Usage Difference between to-infinitive and participle












3















I came across this question today.




Q: the correct expression for blank.




The documents ____ immediate attention are on top.




1. Requiring 2. To require




I know the answer is 1. Requiring, however I don't know why number 2 can't be an answer.



As far as I know, a to-infinitive can define a noun, like "books to read," so to me, number 2 can be an answer. But at the same time, I know "documents to require" looks very awkward. I just don't know why. Could you help me?










share|improve this question





























    3















    I came across this question today.




    Q: the correct expression for blank.




    The documents ____ immediate attention are on top.




    1. Requiring 2. To require




    I know the answer is 1. Requiring, however I don't know why number 2 can't be an answer.



    As far as I know, a to-infinitive can define a noun, like "books to read," so to me, number 2 can be an answer. But at the same time, I know "documents to require" looks very awkward. I just don't know why. Could you help me?










    share|improve this question



























      3












      3








      3


      2






      I came across this question today.




      Q: the correct expression for blank.




      The documents ____ immediate attention are on top.




      1. Requiring 2. To require




      I know the answer is 1. Requiring, however I don't know why number 2 can't be an answer.



      As far as I know, a to-infinitive can define a noun, like "books to read," so to me, number 2 can be an answer. But at the same time, I know "documents to require" looks very awkward. I just don't know why. Could you help me?










      share|improve this question
















      I came across this question today.




      Q: the correct expression for blank.




      The documents ____ immediate attention are on top.




      1. Requiring 2. To require




      I know the answer is 1. Requiring, however I don't know why number 2 can't be an answer.



      As far as I know, a to-infinitive can define a noun, like "books to read," so to me, number 2 can be an answer. But at the same time, I know "documents to require" looks very awkward. I just don't know why. Could you help me?







      infinitives present-participle






      share|improve this question















      share|improve this question













      share|improve this question




      share|improve this question








      edited Mar 2 '17 at 15:19









      Andrew Leach

      79.9k8152256




      79.9k8152256










      asked Mar 2 '17 at 15:14









      MayjioMayjio

      592




      592






















          3 Answers
          3






          active

          oldest

          votes


















          3














          You are right, in some cases you can use to+infinitive to describe a noun:




          I have books to read, work to do, people to call.




          However, this only works with verbs that imply the action would be performed with the references nouns being the object of the action. That means that if I describe the actions from my earlier example being executed:




          I read books.

          I do work.

          I call people.




          If the noun that you describe would be the subject of the action, this doesn't work:




          Documents require attention.

          People read books.




          In these cases you cannot describe documents or people using to+infinitive:




          *Documents to require attention

          *People to read books




          Instead, we use the active or present participle to describe them:




          Documents requiring attention

          People reading books







          share|improve this answer
























          • Doesn't work. Some people read books. They're readers. Some people do books. They're accountants. The people to do books are accountants

            – deadrat
            Mar 2 '17 at 19:05



















          0














          I like your answer, oerkelens and the fact that mayjio is asking why? but I am having a problem with:



          'I begin looking for something else to do'.



          Every time I consider it I get 'I begin to look for something else to do.'



          Please, slap me with a 'needlessly convoluted' answer if that is what it takes.






          share|improve this answer








          New contributor




          Pope Dixon is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
          Check out our Code of Conduct.




























            -1














            First of all (fussy point), I think you wrote 'documents' in its the singular form when it should in fact be plural (the 3rd-person plural verb 'are' refers to it later in the sentence).



            You should try to accustom yourself to the term 'documents requiring' so that you are more comfortable with that aspect of grammar. In general, try to read up on when it is appropriate to use present participles like requiring, and when you should use the infinitive, as into require.






            share|improve this answer


























            • "Just learn it" hardly explains why "I have books to read" is correct while "I have documents to require attention" is not. And the question was not whether document to reuqire is correct, but why it is incorrect.

              – oerkelens
              Mar 2 '17 at 15:48











            • You're never going to find an answer for that. Even if you do, it will be complex and grammatical and unsatisfying even if you can follow it. I agree I haven't given you a proper answer, but I don't think there is a proper answer.

