39. Инфинитивные обороты

Инфинитивный оборот может выполнять следующие функции:
Подлежащее: [To hesitate] is fatal.
Дополнение: I hope [to see you].
Комплемент: Your mistake was [to write him that letter].

В случае использования его как подлежащее обычно употребляют предваряющее it: 'It is fatal to hesitate' (в противном случае это звучит слишком формально).

И инифнитивные клозы (обороты) могут заменять

(1) wh-клоз:

I don't know [what I should do].
I don't know [what to do].

I don t know [who(m) I should ask].
I don t know [who(m) to ask].

Can you tell me [where I should go]?
Can you tell me [where to go]?

I wonder [when I should leave].
I wonder [when to leave].

Tell me [how I can start this car].
Tell me [how to start this car].

(2) определительный клоз к подлежащему:

[The thing that you should do] is what everyone else is doing.
[The thing to do] is what everyone else is doing.

[The person (whom) you should ask] is George Lamb.
[The person to ask] is George Lamb.

[The place where you should go] is Brown's
[The place to go] is Brown's

[The time when you should leave] is after they've served coffee.
[The time to leave] is after they've served coffee.

[The way you should start it] is to give it a push.
[The way to start] it is to give it a push.

[The question of whether we should sell] is still undecided.
[The question of whether to sell] is still undecided.

(3) определительный клоз к дополнению:

You need [someone who can look after you].
You need [someone to look after you].

I've brought [a book that I can read].
I've brought [a book to read].

(4) определительный клоз к комплементу:

George is [the man for whom we should vote].
George is [the man to vote for].

He was [the first man who flew across the Atlantic].
He was [the first man to fly across the Atlantic].

Такой инфинитив может быть и в пассиве:

There are still [many obstacles that must be overcome].
There are still [many obstacles to be overcome].

There is [a lot of work that must be done first].
There is [a lot of work to be done first].

Is he really [a man who can trusted].
Is he really [a man to be trusted].

(5) придаточный клоз цели

He worked all night so that he could get the job done in time.
He worked all night so as to get the job done in time.