The For – to – Infinitive Construction consists of a noun in the Common case or a pronoun in the Objective case and an Infinitive which is in predicate relation to the noun or the pronoun.
The Construction is preceded by the preposition for, and that explains the name of the Construction.
The Construction is used when the doer of the action (or bearer of the state), expressed by the Infinitive is different from that of the finite verb (the predicate):
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The doer of the action of the finite verb and of the Infinitive is the same:
| The doer of the action of the finite verb and of the Infinitive is not the same:
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· He longed to see the truth.
| · He longed for me to see the truth.
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The For – to – Infinitive Construction is rendered in Russian by either a subordinate clause or an Infinitive.
The For – to – Infinitive Construction may be used in different syntactical functions similar to those of a single Infinitive, though with some restrictions. It can be used in a sentence as a subject, a predicative, an object, an attribute, an adverbial modifier of purpose and an adverbial modifier of result / consequence.
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1.
| In the function of the subject the For – to – Infinitive Construction is usually used with the introductory it, though it is occasionally placed at the head of the sentence.
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· It was difficult for him to do anything else. (the formal introductory subject it)
· For me to hear him was disturbing. (subject)
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2.
| In the function of the predicative the Construction is mostly used with the link verb to be.
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· The best thing is for you to do it now. (predicative)
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3.
| The Construction functions as an object of both:
| a.verbs and
| b. adjectives.
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· She watched for the door to open. (object after a verb)
· I don’t think I should care for it to be known.
· His family were anxious for him to recover from his disease. (object after an adjective)
· I am so glad for you to have come at last.
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4.
| In the function of the attribute
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· There was no need for him to be economical.
· There was no chance for her to find a good job.
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5.
| In the function of an adverbial modifier of purpose
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· He stopped for her to catch up with him.
· She paused for him to continue.
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6.
| In the function of an adverbial modifier of result / consequence the Construction is chiefly preceded by either the adverb enough or the adverb too.
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· The wall was too high for anything to be visible.
· He had said enough for me to get alarmed.
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