How to parse. ...

74

THE INFINITI VE.

[Par. 98.

the Complement of, a preceding Noun or Pronoun.
For example, in -
(1) " I like a rascal to be punished."
(2) " The prisoner was ordered to be executed."
Here (1) "a rascal " is not the Object of " like,"
for you do not like " a rascal," but "a rascal to be
punished." Consequently, "rascal" is only the
Partial Object, and it has for its Complement the
Infinitive " to be punished."
In the same way (2) (though the Subjective
Construction is less common than Objective), the
"prisoner" was not "ordered" at all; what was
ordered was the execution of the prisoner, or, in the
words of the sentence, " the prisoner to be executed." Consequently, "prisoner" is only the Partial Subject, and it has for its Complement the
Infinitive " to be executed."
98 Uses of the Infinitive.
The Infinitive is used
I. (a) As a Noun:
(1) "I like to walk."
(2) " To walk is healthy."
I. (b) As part of a Noun-Phrase used Objectively: -
(1) "I like a rascal to be punished."
(2) ' I know him to be honest."