UNIT 27
   PURPOSE

   Rewrite the sentences below using to, in order not to,
   so that, etc.

1  Examples:
   I sent her a bunch of flowers because I wanted to make it up
   with her.
   I sent her a bunch of flowers to make it up with her.

   To1 can be used to express purpose. In order to and so as to2
   may replace to, but are more emphatic and formal: In order
   to/So as to be there on time, I had to hire a taxi. See also
   unit 23, section 11.

a  I entered Mr Green’s office because I wished to talk to him.
b  We came in the house because we wanted to put out the lights.
c  I came back because I had to take care of my parents.
d  She winked at me because she wanted to let me know that she
   was joking.
e  I have come because I’d like to give you a piece of advice.


2  Examples:
   He took off his shoes because he did not want his parents to
   hear him.
   He took off his shoes in order not to/so as not to be heard
   by his parents.

   In the negative, we use in order not to or so as not to.

a  He felt very miserable, so he looked for someone to share his
   life with.
b  I didn’t drop in at your home last night because I didn’t
   want to disturb you.
c  I won’t light my Havana because it might bother her.
d  He destroyed all proof against him because he did not want
   to be discovered.
e  I was very cold, so I put on the stove.


3  Examples:
   (1) We carve meat with this knife.
   This knife is for carving meat (with).
   (2) I’ll give you ten pounds because you have washed my car.
   I’ll give you ten pounds for3 washing/having washed my car.
   (3) This food is not fit to be eaten.
   This food is not fit for eating.

   For + a gerund indicates the function of something. (1) It can
   also indicate the reason why we do something. (2) It can have
   a passive meaning, too. (3) See also unit 23, section 20.

a  The reason why he went to prison was that he held up a
   chemist’s.
b  You grow plants in a flowerpot.
c  These pictures are not to be sold.
d  You read with a book.
e  You have not done your homework. So you’ll be punished.


4  Revision exercise.
a  She’s studying because she wants to become a very important
   person in life.
b  The reason that I was so happy was that I had finished my
   studies.
c  I didn’t want to see them, so I didn’t open the door.
d  You remove your pencil marks with a rubber.
e  We went on with the deal because we didn’t want to leave them
   high and dry at the last minute.
f  I would like to take tomorrow off, as I want to accompany
   my husband to the doctor.
g  They went on a hunger strike because they wanted to get
   better conditions in gaol.
h  They bought a country pad because they wished to have some
   peace and quiet.
i  I’ve just bought a CD player, since I want to give it to
   my daughter for her birthday.
j  I have bought some clothes-pegs because I want to hang the
   washing out.
k  He did not want to worry her, so he did not tell her what
   happened.
l  If we want to get there before dark, we must leave now.
m  She was very friendly to him because she wanted to nick his
   wallet.
n  They wanted to swipe his walkman, so they mugged him.
o  She was taken to the police station because she had lifted
   some records from the shop next door.
p  We filled the car up because we didn’t want to run out of
   petrol.
q  I did not want to hear what they were talking about, which is
   why I put the music louder.
r  I had no intention of talking to him, so I didn’t answer the
   phone.
s  I shut up because I did not want to interfere in matters which
   had nothing to do with me.
t  He married her because he wanted to spend the rest of his life
   with her.
u  I find it necessary to test you on your French, so you must
   take an exam tomorrow.
v  She hid a tiny microphone in his house because she wanted to
   spy upon him.
w  I put out the central heating because I did not want to waste
   fuel.
x  The reason I bought my son an ice-cream wafer was that he had
   been a good boy.
y  You got full marks in your history paper, so I’ll buy you the
   bike I promised.
z  She set off for Paris before sunrise because she wanted to be
   there by midday.


5   Examples4:
   She waters her plants twice a week. She does not want
   them to wither.
   She waters her plants twice a week so that they will not/
   do not wither.
   I’ll correct all the mistakes in your composition. I hope you
   will not/do not make them again.
   I’ll correct all the mistakes in your composition so that you
   will not/do not make them again.
   He told Mary his feelings last night because he wanted her to
   know that he loves her.
   He told Mary his feelings last night so that she would know
   that he loves her.
   We must leave now if we don’t want to arrive late.
   We must leave now so that we won’t/don’t arrive late/We must
   leave now in order not to/so as not to arrive late.

   We use so that (or more formally, in order that) + a subject
   + a verb. Observe the following as well:




MAIN VERB


PURPOSE CLAUSE5






present or future




will

present

can

may (formal)








past




would

could

should (formal)

might (very formal)






a  She wants him to go with her on holiday, so she’s helping him
   with his project.
b  These brave men and women gave their lives because they wanted
   the humankind to have a better world.
c  I’ll give you some money because you will have to pay for the
   bus.
d  He did not send her any letter, phone her or write to her. He
   did not want her to know he was alive.
e  We are leaving early in the morning. We want to arrive there
   by noon.


6  Examples:
   He took off his shoes in order not to/so as not to be heard by
   his parents/He took off his shoes so that his parents would
   not hear him.
   He took off his shoes to prevent his parents (from) hearing
   him/to avoid being heard by his parents.
   We must leave now so that we won’t arrive late/We must leave
   now in order not to/so as not to arrive late.
   We must leave now to avoid arriving late.
   She waters her plants twice a week so that they won’t/don’t
   wither.
   She waters her plants twice a week to prevent them
   (from) withering.