              – Laura Cookson
              Mar 2 '17 at 15:53






            • 1





              Have you read my answer? Is it incorrect, complex or unsatisfying? I agree it is grammatical - but that is kind of the whole point of this website. We like grammar here at ELU :)

              – oerkelens
              Mar 2 '17 at 15:56











            • Sorry @orkelens, I didn't bother scrolling up so I assumed that you were the person who had asked the question . It's only that the person asking the question seemed not to feel that the infinitive sounded wrong, so I was telling him to research it and make it sound right. That's mainly because I didn't have a proper answer myself and I did not believe that I could find one with any amount of research.Your answer proved me wrong, so +1. Also, I was using 'grammatical' as a synonym for 'needlessly convoluted', but it was the wrong word in context now you mention it.

              – Laura Cookson
              Mar 2 '17 at 16:08











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            3 Answers
            3






            active

            oldest

            votes








            3 Answers
            3






            active

            oldest

            votes









            active

            oldest

            votes






            active

            oldest

            votes









            3














            You are right, in some cases you can use to+infinitive to describe a noun:




            I have books to read, work to do, people to call.




            However, this only works with verbs that imply the action would be performed with the references nouns being the object of the action. That means that if I describe the actions from my earlier example being executed:




            I read books.

            I do work.

            I call people.




            If the noun that you describe would be the subject of the action, this doesn't work:




            Documents require attention.

            People read books.




            In these cases you cannot describe documents or people using to+infinitive:




            *Documents to require attention

            *People to read books




            Instead, we use the active or present participle to describe them:




            Documents requiring attention

            People reading books







            share|improve this answer
























            • Doesn't work. Some people read books. They're readers. Some people do books. They're accountants. The people to do books are accountants

              – deadrat
              Mar 2 '17 at 19:05
















            3














            You are right, in some cases you can use to+infinitive to describe a noun:




            I have books to read, work to do, people to call.




            However, this only works with verbs that imply the action would be performed with the references nouns being the object of the action. That means that if I describe the actions from my earlier example being executed:




            I read books.

            I do work.

            I call people.




            If the noun that you describe would be the subject of the action, this doesn't work:




            Documents require attention.

            People read books.




            In these cases you cannot describe documents or people using to+infinitive:




            *Documents to require attention

            *People to read books




            Instead, we use the active or present participle to describe them:




            Documents requiring attention

            People reading books







            share|improve this answer
























            • Doesn't work. Some people read books. They're readers. Some people do books. They're accountants. The people to do books are accountants

              – deadrat
              Mar 2 '17 at 19:05














            3












            3








            3







            You are right, in some cases you can use to+infinitive to describe a noun:




            I have books to read, work to do, people to call.




            However, this only works with verbs that imply the action would be performed with the references nouns being the object of the action. That means that if I describe the actions from my earlier example being executed:




            I read books.

            I do work.

            I call people.




            If the noun that you describe would be the subject of the action, this doesn't work:




            Documents require attention.

            People read books.




            In these cases you cannot describe documents or people using to+infinitive:




            *Documents to require attention

            *People to read books




            Instead, we use the active or present participle to describe them:




            Documents requiring attention

            People reading books







            share|improve this answer













            You are right, in some cases you can use to+infinitive to describe a noun:




            I have books to read, work to do, people to call.




            However, this only works with verbs that imply the action would be performed with the references nouns being the object of the action. That means that if I describe the actions from my earlier example being executed:




            I read books.

            I do work.

            I call people.




            If the noun that you describe would be the subject of the action, this doesn't work:




            Documents require attention.

            People read books.




