Infinitive adverb or adjective

[mawes12]

I think this is the closest information that makes me understand. So is it like an appositive?

 

[TheParser]

So is it like an appositive?

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


Wow! What a great learner you are!

Yes, it is an appositive.

If you were diagramming it, the sentence would look like this:

It (to form ice crystals) + takes + a very long time.

*****

Here is an example from one of my favorite books:

"It is a most exciting thing to be alive in this world."

*****

I am one of many members who hope that you will post (in a new thread, perhaps) some "noun + infinitive" combinations that you have read. After you give your analysis, other members will give theirs. Thanks to you, whenever I read something now, I pay attention to "noun+infinitive" combinations and ask myself: "How is that infinitive being used?"

Source: House and Harman, Descriptive English Grammar (second edition, 1950).

 

[mawes12]

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


Wow! What a great learner you are!

Yes, it is an appositive.

If you were diagramming it, the sentence would look like this:

It (to form ice crystals) + takes + a very long time.

*****

Here is an example from one of my favorite books:

"It is a most exciting thing to be alive in this world."

*****

I am one of many members who hope that you will post (in a new thread, perhaps) some "noun + infinitive" combinations that you have read. After you give your analysis, other members will give theirs. Thanks to you, whenever I read something now, I pay attention to "noun+infinitive" combinations and ask myself: "How is that infinitive being used?"

Source: House and Harman, Descriptive English Grammar (second edition, 1950).

Thanks and you are also a great teacher/learner. I think this site, http://teachro.publiccomputingservices.org/grammarpractice/infinitive/infinnoun.htm, has noun+infinitive combo. I will put the list here but I don't know if this is what you are looking for.

1. Do you want to read the book?
(Hint: change it to a statement..."You do want to read the book." You do want what? - to read the book. What position in a sentence answers the question, "what," after an action verb.)


2. To summarize a report is helpful to some people.


3. One study aid is to memorize.


4. Jeff needs to study harder and to get to school on time.


5. To persist is a valuable virtue in life.


6. His goal was to jump the hurdles.


7. The explorer's aim was to find a new land.


8. The boat was about to leave the pier.


9. The principal would like to see you in his office.


10. His hobby is to collect stamps.


11. The class is about to finish the unit of work.


12. To hear the orchestra was a wonderful experience.


13. Steve tried to write a poem.


14. The children were asked to contribute to the heart fund.


15. John did nothing in class except to gaze out the window.

 

[Matthew Wai]

What a great learner you are!

I doubt the OP as a native American English speaker counts as a learner, but I am not a teacher.

 

[TheParser]

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

Mawes:

Thanks to Matthew Wai, I found out that you are a native speaker. I apologize for referring to you as a learner, although all of us are, in reality, "learners." I know that I learn a lot every day from the members who post questions and the members who answer them. Your question, for example, has really forced me to learn a lot.

*****

Thanks for the 15 sentences.

Actually, I was suggesting that whenever you are reading a newspaper or book and you come across a noun + infinitive combination that stumps you, you should post it in a new thread (with your analysis) and then let members discuss your answer.

*****

I really have to congratulate you again. Very few native speakers are interested in grammar.

*****

When you get time, you may wish to choose three sentences from those 15 sentences and tell us (in a new thread?) how you think the infinitive is functioning. Then your fellow members can agree or disagree with you.


Have a nice day!


P.S. In your last post (with the 15 sentences), you quoted my entire post. The moderators get very annoyed when we quote another member's entire post. We are allowed to quote only necessary parts -- if there are any -- of another member's post.

 

[mawes12]

P.S. In your last post (with the 15 sentences), you quoted my entire post. The moderators get very annoyed when we quote another member's entire post. We are allowed to quote only necessary parts -- if there are any -- of another member's post.

That kinda made me laugh. I might start a thread about something else but If you want you can start infinitive + noun combo thread and I will try to guess some. Should I keep on writing here if I got anymore questions about infinitive?

Thanks to everyone who helped I hope we can improve and help each other more.

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[/FONT][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif]Actually, I was suggesting that whenever you are reading a newspaper or book and you come across a noun + infinitive combination that stumps you, you should post it in a new thread (with your analysis) and then let members discuss your answer.[/FONT][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif] [/FONT][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif]

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I might do that though.