Dawn,
   Since there was a question about your students explaining "to study grammar" as an infinitive that functions as a direct object, perhaps you would be interested in another way of justifying their explanation. We can consider either "ready" or "about" as idiomatic versions of 

I am prepared to study grammar.

Since the verb is passive, "to study grammar" can be seen as a direct object retained from the acitve version ― Someone prepared me to study grammar. Not all linguists agree, obviously, but at least some of them will consider the entire infinitive phrase "me to study grammar" as the direct object of "prepared." In passive voice, this direct object is simply considered as "retained" from the active.

Ed V.

P.S. For me, the way you are having your students study and question the language is more important than the terminology. It sounds as if it is very effective, and enjoyable instruction.

>>> [log in to unmask] 01/30/04 01:45PM >>>
I asked my 10th graders what they thought.  Even though they're only
sophomores, they do a great job of analyzing grammar and sentence
structure.   They said that "about" is acting like an adverb just like
"in" is an adverb in "I turned in my paper."  "To study grammar" is then
free to be an infinitive phrase acting like the direct object.  They
were proud of themselves and insistent that their answer go out to the
list!  They want to know whether or not the "experts" agree.
:) Dawn

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