            In these cases you cannot describe documents or people using to+infinitive:




            *Documents to require attention

            *People to read books




            Instead, we use the active or present participle to describe them:




            Documents requiring attention

            People reading books








            share|improve this answer












            share|improve this answer



            share|improve this answer










            answered Mar 2 '17 at 15:47









            oerkelensoerkelens

            33.8k792123




            33.8k792123













            • Doesn't work. Some people read books. They're readers. Some people do books. They're accountants. The people to do books are accountants

              – deadrat
              Mar 2 '17 at 19:05



















            • Doesn't work. Some people read books. They're readers. Some people do books. They're accountants. The people to do books are accountants

              – deadrat
              Mar 2 '17 at 19:05

















            Doesn't work. Some people read books. They're readers. Some people do books. They're accountants. The people to do books are accountants

            – deadrat
            Mar 2 '17 at 19:05





            Doesn't work. Some people read books. They're readers. Some people do books. They're accountants. The people to do books are accountants

            – deadrat
            Mar 2 '17 at 19:05













            0














            I like your answer, oerkelens and the fact that mayjio is asking why? but I am having a problem with:



            'I begin looking for something else to do'.



            Every time I consider it I get 'I begin to look for something else to do.'



            Please, slap me with a 'needlessly convoluted' answer if that is what it takes.






            share|improve this answer








            New contributor




            Pope Dixon is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
            Check out our Code of Conduct.

























              0














              I like your answer, oerkelens and the fact that mayjio is asking why? but I am having a problem with:



              'I begin looking for something else to do'.



              Every time I consider it I get 'I begin to look for something else to do.'



              Please, slap me with a 'needlessly convoluted' answer if that is what it takes.






              share|improve this answer








              New contributor




              Pope Dixon is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
              Check out our Code of Conduct.























                0












                0








                0







                I like your answer, oerkelens and the fact that mayjio is asking why? but I am having a problem with:



                'I begin looking for something else to do'.



                Every time I consider it I get 'I begin to look for something else to do.'



                Please, slap me with a 'needlessly convoluted' answer if that is what it takes.






                share|improve this answer








                New contributor




                Pope Dixon is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                Check out our Code of Conduct.










                I like your answer, oerkelens and the fact that mayjio is asking why? but I am having a problem with:



                'I begin looking for something else to do'.



                Every time I consider it I get 'I begin to look for something else to do.'



                Please, slap me with a 'needlessly convoluted' answer if that is what it takes.







                share|improve this answer








                New contributor




                Pope Dixon is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                Check out our Code of Conduct.









                share|improve this answer



                share|improve this answer






                New contributor




                Pope Dixon is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                Check out our Code of Conduct.









                answered 3 hours ago









                Pope DixonPope Dixon

                1




                1




                New contributor




                Pope Dixon is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                Check out our Code of Conduct.





                New contributor





                Pope Dixon is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                Check out our Code of Conduct.






                Pope Dixon is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                Check out our Code of Conduct.























                    -1














                    First of all (fussy point), I think you wrote 'documents' in its the singular form when it should in fact be plural (the 3rd-person plural verb 'are' refers to it later in the sentence).



                    You should try to accustom yourself to the term 'documents requiring' so that you are more comfortable with that aspect of grammar. In general, try to read up on when it is appropriate to use present participles like requiring, and when you should use the infinitive, as into require.






                    share|improve this answer


























                    • "Just learn it" hardly explains why "I have books to read" is correct while "I have documents to require attention" is not. And the question was not whether document to reuqire is correct, but why it is incorrect.

                      – oerkelens
                      Mar 2 '17 at 15:48











                    • You're never going to find an answer for that. Even if you do, it will be complex and grammatical and unsatisfying even if you can follow it. I agree I haven't given you a proper answer, but I don't think there is a proper answer.

                      – Laura Cookson
                      Mar 2 '17 at 15:53






                    • 1





                      Have you read my answer? Is it incorrect, complex or unsatisfying? I agree it is grammatical - but that is kind of the whole point of this website. We like grammar here at ELU :)

                      – oerkelens
                      Mar 2 '17 at 15:56











                    • Sorry @orkelens, I didn't bother scrolling up so I assumed that you were the person who had asked the question . It's only that the person asking the question seemed not to feel that the infinitive sounded wrong, so I was telling him to research it and make it sound right. That's mainly because I didn't have a proper answer myself and I did not believe that I could find one with any amount of research.Your answer proved me wrong, so +1. Also, I was using 'grammatical' as a synonym for 'needlessly convoluted', but it was the wrong word in context now you mention it.

