Infinitive with or without Comma as adverbial of purpose

[konungursvia]

He donated a large sum of money, [in order] to enable the students to return to class.

I agree this is not as well-constructed, but I don't concur the comma can't be there when an "infinitive of purpose" is used. Sure, it makes it sound more like an afterthought, but language has existed for 200,000 years without punctuation; I don't take punctuation as seriously as some other contributors, and feel it is not necessarily part of the language (where language is understood to be speech).

[BookAddict]

Only a marginal remark - I think that:
- infinitives do not function as adverbials,
- a to-infinitive introduces an adverbial clause of purpose and the infinitive clause functions as an adverbial of purpose

Adverbial clause of purpose
- He donated money to enable the students ...
Adverbial of purpose
- He donated money purposely.

[5jj]

I agree this is not as well-constructed, but I don't concur the comma can't be there when an "infinitive of purpose" is used. Sure, it makes it sound more like an afterthought, but language has existed for 200,000 years without puncutation; I don't take punctuation as seriously as some other contributors, and feel it is not necessarily part of the language (where language is understood to be speech).

I agree, personally. However, davidtao was asking about a test question, the sort of test question that I dislike intensely. If some educated native speakers don't agree on the answer and others don't feel that it is important, then it's a bad question.

However, so long as students are confronted with such questions, then we need to tell them what the 'correct' answer is, in my opinion. Also, if we happen to be teaching classes leading to such tests, then we unfortunately have to spend valuable classroom time on them.

[Barb_D]

the sort of test question that I dislike intensely. If some educated native speakers don't agree on the answer and others don't feel that it is important, then it's a bad question.

Amen, brother 5jj!

[5jj]

Also, if we happen to be teaching classes leading to such tests, then we unfortunately have to spend valuable classroom time on them.

I have just come* back to the thread to see if there were any new thoughts, and I noticed my sentence, above. Oh, ye gods and little fishes! Should I have put commas round 'unfortunately' ? To what does 'them' refer? And would a past simple have been better where I have put the asterisk in this post. And is it OK to begin my last sentence with 'And'? And is the comma after 'sentence' in my first sentence OK? Is it acceptable to use 'OK' in this forum? , AAARRRGGHH.

[freezeframe]

I have just come* back to the thread to see if there were any new thoughts, and I noticed my sentence, above. Oh, ye gods and little fishes! Should I have put commas round 'unfortunately' ? To what does 'them' refer? And would a past simple have been better where I have put the asterisk in this post. And is it OK to begin my last sentence with 'And'? And is the comma after 'sentence' in my first sentence OK? Is it acceptable to use 'OK' in this forum? , AAARRRGGHH.

You need to have a drink and have a nap. When you start typing stuff like the above example^, go for a walk or something.

[Raymott]

What did the potato say? Was he a potato or a cheese?

Big cheese.

The ontology of Big Cheeses was also discussed here recently.
http://www.usingenglish.com/forum/en...ig-cheese.html

[freezeframe]

The ontology of Big Cheeses was also discussed here recently.
http://www.usingenglish.com/forum/en...ig-cheese.html

The ontology of Big Cheese! Sounds like a good dissertation title. Does the Big Cheese exist in and of itself?