[Grammar] Infinitive with or without Comma as adverbial of purpose

[davidtao]

Here are 2 thorny test items. Not sure if they are flawed. Would you please show your opinions?
(The two test items are designed for the college entrance exams in China. )
1 The retired man donated most of his savings to the school damaged by the earthquake in Yushu,_ _______ the students to return to their classrooms. (Jiangsu version 28)
A. enabling B. having enabled C. to enable D. to have enabled
The key is A. But why is C incorrect? Or are there 2 keys to the item?
2 Schools across China are expected to hire 50,000 college graduates this year as short-term teachers, almost three times the number hired last year, _____ reduce unemployment pressures.
(Jiangsu 26. )
A. help B. to have helped C. to help D. having helped
The key is C. If we choose C as the key, then this sentence structure seems to be the same as the above test item if we choose C. (to enable)

 

[bhaisahab]

Here are 2 thorny test items. Not sure if they are flawed. Would you please show your opinions?
(The two test items are designed for the college entrance exams in China. )
1 The retired man donated most of his savings to the school damaged by the earthquake in Yushu,_ _______ the students to return to their classrooms. (Jiangsu version 28)
A. enabling B. having enabled C. to enable D. to have enabled
The key is A. But why is C incorrect? Or are there 2 keys to the item?
2 Schools across China are expected to hire 50,000 college graduates this year as short-term teachers, almost three times the number hired last year, _____ reduce unemployment pressures.
(Jiangsu 26. )
A. help B. to have helped C. to help D. having helped
The key is C. If we choose C as the key, then this sentence structure seems to be the same as the above test item if we choose C. (to enable)

In #1, A and C are both possible. In #2, C is correct.

 

[konungursvia]

Agreed.

 

[TheParser]

Here are 2 thorny test items. Not sure if they are flawed. Would you please show your opinions?
(The two test items are designed for the college entrance exams in China. )
1 The retired man donated most of his savings to the school damaged by the earthquake in Yushu,_ _______ the students to return to their classrooms. (Jiangsu version 28)
A. enabling B. having enabled C. to enable D. to have enabled
The key is A. But why is C incorrect? Or are there 2 keys to the item?
2 Schools across China are expected to hire 50,000 college graduates this year as short-term teachers, almost three times the number hired last year, _____ reduce unemployment pressures.
(Jiangsu 26. )
A. help B. to have helped C. to help D. having helped
The key is C. If we choose C as the key, then this sentence structure seems to be the same as the above test item if we choose C. (to enable)

***** NOT A TEACHER *****


(1) I most respectfully suggest that A is the only "correct" answer

for No. l.

(a) I believe that C would also be correct IF THERE WERE NO COMMA

AFTER THE WORD " Yashu."

 

[Allen165]

NOT A TEACHER.

I concur with TheParser. I don't see how you can justify the comma after "Yashu."

 

[Barb_D]

davidtao, the difference between the two sentences is that in the second one, there is a parenthetical comment (almost three times the number hired last year), which is set off by commas.

I'm with Parser and Jasmin that with the comma (and without a parenthetical comment) you cannot have the infinitive of purpose.

 

[Raymott]

I think 1A is far better, given the comma; but I don't think 1C is necessarily wrong. Therefore, in a test in which you have to choose the best answer, 1A is the correct answer, and 1C is not.

 

[davidtao]

A deluge of thanks to those who responded. HOwever, a big potato in grammar in Great Britain thinks that both A and C are acceptable in item No 1. I am still confused if such an item is flawed in a high stakes English language testing. Any furthur evidence to support or reject option C in Item No 1? Thanks in advance.

 

[freezeframe]

A deluge of thanks to those who responded. HOwever, a big potato in grammar in Great Britain thinks that both A and C are acceptable in item No 1. I am still confused if such an item is flawed in a high stakes English language testing. Any furthur evidence to support or reject option C in Item No 1? Thanks in advance.

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

Big cheese.

 

[5jj]

I am only a small cheese, but I am with Parser, Jasmin and Barb, for the reason that Barb gave.

 

[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.

:up:

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? :shock:, 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? :shock:, 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.
https://www.usingenglish.com/forum/english-idioms-sayings/141365-big-cheese.html

 

[freezeframe]

The ontology of Big Cheeses was also discussed here recently.
https://www.usingenglish.com/forum/english-idioms-sayings/141365-big-cheese.html

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