Infinitive Commands: imposing one's will on others

Infinitive Commands

Imposing one's will on others

Subjunctive vs. Infinitive Verb Form

FULL CLAUSE w/ SUBJUNCTIVE VERB FORM	INIFINITIVE CLAUSE
A number of verbs expressing a wish, suggestion or order are followed by a a noun/pronoun and a that-clause. The clause tends to be used in more formal contexts, and the verb is in the subjunctive, the base, form. (Note that the verb in the clause is not inflected with a final -s for 3rd person singular.)	A similar meaning may be expressed with an infinitive clause. Following the verb is a noun or an accusative pronoun, which is both the object of the verb and the understood subject of the infinitive clause. [The judge ordered John (for) John to leave.] Review Infinitive with Subject.)
SUBJ. NOUN & VERB The judge ordered	NOMINATIVE PRONOUN that John (3rd person sing.) that he that she the group	CLAUSE w/ SUBJUNCTIVE VERB leave. (subjunctive verb form) leaves.	SUBJ. NOUN & VERB The judge ordered	ACCUSATIVE PRONOUN John him her it	INFINITIVE CLAUSE COMPLEMENT to leave.
The judge ordered	that you that I that we that they the groups	leave.	The judge ordered	you me us them them	to leave.

FULL CLAUSE w/ SUBJUNCTIVE VERB FORM

INIFINITIVE CLAUSE

A number of verbs expressing a wish, suggestion or order are followed by a a noun/pronoun and a that-clause. The clause tends to be used in more formal contexts, and the verb is in the subjunctive, the base, form. (Note that the verb in the clause is not inflected with a final -s for 3rd person singular.)

A similar meaning may be expressed with an infinitive clause. Following the verb is a noun or an accusative pronoun, which is both the object of the verb and the understood subject of the infinitive clause. [The judge ordered John (for) John to leave.] Review Infinitive with Subject.)

SUBJ. NOUN & VERB

The judge ordered

NOMINATIVE PRONOUN

that John (3rd person sing.)
that he
that she
the group

CLAUSE w/ SUBJUNCTIVE VERB

leave. (subjunctive verb form)
leaves.

SUBJ. NOUN & VERB

The judge ordered

ACCUSATIVE PRONOUN

John
him
her
it

INFINITIVE CLAUSE COMPLEMENT

to leave.

The judge ordered

that you
that I
that we
that they
the groups

leave.

The judge ordered

you
me
us
them
them

to leave.

NP (noun phrase) – a noun and any dependents such as a determiner or a modifying word, phrase, or clause
nominative – a noun form used when it is the subject of the verb (she, he, we, they)
accusative – a noun form used when it is the object of the verb (her, him, us, them)
complement – a word, phrase or clause required in a sentence to complete its meaning

Verbs like "Order" The judge ordered — that he go / him to go.

VERBS LIKE "ORDER"
advise We advised– him to / that he – take a break.	ask She asked – us to / that we – come along.	beg She begged – us to / that we – stay up late.	caution The doctor cautioned – us to / that we – rest a day.
command He commanded – us to / that we – stop.	desire We desired – me to / that I – see him.	directed He directed – us to / that we – follow him.	forbid She forbids – him to / that he – stay out late.
instruct He instructed – us to / that we – follow.	intend He didn't intend – us to / that we – do all the work.	order They ordered – us to / that we – carry a passport.	pledge He pledged – us to / that we – help out.
prefers She prefers – him to / that he – see it.	prescribe Dr. Lee prescribed – him to / that he – take aspirin.	signal They signaled – us to / that we – come in.	recommend He recommends – you to / that you – be hired.
request They requested – us to / that we – dress formally.	require We require – you to / that you – stay late.	urge We urged – him to / that he – be more careful.	vote We vote – her to / that she – be President.

Verbs like "Suggest" The judge ordered — that he go.

VERBS LIKE "ORDER"
demand They demanded that he leave.	insist They insisted that she come along.	propose They propose that he go first.	recommend They recommend that she hires him.
suggested We suggested that he try again.

Also see: Command Clauses

Common Mistake

ERROR	FIX
* I advised that John leaves.	I advised John to leave. I advised that John leave. (Use the base-form of the verb.)

*Yellow highlighted words are examples of incorrect usage.
Related page Command Clauses, Shortening subjunctive that-clauses

Grammar Notes

567 Subjunctive Some languages have special verb forms called subjunctive, which are used especially to talk about unreal situations; things which are possible, desirable or imaginary. Older English had subjunctives, but in modern English they have mostly been replaced by uses of should, would and other modal verbs, by uses of past tenses, and by ordinary verb forms.

English only has a few subjunctive forms left: third-person singular present verbs with out -s (e.g. she see, he have) and special forms of be (e.g. I be, he were). Except for I/he/she/it were after if, they are not very common. — Michael Swan. Practical English Use age (567)

Practice

Imposition of Will

Changing an Infinitive Phrase to a That-Clause

Select the response from the menu that best completes the sentence.
Compare your response to the answer by clicking the "check" button to the right.

#	YOUR RESPONSE	CHECK ANSWER
e.g.	The President ordered his troops to be ready to leave. The President ordered that his troops ready to leave.
1	His mother begged him to call more often. His mother begged that he
2	The Justice Department requested the boy's uncle to return him to his father. The Justice Department requested that the boy's uncle
3	The Attorney General commanded agents to get the child by force. The Attorney General commanded that agents
4	Bill Gates asked the Justice Department to consider other options. Bill Gates asked that the Justice Department
5	Hillary desires her husband to keep out of her politics. Hillary desires that her husband
6	The Pope forbids any Catholics to divorce. The Pope forbids that any Catholic
7.	Ebay requires sellers to include their email addresses. Ebay requires that sellers
8.	His counselor advised him to take fewer classes this semester. His counselor advised that he
9.	Michael Phelps, Olympic swimmer, advised children to follow their dreams. He advised that children
10.	Brad Pitt requested photographers to leave his family in peace. Brad Pitt requested that photographers