■ for... to inf.

1) 这个结构在英语有点特殊，往往用来代替一个名词从句（尽管通常以介词开始的词群不能成为名词成分），主语变成 for 所支配的介词宾语，谓语动词变成 to 后面的动词不定式，所指的往往是尚未做的或打算做的事情。这种独特的句法结构，是从 to + inf. 这个结构发展出来的。尽人皆知，to + inf. 可以当作名词参加句法构成，但这个动词不定式的无形主语是泛指的或是模糊的，如果要明确主语，就在前面加上 for 再加有关名词（或代词），而同时整个结构的名词性质保持不变，尽管最前面有了介词 for。

本来，it is... for somebody to inf. 的原意是“对于某人来说，做某事是…的”，也就是说，对事情的评价，利害关系人是这个某人。但是，经过不断的变化，往往这个某人已经不是利害关系人，而只不过是 to inf. 的逻辑主语。

• We don't think it's fair for you to search our bags.我们觉得，让你们来搜查我们的行李，是不公平的（这里的 fair 根本不是对 you 而言，而是恰恰相反，对 we 而言）。
• Is it in our national interest for all these issues to take a backseat to terrorism? (E. J. Dionne, The Daily Gazette, Schenectady, New York, Feb. 20, 2008, A9)难道要所有这些问题统统都退居次位，让位给恐怖主义问题，才符合我们的国家利益吗？

（这里的 for 也没有“对于”或“为了”的意思。）

再进一步，干脆就把 for... to inf. 当作一个普通的名词成分，但通常表示一件尚未发生的事情（for 在中文常常可以译作“由”，引入动作的主动者）。

• Bush said that the best way to protect the economy and get it moving again is for Congress to take prompt action to pass the budget and to put his tax cut into place.布什说，要保护经济并使之重新活跃起来，最好的办法，就是由国会迅速采取行动，通过预算，并实施他的减税措施。
• What they would like is for you to describe some of you experiences.他们所希望的，是由你来介绍一下自己的一些经历。
• It was unheard of for an unmanned plane to pound targets with missiles.由无人驾驶飞机来发射火箭轰击目标，这是闻所未闻的。
• It was unheard of for a trial judge to ask a jury to pay attention.审判法官要求陪审团注意听，这是闻所未闻的。
• She said for you to call her immediately.她叫你马上给她去电话。
• I really doubt they ever meant for it to go this far.我的确不大相信他有意把事情闹得这样大。
• They have arranged for you to talk to him.他们安排了由你来同他谈。
• But when it comes to human life, for the scientist to do mechanically what God does naturally is to interfere with his work, and no possible benefit can justify that presumption. (Times, Feb. 19, 2001, p.50, "On Human Cloning")但是只要一牵涉到人类生命，要科学家用机械手段来干上帝所自然而然地干的事，那就是干涉上帝的工作，无论可能得到什么好处，都不能为这样的傲慢主张辩解。
• What the hospital would undoubtedly like was for everything to be hushed up, and for the innocent victim to be cremated and forgotten.医院肯定会喜欢的是一切都草草了事，无辜的受害者被火化掉然后被忘却。
• There is a lot of marital stress in the astronaut corps in general. (…) It's not unheard of for things to change into relationships that are beyond professional. (The Associated Press, Feb. 7, 2007)宇航员队伍整体当中，闹婚姻问题的很多 (…) 彼此关系超出了业务范围的情况并不少见。
• It is not by any means unknown for these politicians to have mistresses and girlfriends.这些政客有情妇和女朋友，已经丝毫不是秘密。
• It's rare, but not unheard of, for people to turn themselves in.自动投案是罕见的，但并不是闻所未闻。
• The most common way to confuse customers is for a second business to market its goods or services under a name or other mark that is confusingly similar to that used by the first business on its goods and services.糊弄顾客的最常用的办法，就是第一家企业用什么名称或商标来推销自己的产品或服务，就有第二家使用与之雷同可以乱真的名称或商标。
• It might seem disrespectful to his memory for me to be in good terms with (his enemy). (Jane Austen)我如果同（他的仇人）关系良好，这可能显得对他在天之灵有所不敬。

这个 for... to inf. 结构，甚至可以干脆当作名词成分，放在句首充当主语

• For a man to tell how human life began is hard. (John Milton, Quote from Otto Jespersen. The Philosophy of Grammar, p.118)很难由一个男人来说明人类生命如何开始。

在美国的中西部，for... to inf. 往往成为句子中的宾语。

• I would like for you to meet Miss Donahue. = I would like you to meet Miss Donahue.我想你见见多纳休小姐。

2) 但是要注意，for... to inf. 如果在句首出现，就有两个可能，一个是 for... to inf. 如上所述作为名词成分并充当全句主语，另一个则是它仍然作为状语成分充当目的状语。

• For the governor to continue to cast nursing homes in a negative light is counterproductive.州长如果继续用负面的口气来谈论养老院，就会产生适得其反的效果。
• For a bridge to collapse like that is unbelievable.一座大桥就这样坍塌，是难以置信的。

这里 for... to inf. 作为名词成分并充当全句主语。但是：

• For the American threat to disarm Saddam to retain any credibility, State should have to hang on to three elements of the current US draft resolution.要使美国扬言要解除萨达姆武装的威胁能保持一点可信性，美国国务院就需要咬定当前美国提出的决议草案中的三点（注意：这里的 for 是与 to retain 相呼应，而不是与修饰 threat 的 to disarm 相呼应）。

这里 for... to inf. 仍然作为状语成分充当目的状语。

3) 有时候 for 与 to inf. 相隔很远，要注意保持其呼应关系，不要断线。

• It is past time for all those who wish to think about world politics in moral categories to learn that same lesson. (Commentary. July-Aug., 2003, p.55)凡是打算从道德角度来思考世界政治的人，现在早就该吸取同样的这个教训了。
• In Washington it was not at all uncommon for a White House employee, fearing his President was about to be ousted from office, to offer quiet favors to the apparent successor in hopes of securing power or another position after the changeover. (Dan Brown, Deception Point, p.133)在华盛顿，往往一个白宫雇员由于担心自己的总统行将下台，就会向看来即将接任者表示愿意暗中为其效劳，希望这样能在新旧交接之后保住权力或是获得另一个职位。