Syntax: noun + to infinitive
I have learnt two points about "to-infinitive" as follows.
verb + to + infinitive
Its meaning is similar to "in order to" or "so as to".
- I come to pick you up.
- She runs to catch the bus.
adjective + to + infinitive
- It is hard to learn many languages simultaneously.
- This book is difficult to comprehend.
Question
Does the structure "noun+to+infinitive" exist in English grammar? For example:
- I lend a screwdriver to open your watch.
- I am the math teacher to substitute for Mr. X who is absent today.
Bonus question:
What is the difference (if any) between the following sentences?
A: This book is difficult to comprehend.
B: This book is difficult to be comprehended.
Top Answer/Comment:
Yes, that pattern with a noun is grammatical.
What's this?
-- It's a hat to put your beer in when you go to the football game.
Here's a screwdriver to open your watch with.
The construction indicates "intended purpose".
Your teacher example is not right if your desired meaning is "I am the substitute". Normally there'd be a participle clause there for that meaning, ...teacher substituting for ....
There's a prospective sense in this noun + infinitive construction:
We're going to make a presentation to Acme Widgets next week.
-- Joe's the man to take with you. He knows their product line very well.
Joe is suitable for the intended purpose, namely, making a presentation to Acme Widgets.
So your sentence about the substitute teacher would be valid in a discussion about who would be a suitable substitute teacher for Mr. X; you would be suggesting that you are a person suited to that job:
I don't know who we should send as the substitute teacher.
-- I'm just the math teacher to substitute for Mr. X, since I taught those students for most of last semester while Ms. J was out on maternity leave.
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