You've come upon one of those fuzzy areas of grammar rules:  the distinction
between an infinitive as adjectival and the infinitive as nominative.  By
revered and ancient law, appositives are considered nominative; and, in most
cases, that is a correct assessment.  But don't become a slave to such
definitions.

Your example is a good one.  "My decision to leave my job was wise."  The
infinitive phrase seems to modify the noun, decision. Its position in the
noun phrase postmodifier slot is also convincing. But notice what happens
when you insert commas.  "My decision, to leave my job, was wise."
Suddenly, we have a nominative infinitive phrase (renaming the noun,
decision.)  The commas tell us that this is no longer the postmodifier slot.
Of course, the argument could be made that we shouldn't turn this phrase
into an appositive, but what if this sentence is a contrast between two
decisions (i.e., My decision, to leave my job, was wiser the alternative, to
hide under my desk). The appositive seems justified to me even if only to
give the sentence balance. To someone else, it might seem wrong.

The key here is for both your students to realize the grammar is not an
exact science like arithmetic.  Congratulate them upon their analytical
skills.  I have a feeling they understand the problem even if they don't
have an absolute solution.  Tell them that the rules are paradigm, not
imprisonment.  As paradigm, they help us discover and produce greater
meaning.  As imprisonment, they make us think on bread and water.


Jeff Glauner
Associate Professor of English
Park University, Box 1303
8700 River Park Drive
Parkville MO 64152
[log in to unmask]
http://www.park.edu/jglauner/index.htm


-----Original Message-----
From: Kischner, Michael [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Monday, June 04, 2001 12:35 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Infinitive phrase as adjective and as appositive


Does someone know a convincing way of distinguishing between the infinitive
phrase as adjectival ("The attempt to robe the bank failed") and as
appositive ("His goal, to win the Presidency, was never realized").  The
example  that my class got hung up on was "My decision to leave my job was
wise."  I called the infinitive phrase there an adjectival.  The students
seemed unsatisfied by my explanation that in their hearts they know I'm
right.

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