Goody! I love it when I can disagree with everybody. Here goes: The `adjectives' issue need not arise in `My decision to leave my job was wise'. Instead, there are two nounal sequences here: `my decision' and `to leave my job'. Both of them are described by the predicate adjective `wise': My decision was wise. To leave my job was wise In the same sentence both sequences are the noun subjects of the copula `was'. They are demarcated by the comma because they constitute a list of nouns: My decision, to leave my job, was wise. Of course, when this infinitive phrase is intended as an adjective it cannot be comma demarcated from the noun it describes, `my decision', for the simple reason that there is neither syntactic nor logical reason for the demarcation: My decision to leave my job was wise. Sophie ----- Original Message ----- From: Richard Veit <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Tuesday, June 05, 2001 4:00 AM Subject: Fwd: Infinitive phrase as adjective and as appositive > In a sense you're both right, since the sentence is ambiguous. If you speak > it with pauses before and after the infinitive (denoted in writing by > commas, dashes, or parentheses), you've got an appositive: > > My decision, to leave my job, was wise. > > More often the sentence would be spoken without pauses (or punctuation) and > it is then "adjectival": > > My decision to leave my job was wise. > > I'd actually label the latter as a "complement infinitive," since it > corresponds with the nominal complement "My decision that I leave my job > was wise." > > Dick Veit > UNCW > > >Date: Mon, 04 Jun 2001 10:34:31 -0700 > >From: "Kischner, Michael" <[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. > > To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web interface at: > http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html > and select "Join or leave the list" > > Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/ To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web interface at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html and select "Join or leave the list" Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/