                      – Laura Cookson
                      Mar 2 '17 at 16:08
















                    -1














                    First of all (fussy point), I think you wrote 'documents' in its the singular form when it should in fact be plural (the 3rd-person plural verb 'are' refers to it later in the sentence).



                    You should try to accustom yourself to the term 'documents requiring' so that you are more comfortable with that aspect of grammar. In general, try to read up on when it is appropriate to use present participles like requiring, and when you should use the infinitive, as into require.






                    share|improve this answer


























                    • "Just learn it" hardly explains why "I have books to read" is correct while "I have documents to require attention" is not. And the question was not whether document to reuqire is correct, but why it is incorrect.

                      – oerkelens
                      Mar 2 '17 at 15:48











                    • You're never going to find an answer for that. Even if you do, it will be complex and grammatical and unsatisfying even if you can follow it. I agree I haven't given you a proper answer, but I don't think there is a proper answer.

                      – Laura Cookson
                      Mar 2 '17 at 15:53






                    • 1





                      Have you read my answer? Is it incorrect, complex or unsatisfying? I agree it is grammatical - but that is kind of the whole point of this website. We like grammar here at ELU :)

                      – oerkelens
                      Mar 2 '17 at 15:56











                    • Sorry @orkelens, I didn't bother scrolling up so I assumed that you were the person who had asked the question . It's only that the person asking the question seemed not to feel that the infinitive sounded wrong, so I was telling him to research it and make it sound right. That's mainly because I didn't have a proper answer myself and I did not believe that I could find one with any amount of research.Your answer proved me wrong, so +1. Also, I was using 'grammatical' as a synonym for 'needlessly convoluted', but it was the wrong word in context now you mention it.

                      – Laura Cookson
                      Mar 2 '17 at 16:08














                    -1












                    -1








                    -1







                    First of all (fussy point), I think you wrote 'documents' in its the singular form when it should in fact be plural (the 3rd-person plural verb 'are' refers to it later in the sentence).



                    You should try to accustom yourself to the term 'documents requiring' so that you are more comfortable with that aspect of grammar. In general, try to read up on when it is appropriate to use present participles like requiring, and when you should use the infinitive, as into require.






                    share|improve this answer















                    First of all (fussy point), I think you wrote 'documents' in its the singular form when it should in fact be plural (the 3rd-person plural verb 'are' refers to it later in the sentence).



                    You should try to accustom yourself to the term 'documents requiring' so that you are more comfortable with that aspect of grammar. In general, try to read up on when it is appropriate to use present participles like requiring, and when you should use the infinitive, as into require.







                    share|improve this answer














                    share|improve this answer



                    share|improve this answer








                    edited Mar 2 '17 at 16:09

























                    answered Mar 2 '17 at 15:24









                    Laura CooksonLaura Cookson

                    1154




                    1154













                    • "Just learn it" hardly explains why "I have books to read" is correct while "I have documents to require attention" is not. And the question was not whether document to reuqire is correct, but why it is incorrect.

                      – oerkelens
                      Mar 2 '17 at 15:48











                    • You're never going to find an answer for that. Even if you do, it will be complex and grammatical and unsatisfying even if you can follow it. I agree I haven't given you a proper answer, but I don't think there is a proper answer.

                      – Laura Cookson
                      Mar 2 '17 at 15:53






                    • 1





                      Have you read my answer? Is it incorrect, complex or unsatisfying? I agree it is grammatical - but that is kind of the whole point of this website. We like grammar here at ELU :)

                      – oerkelens
                      Mar 2 '17 at 15:56











                    • Sorry @orkelens, I didn't bother scrolling up so I assumed that you were the person who had asked the question . It's only that the person asking the question seemed not to feel that the infinitive sounded wrong, so I was telling him to research it and make it sound right. That's mainly because I didn't have a proper answer myself and I did not believe that I could find one with any amount of research.Your answer proved me wrong, so +1. Also, I was using 'grammatical' as a synonym for 'needlessly convoluted', but it was the wrong word in context now you mention it.

