headlineseinfinitivesprepositions
I saw the sentence like
Donald Trump to run for president next month.
in the newspaper on the internet.
But I don't know why we have to use to instead of will.
Is there any rule I don't know?
Can anyone tell me the reason why we should use to in the news?
No! Read this.
We don't use a preposition with these words:
and with words today, tomorrow, yesterday!
Consider the usage of "in" vs "at" with the word "theater":
In the theater here refers to the building (the theater itself). In British English, At the theater means attending a performance. However, both prepositional forms, at and in are regularly found, but in is more common with the generic term theater and at with a specific theater name.
If there is a subject in the complement, the verb in the complement is finite (tensed):
The little girl hopes {her mom buys her a doll}.
and when there is no subject in the complement, the verb in the complement is an infinitive:
The mother hopes {to buy her daughter a doll}.
Thus:
I hope {you buy me a doll}.
The second-person singular and second-person plural form of the verb buy is also buy, so the rule is not as easy to see as it is in the third person.
P.S. Hope is complemented by a that-clause or reduced that-clause or an infinitive-phrase:
The little girl hopes {that her mom buys her a doll}.
The little girl hopes {__ her mom buys her a doll}.
The mother hopes {to buy her daughter a doll}.
want is completed with an infinitive phrase and with something else. It gets very convoluted, and I would need to use my lifeline, and place a virtual phone call to @StoneyB or @Araucaria.
The little girl wants {her mom to buy her a doll}
The little girl wants {that her mom should buy her a doll}. marginal
The mother wants {to buy her daughter a doll}.
P.P.S.
want can take a direct object; hope cannot:
He wants snow. He likes to ski.
not OK He hopes snow.
OK He hopes for snow.
P.P.P.S.
The little girl wants {her mom to buy her a doll}
The little girl hopes {her mom buys her a doll}.
Why is "her mom" a subject with hopes but not a subject with wants?
I think it is because the underlying idea of want is to lack<object> and the underlying idea of hope is to await<event>.
Best Answer
With the future, the infinitive form expresses intention whereas will +
<VERB>can express either an intention or the inevitable.Consider this scenario:
Thousands of scientists worldwide agree that the polar ice cap will melt, based on their careful observations, unless measures are taken to dramatically reduce emissions of so-called greenhouse gases.
How might the headline read?
POLAR ICE-CAP TO MELT
POLAR ICE-CAP WILL MELT
Does the polar-ice cap intend to melt? No. So the verb would be will.
But let's say a government plans to cut the budget of its environmental watchdog agency. That is their intention.
GOVT TO CUT BUDGET OF ENVIRONMENTAL AGENCY
GOVT WILL CUT BUDGET OF ENVIRONMENTAL AGENCY
There, the choice is less clear. Probably the infinitive, but not necessarily.