現代漢語里,求免義目的小句的標記,絕大多數時候居于句首,偶爾位于句中。求免義目的小句通常負載新信息,這使得它幾乎總是后置于行為小句。求免義目的小句的主語論元存在顯性編碼和隱性編碼兩種形式,但大多數時候采用后者。不管采用何種編碼,它們在語義上大都受行為小句的主語、賓語或定語的約束。求免義目的小句表達的事件或狀態常常是人們不希望發生的,正是語義上的這一限制,求免義目的小句呈現出肯定與否定的不對稱:不論行為小句是肯定句還是否定句,目的小句絕大多數為肯定句。

The markers of avertive purpose clauses,except occasionally in the middle of a clause,are in the initial position with overwhelmingly more than chance frequency.The avertive purpose clauses almost always follow the action clauses because they normally convey new information.The encoding of subjects in the purpose clauses can be both explicit and implicit,but the majority of them are implicit.Both the explicit and implicit subjects are sementically bound by the subject,object and adnominal in the action clause.The event or state which the avertive purpose clause expresses is normally undesirable,which causes an asymmetry between the affirmative avertive purpose clause and the negative one,namely,the great majority of the avertive purpose clauses are affirmative regardless of whether the action clauses are affirmative or negative.