                      – Laura Cookson
                      Mar 2 '17 at 16:08



















                    • "Just learn it" hardly explains why "I have books to read" is correct while "I have documents to require attention" is not. And the question was not whether document to reuqire is correct, but why it is incorrect.

                      – oerkelens
                      Mar 2 '17 at 15:48











                    • You're never going to find an answer for that. Even if you do, it will be complex and grammatical and unsatisfying even if you can follow it. I agree I haven't given you a proper answer, but I don't think there is a proper answer.

                      – Laura Cookson
                      Mar 2 '17 at 15:53






                    • 1





                      Have you read my answer? Is it incorrect, complex or unsatisfying? I agree it is grammatical - but that is kind of the whole point of this website. We like grammar here at ELU :)

                      – oerkelens
                      Mar 2 '17 at 15:56











                    • Sorry @orkelens, I didn't bother scrolling up so I assumed that you were the person who had asked the question . It's only that the person asking the question seemed not to feel that the infinitive sounded wrong, so I was telling him to research it and make it sound right. That's mainly because I didn't have a proper answer myself and I did not believe that I could find one with any amount of research.Your answer proved me wrong, so +1. Also, I was using 'grammatical' as a synonym for 'needlessly convoluted', but it was the wrong word in context now you mention it.

                      – Laura Cookson
                      Mar 2 '17 at 16:08

















                    "Just learn it" hardly explains why "I have books to read" is correct while "I have documents to require attention" is not. And the question was not whether document to reuqire is correct, but why it is incorrect.

                    – oerkelens
                    Mar 2 '17 at 15:48





                    "Just learn it" hardly explains why "I have books to read" is correct while "I have documents to require attention" is not. And the question was not whether document to reuqire is correct, but why it is incorrect.

                    – oerkelens
                    Mar 2 '17 at 15:48













                    You're never going to find an answer for that. Even if you do, it will be complex and grammatical and unsatisfying even if you can follow it. I agree I haven't given you a proper answer, but I don't think there is a proper answer.

                    – Laura Cookson
                    Mar 2 '17 at 15:53





                    You're never going to find an answer for that. Even if you do, it will be complex and grammatical and unsatisfying even if you can follow it. I agree I haven't given you a proper answer, but I don't think there is a proper answer.

                    – Laura Cookson
                    Mar 2 '17 at 15:53




                    1




                    1





                    Have you read my answer? Is it incorrect, complex or unsatisfying? I agree it is grammatical - but that is kind of the whole point of this website. We like grammar here at ELU :)

                    – oerkelens
                    Mar 2 '17 at 15:56





                    Have you read my answer? Is it incorrect, complex or unsatisfying? I agree it is grammatical - but that is kind of the whole point of this website. We like grammar here at ELU :)

                    – oerkelens
                    Mar 2 '17 at 15:56













                    Sorry @orkelens, I didn't bother scrolling up so I assumed that you were the person who had asked the question . It's only that the person asking the question seemed not to feel that the infinitive sounded wrong, so I was telling him to research it and make it sound right. That's mainly because I didn't have a proper answer myself and I did not believe that I could find one with any amount of research.Your answer proved me wrong, so +1. Also, I was using 'grammatical' as a synonym for 'needlessly convoluted', but it was the wrong word in context now you mention it.

                    – Laura Cookson
                    Mar 2 '17 at 16:08





                    Sorry @orkelens, I didn't bother scrolling up so I assumed that you were the person who had asked the question . It's only that the person asking the question seemed not to feel that the infinitive sounded wrong, so I was telling him to research it and make it sound right. That's mainly because I didn't have a proper answer myself and I did not believe that I could find one with any amount of research.Your answer proved me wrong, so +1. Also, I was using 'grammatical' as a synonym for 'needlessly convoluted', but it was the wrong word in context now you mention it.

                    – Laura Cookson
                    Mar 2 '17 at 16:08


















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