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Thread: infinitive means future things?

  1. #1
    *^^* is offline Junior Member
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    Exclamation infinitive means future things?

    "He was the first man to win the gold medal at the 2004 Olympics."

    I think this sentecce should be corrected as below,

    "He was the first man winning the gold medal at the 2004 Olympics."
    or "He was the first man won the gold medal at the 2004 Olympics."

    Am I right?

  2. #2
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    bhaisahab is offline Moderator
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    Default Re: infinitive means future things?

    Quote Originally Posted by *^^* View Post
    "He was the first man to win the gold medal at the 2004 Olympics."

    I think this sentence should be corrected as below,

    "He was the first man winning the gold medal at the 2004 Olympics."
    or "He was the first man won the gold medal at the 2004 Olympics."

    Am I right?
    The original sentence is correct grammatically but its meaning is not clear, it would be better with "a gold medal".
    Last edited by 5jj; 15-Nov-2011 at 12:10. Reason: typo
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  3. #3
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    Default Re: infinitive means future things?

    Quote Originally Posted by *^^* View Post
    "He was the first man to win the gold medal at the 2004 Olympics."

    I think this sentecce should be corrected as below,

    "He was the first man winning the gold medal at the 2004 Olympics."
    or "He was the first man won the gold medal at the 2004 Olympics."

    Am I right?
    No, you're not. More generally, and in answer to the subject line, the infinitive has no necessary relation to the future. The infinitive doesn't mean future things.
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