1 nouns related to verbs: no wish to change
We can use infinitives after some nouns which are related to verbs that can be followed by infinitives (e.g. wish, decide, need).
I have no wish to change. {=? I do not wish to change.)
I told her about my decision to leave.
(= I told her that I had decided to leave.)
Is there any need to ask Joyce? (= Do we need to ask Joyce?)
Not all nouns can be followed by infinitives in this way.
I hate the thought of getting old. (NOT … the thought to get old.)
And note that not all related verbs and nouns are followed by the same structures. Compare:
– I hope to arrive. – I do not intend to return.
There’s no hope of arriving. I have no intention of returning.
– She prefers to live alone.
I understand her preference for living alone.
Unfortunately there is no easy way to decide which structures are possible after a particular noun. It is best to check in a good dictionary.
2 nouns related to adjectives: You were a fool to agree
We can also use infinitives after some nouns which are related to adjectives, or which have an adjectival sense.
You were a fool to agree. (= You were foolish to agree.)
What a nuisance to have to go! (= How annoying to have to go!)
It’s a pleasure to see you again. (= It’s pleasant to see you again.)
3 purpose: a key to open the door
An infinitive can be used after a noun, or an indefinite pronoun like something, to explain the purpose of a particular thing: what it does, or what somebody does with it. The noun or pronoun can be the subject of the infinitive.
Have you got a key to open this door? (The key will open the door.)
It was a war to end all wars.
I’d like something to stop my toothache.
The noun or pronoun can also be the object of the infinitive.
I need some more books to read. (I will read the books.)
Is there any milk to put on the cornflakes?
Did you tell her which bus to take? Is there anything to drink?
If the noun or pronoun is the object of the infinitive, we do not add an object pronoun after the infinitive.
I gave her a paper to read, (NOT … a paper to read it.)
He needs a place to live in. (NOT .. ,-a-pktee to live in it.)
Some
/any/ nowhere can also be followed by infinitives.
The kids want somewhere to practise their music.
4 enough, too much etc
Quantifiers like enough, too much! many! little I few, plenty etc are often followed by noun + infinitive.
There was enough light to see what I was doing.
There’s too much snow (for us) to be able to drive.
We’ve got plenty of time to see the British Museum.
Enough
is often dropped before room and time.
There’s hardly (enough) room to breathe in here.
Do you think we’ll have (enough) time to do some shopping?
5 infinitive with preposition: a friend to play with
A noun can be followed by infinitive + preposition.
Mary needs a friend to play with.
He’s looking for a flat to live in.
In a very formal style, another structure is possible: noun + preposition + whom! which + infinitive.
Maty needs a friend with whom to play.
He’s looking for a place in which to live.
This is not possible when there is no preposition. One cannot say, for example, I need a book which to read.
6 the life to come etc
In expressions like the life to come (= life after death), the world to come, his wife to be (= his future wife), the infinitive has a future meaning, and is similar to a relative clause with be (= the life/world that is to come, etc.)
For infinitives used to talk about people’s purposes, see infinitives 11: purpose.
For passive infinitives (e.g. There’s work to be done.), see infinitives 9: active and passive infinitive with similar meaning.
For for + object + infinitive (e.g. Is there any need for as to stay?), see infinitives 13: for … to ….5.
For infinitives after first, next, last or superlative + noun (e.g. the first woman to climb Everest), see infinitives 6: after adjectives.3.
For more about structures with prepositions at the end, see prepositions 5: at the ends of clauses.
For more information consult a good dictionary like Langman, Oxford, Merriam Webster, or Collins.
Add Comment