Scott,
 
I should like to add that the adverbial function of the infinitive with "able" may be seen as a periphrastic version of "can" so that
I could suddenly improve my basketball game without trying.
 
is nearly synonymous.  For some reason this version seems stronger and more direct.  I wonder what the "became able to" has to recommend it. 
Bruce

--- [log in to unmask] wrote:

From: "T. J. Ray" <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: grammar question--function of an infinitive phrase
Date: Fri, 29 Apr 2011 17:54:13 -0500

I agree with Katherine and Don:  inf. phrase used as an adverbial, in fact a restrictive one
in that "able" has no sense without the phrase.


On Friday 04/29/2011 at 5:47 pm, Don Stewart wrote:
I would call it an infinitive phrase (form) with an adverbial function, modifying the adjective "able." 

This is a common pattern:

happy to see you
eager to please
ready to go
willing to help 


Don Stewart
www.writeforcollege.com
www.writing123.com




On Fri, Apr 29, 2011 at 6:26 PM, Larry Beason <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
Looks like an adverbial phrase modifying 'able'.  I suppose one could make the case it modifies the linking verb 'became'.

Larry

Larry Beason
Associate Professor & Composition Director
Dept. of English, 240 HUMB
Univ. of South Alabama
Mobile AL 36688
(251) 460-7861
>>> Scott Woods <[log in to unmask]> 04/29/11 4:31 PM >>>
Dear List,

How would you characterize the function of the underlined infinitive phrase in
the sentence below?


   I suddenly became able to improve my basketball game without trying.

Thanks,

Scott Woods

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