Page 297 - Practical English Usage 3ed - Michael Swan, Oxford

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I'm going to Austria to learn German. To switch on, press red button.
in order to; so as to
We can also use in order to . .. (more formal) or so as to .... He got up early in order to have time to pack .
I watched him in order to know more about him.
I moved to a newflat so as to be near my work.
In order to I so as to are normal before negative infinitives.
I'm going to leave now, so as not to be late. (NOT :'1'11 g6ing t6 letltle n61;ff, n 6 f
t6 be ltlte.)
Afor-structure (see 291) can be used to talk about a purpose that involves action by somebody else.
I left the door unlocked for Harriet to get in.
infinitives (12): subject, complement or object
subject: To practise is important I It's important to practise
In older English. an infinitive clause could easily be the subject of a sentence.
To practise regularly is important.
To waitfor people who were late made him angry.
In modem English. this is unusual in an informal style. We more often use it as a preparatory subject and put the infinitive clause later (see 446).
It's important to practise regularly.
It made him angry to wait for people who were late.
We can also use an -ing structure at the beginning of a sentence as the subject. instead of an infinitive clause (see 295).
SeUing insurance is a pretty boring job. (More natural than To sell insurance . ..)
complement: Your task is to get across the river
An infinitive clause can be used after be as a subject complement. Your task is to get across the river without being seen.
My ambition was to retire at thirty.
Sentences like these can also be constructed with preparatory it (see 446).
It is your task to get across the river without being seen. It was my ambition to retire at thirty.
object: I like to read the paper at breakfast
Many verbs can have an infinitive clause as their object (see 283). Compare:
- I like cornflakes for breakfast. (noun object)
I like to read the paper at breakfast. (infinitive clause as object)
- She wants some exercise.
She wants to dance.
For structures 1iIce He made it difficult 10 refuse. see 447.
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