英文文法: “to do”是做定语还是状语
Source: Zhihu
(prepared by: alexcwlin; edited by: Adam Lam)

Question:
如何区分不定式to do 是做定语还是状语?
I have a lot of homework to do. 这里是to do 是做定语翻译成：我有许多要做的作业。还是做状语翻译成：我有许多作业要去做。到底是哪个啊？希望大家能指点一下。谢谢！

alexcwlin comments:
To determine whether the modifier Infinitive (不定式) “to do” is Adjectival (定语) or Adverbial (状语) in nature, we have to determine first what it does.

It’s easy to see “to do” here provides information on what the Direct Object “homework” is for. Therefore, it is an Object Complement. As a modifier, an Object Complement can only be Adjectival and not Adverbial, and so it is a 定语 and not a 状语.
(See: https://www.thefreedictionary.com/Object-Complements.htm under “Infinitives and Infinitive Phrases”)

Here is an example that “to do” is an Adverbial Modifier:

“To do the homework in time to meet the deadline, I work many late nights.”
(Note: Here the Infinitive Phrase “To do the homework in time to meet the deadline” modifies the Verb Phrase “work” in explaining why I have to “work”, and so it is Adverbial in nature).