7-6. Инфинитив как определение

Инфинитив может употребляться как определение главной части группы существительного (как в активном, так и пассивном залоге), чтобы сказать о том, что необходимо сделать:

There's a lot of work to do / to be done.
There are six letters to post / to be posted.
Give me the names of the people to contact / to be contacted.
The people to interview / to be interviewed are in the next room.

Инфинитив в активном залоге употребляется, когда акцент делается на том, кто совершит действие:

I've got [work to do]. (не I’ve got work to be done)
They've sent her [a form to fill in].

Пассивный инфинитив употребляется, когда акцент на самом действии или предмете над которым совершится действие:

[The carpets to be cleaned] are in the garage. (не The carpets to clean ... )
His desk is covered with [forms to be filled in].

После be в таких случаях обычно употребляется пассивный инфинитив:

These sheets are to be washed. (не These sheets are to wash.)
This form is to be filled in in ink. (не This farm is to fill in)
The cleaning is to be finished by midday. (не ...The cleaning is to finish…)

■ Есть разница между nothing to do и nothing to be done:

I'm bored – there's [nothing to do]. (= There are no entertainments.)
There's [nothing to be done] – we'll have to buy a new one. (= There's no way of putting it right.)

Инфинитивный оборот фактически соответствует определительным предложениям:

[The thing that you should do] is what everyone else is doing.
[The thing to do] is what everyone else is doing.

[The person (whom) you should ask] is George Lamb.
[The person to ask] is George Lamb.

[The place where you should go] is Brown's.
[The place to go] is Brown's.

[The time when you should leave] is after they've served coffee.
[The time to leave] is after they've served coffee.

[The way you should start it] is to give it a push.
[The way to start it] is to give it a push.

The question of whether we should sell/=to sell is still undecided.
The question of whether we should sell/=to sell is still undecided.

Why по такому шаблону не употребляется:

- I don't know why we should do that.
- The reason for doing it is perfectly clear.

■ Также инфинитивный оборот может заменять определительный клоз в таких случаях:

You need [someone who can look after you].
You need [someone to look after you].

Someone to look after you можно заменить на something to eat, somewhere to sleep и т.п., и похожие предложения можно составлять с anything to do, nowhere to go и так далее.

Еще примеры:

I've brought [a book that I can read].
I've brought [a book to read].

George is [the man for whom we should vote].
George is [the man to vote for].

He was [the first man who flew across the Atlantic].
He was [the first man to fly across the Atlantic].

■ Инфинитив в пассивном залоге:

There are [several people who have to be consulted].
There are [several people to be consulted].

There are still [many obstacles that must be overcome].
There are still [many obstacles to be overcome].

There is [a lot of work that must be done first].
There is [a lot of work to be done first].

Is he really [a man who can be trusted]?
Is he really [a man to be trusted]?

Похожие конструкции можно употреблять с инфинитивом в активном залоге, но пассивным значением:

There are [several people to consult first].
There are still [many obstacles to overcome].
There is [a lot of work to do first].
Is he really [a man to trust]?