Creative Learning

CLAUSES OF PURPOSE

Purpose can be expressed by an INFINITIVE or a CLAUSE OF PURPOSE.

1. Purpose is normally expressed by an INFINITIVE

He went to France to learn French.
They stopped to ask the way.

But, when there is a personal object of the main verb, the infinitive will refer to the indirect object and not to the subject.

He sent Tom to the post office to buy stamps (Tom will buy them, not he.)

SO AS TO / IN ORDER TO. We use these particles in the following situations:

• When there’s a personal object, but we want the infinitive to refer to the subject:

He sent Tom away in order to stay with her longer (he wanted to stay longer)
He sent his sons to a boarding school in order to have some peace (He wanted
to have some peace)
He sent his sons to a boarding school to learn to live in a community. (His
sons had to learn)

However, you can also say “He sent his sons to a boarding school because he wanted to have some peace” or “He sent Tom away because he wanted to stay with her longer.”

• With be and have:

She went home early in order to be there when he arrived.
He bought that car so as to have the best one in town

• With a negative infinitive to express a negative purpose:
He came in quietly so as not to / in order not to wake up the child.

• When the purpose is less immediate
He is studying Mathematics so as to / in order to qualify for a higher salary.

• To emphasise the fact that the subject has a very firm purpose in mind.

TO / IN ORDER TO ( but not so as to) can be used when the Infinitive of purpose precedes the main verb.

In order to show his courage, he fought against them