberia, many to suffer extremely from the sub-zero temperatures.
This is borderline, in my opinion.
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Thank you, GPY, for your continuing support.

Sorry, I don't know which example you are referring to now.
I meant #1.
1) I have many dictionaries, some to help with my translations, others to keep the door open.
I think "to help" and "to keep" were used for results.

This is borderline, in my opinion.
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park sang joonI meant #1.1) I have many dictionaries, some to help with my translations, others to keep the door open.I think "to help" and "to keep" were used for results
While you can have a dictionary for translations, and you can have a dictionary to help with translations, you cannot have a dictionary for it (= the dictionary) to help with translations. H
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Thank you, GPY, for your elaborate and detailed example and answer. Emotion: smile
But I'd also like to know whether you think each to-infinit
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park sang joonBut I'd also like to know whether you think each to-infinitive in #1 is used for a result.
Not really, no, I don't think I'd use the word "result" in that case.
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I have known to-infinitive following a comma at the beginning of a sentence is used for "intention" and to-infinitive followed by a comma at the end of a sentence is used for "result."

I have many dictionaries, I have some dictionaries to help with my translations, and I have other dictionaries to keep the door open.
Then, do you think each to-infinitive plays the

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