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Square Posted 12 years ago
Grammar

To accompany/Accompanying the tests

I have just seen this sentence in the book "Cambridge Practice Tests for IELTS 1" by Vanessa Jakeman and Clare McDowell.

To accompany the tests there is an answer key at the back of the book and you
should refer to this after you have attempted each of the practice tests.

I am confused about the grammar here. Why it is "to accompany"?

How about if I use "Accompanying the tests there is..."?
Thank you.
  

Top answer

If you use the gerund (some call it a nominal non-finite clause), then I would leave out "there". It becomes the subject: Accompanying the tests is an answer key at the back of the book... To accompany the tests there is an answer key at the back of the book...

— AlpheccaStars

  • If you use the gerund (some call it a nominal non-finite clause), then I would leave out "there".
  • It becomes the subject: Accompanying the tests is an answer key at the back of the book...
  • To accompany the tests there is an answer key at the back of the book...
  • The to-infinitive indicates purpose, rather than functioning as the subject.
  • The subject is then "answer key" ..
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2 Answers
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If you use the gerund (some call it a nominal non-finite clause), then I would leave out "there". It becomes the subject:
Accompanying the tests is an answer key at the back of the book...

To accompany the tests there is an answer key at the back of the book...
The to-infinitive indicates purpose, rather than functioning as the subject. The subject is then "answer k
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'to' gives purpose/intent to the accompanying; it's a fairly tricky one to explain how it changes the feeling of the sentence Emotion: smile
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