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    Is To + Infinitive - Other Ways of Talking About The Future

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    Alexis Iliadis
    1. The document discusses two English verb forms: "to be + infinitive" and "be + about to + infinitive". 2. "To be + infinitive" refers to an obligation to do something at a later time and suggests the action has been arranged. It is not commonly used in speech. 3. "Be + about to + infinitive" refers to an action that will happen very soon, immediately after the moment of speaking. It emphasizes the immediacy of the action.

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    Is To + Infinitive - Other Ways of Talking About The Future

    Uploaded by

    Alexis Iliadis
    32 views2 pages
    1. The document discusses two English verb forms: "to be + infinitive" and "be + about to + infinitive". 2. "To be + infinitive" refers to an obligation to do something at a later time and suggests the action has been arranged. It is not commonly used in speech. 3. "Be + about to + infinitive" refers to an action that will happen very soon, immediately after the moment of speaking. It emphasizes the immediacy of the action.

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    1. The document discusses two English verb forms: "to be + infinitive" and "be + about to + infinitive". 2. "To be + infinitive" refers to an obligation to do something at a later time and suggests the action has been arranged. It is not commonly used in speech. 3. "Be + about to + infinitive" refers to an action that will happen very soon, immediately after the moment of speaking. It emphasizes the immediacy of the action.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as doc, pdf, or txt
    32 views2 pages

    Is To + Infinitive - Other Ways of Talking About The Future

    Uploaded by

    Alexis Iliadis
    1. The document discusses two English verb forms: "to be + infinitive" and "be + about to + infinitive". 2. "To be + infinitive" refers to an obligation to do something at a later time and suggests the action has been arranged. It is not commonly used in speech. 3. "Be + about to + infinitive" refers to an action that will happen very soon, immediately after the moment of speaking. It emphasizes the immediacy of the action.

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    1.

    IS TO + INFINITIVE

    Form

    This form is composed of two elements: the appropriate form of the verb to be +
    to (am to, are to, is to), and the infinitive of the main verb without 'to'..

    Subject to be to infinitive without to

    We are to leave

    Affirmative
    She is to travel
    Negative
    You are not (aren't) to travel
    Interrogative
    Am I to travel?
    Interrogative negative
    Aren't they to travel?

    Function

    This form refers to an obligation to do something at a time later than now. It is


    similar to'must', but there is a suggestion that something has been arranged or
    organised for us. It is not normally used in spoken English, but might be found in
    spy stories, e.g.

     "You are to leave this room at once, and you are to travel by train to
    London. In London you are to pick up your ticket from Mr Smith, and you are
    to fly to your destination alone. When you arrive, you are to meet our agent,
    Mr X, who will give you further information. You are to destroy this message
    now."

    2. BE + ABOUT TO + INFINITIVE

    Form

    This form is composed of three elements : the appropriate form of the verb to
    be, present tense, + 'about to' + the infinitive of the main verb without 'to':

    Subject be about to infinitive without to


    I am about to leave
    She is about to arrive

    Function

    This form refers to a time immediately after the moment of speaking, and
    emphasises that the event or action will happen very soon:
    Examples

     She is about to leave.


     You are about to see something very unusual.
     I am about to go to a meeting - can I talk to you later?

    It is often used with the word 'just', which emphasises the immediacy of the
    action:

     We are just about to go to sleep.


     Sally is just about to take an exam.

    This form can also be used in the simple past tense to refer to an action that was
    imminent, but was interrupted. In such cases it is often followed by a 'when -
    clause':

     She was about to leave when he arrived.


     I was just about to telephone her when she walked into the house.

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