   Instead of so that (or in order that) + a subject6 + a
   negative verb, we can use to prevent + an object (+ from)
   + a gerund. In order not to (or so as not to) may be
   replaced by to avoid + a gerund.

a  He went to live abroad so that he wouldn’t have to pay
   maintenance to his wife for his four children.
b  He did all his homework so that his teacher would not tell him
   off.
c  He disguised as a woman in order not to be recognised.
d  He hid behind a bush so as not to be seen by his pursuers.
e  He did not report the incident to his superiors in order that
   they should not think that he was to blame for it.


7  Examples7:
   I did not take my father’s car because he might have become
   angry.
   I did not take my father’s car lest he (should) become/in case
   he became (or should become) angry. (This was a possibility.)
   I’ll wait for him, as he might come.
   I’ll wait for him in case he comes/should come.
   I did not tell them a word of it, since they could have
   thought I was reponsible for it.
   I did not tell them a word of it in case they thought/should
   think I was responsible for it.
   I did not tell them a word of it lest they (should) think I
   was responsible for it.

   If we have a present or future tense in the main clause, we
   use a present tense after in case; if we have a past tense,
   in case is followed by a past tense. In case + a subject +
   should + infinitive is another alternative to in case + a
   subject + a present or past tense, but it suggests a smaller
   possibility. As regards lest, it is followed by should or by
   a subjunctive8, and is very formal.

a  I’ll leave him a message in the answering machine because he
   might go home this afternoon.
b  He wanted to kiss her, but he did not, as he thought that she
   could reject him.
c  I didn’t tell my parents that I had failed my literature
   paper because they might have punished me by making me stay
   at home in the evenings for a fortnight.
d  She did not ask him to go to the opera with her because she
   thought he could turn down her invitation.
e  He went to the same place they met for the first time because
   he thought she could be there.


8  Revision exercise:
a  We put the lights off, as we didn’t want anybody to know that
   we were in.
b  The bank has employed some security guards because they do not
   want to be held up again.
c  They didn’t make out an invoice because they did not want us
   to pay VAT.
d  She left her purse at home because she was afraid that
   somebody might steal it.
e  She wanted him to know she was at home, so she put on some
   music.
f  I hailed a cab because I didn’t want to be late.
g  I’ve phoned them because I want to have my flat furnished.
h  He kept still for almost an hour because he was afraid that
   the enemy could see him.
i  I tore them off a strip because I did not want it to happen
   again.
j  I brought the electric drill because I wanted to hang a
   picture here.
k  We listen to music with a cassette player.
l  He settled the bill at once because he didn’t want to be
   surcharged for late payment.
m  They infringed the law, so they were taken to the police
   station.
n  They walled the swimming-pool because they did not want
   their children to fall into it and drown.
o  I don’t want you to forget me, so I’ll give you a photograph
   of me.
p  They didn’t want to go hungry, so they took a lot of food
   with them.
q  She vaccinated her children against smallpox because she
   did not want them to catch it.
r  I went to live in the country because I did not want anybody
   to disturb me.
s  She did not want anyone to beat her children, so she taught
   them self-defence.
t  I read a lot of German books because I want to improve my
   German.
u  They shot him dead because they wanted to make sure that he
   could not betray them.
v  He did not want anybody to know his real identity, so he gave
   them a false name.
w  We need a tennis ball. We want to play with it.
x  He read her one of his poems because he wanted to impress her.
y  He didn’t want them to bully him, so he stood up to them.
z  They may still come, so I’ll wait for them.


____________________ 
1  To can be replaced with expressions such as with the aim of,
   with a view to, with/for the purpose of, the purpose of,
   someone’s purpose in:
     I sent her some flowers with the aim of making it up with
     her.
     I sent her some flowers with a view to making it up with
     her.
     I sent her some flowers with/for the purpose of making it
     up with her.
     The purpose of my flowers/of my sending her some flowers
     was to make it up with her.
     My purpose in sending her some flowers was to make it up
     with her.
2  Compare these two sentences:
     She put her children to bed in order to/so as to relax
     a bit. (= She put her children to bed because she wanted
     to relax a bit.)
     She put her children to bed to relax a bit. (= She
     wanted her children to relax a bit.)
3  Other alternatives:
     You have washed my car; as a result, I’ll give you
     ten pounds/You have washed my car; I’ll give you
     ten pounds as a result.
     The reason why I give you ten pounds is that you have
     washed my car.
4  See unit 22, section 37.
5  More examples:
     I have given her a key so that she can/may enter the
     house whenever she wants.
     He did not answer the phone so that noboby would/should
     know that he was at home.
     The government is going to build new schools in order
     that our children may have a better education.
     The authorities were doing further research in order
     that the murderers might/should be arrested and judged.
     I translated the letter into English so that everybody
     could/would/should understand what it said.
6  The subject must be different from the one in the main clause
   to follow this rule.
7  See units 22 (section 37) and 24 (section 16).
8  Lest may also be followed by a present or past tense: I didn’t
   take my father’s car lest he became angry. However, the other
   alternatives given are much better. See also unit 22, section
   37.

Author: Miquel Molina i Diez