Breakdown of Вместо того чтобы любить, он выбрал жестокость.
он
he / it (for a masculine noun) / it (for a neuter noun)
любить
to love, to like
тот
that
чтобы
in order to
вместо
instead of
выбрать
to choose (perfective)
жестокость
cruelty
вместо того чтобы
instead of (doing something)
Questions & Answers about Вместо того чтобы любить, он выбрал жестокость.
Why is it Вместо того чтобы любить instead of just Вместо любить?
In English, we use 'instead of' plus an '-ing' verb (loving). In Russian, the preposition вместо (instead of) usually requires a noun in the genitive case. To attach a verb action instead, you must use the compound conjunction вместо того чтобы (literally 'instead of that in order to') followed by an infinitive.
Shouldn't there be a comma before чтобы?
When a compound conjunction like вместо того чтобы starts a sentence, it is typically kept together as a single block without a comma inside it. The comma comes at the end of the entire dependent clause. If it were placed in the middle of a sentence, you would usually put a comma right before чтобы.
Why doesn't the ending of жестокость change, since it is the direct object of выбрал?
You are right that жестокость is the direct object and therefore belongs in the accusative case. However, because it is a feminine noun ending in a soft sign (a third declension noun), its accusative form is exactly identical to its nominative form.
How could I add the lesson's grammar point, по отношению к, to this sentence?
You can use it to specify who the cruelty was directed at. For example, you could expand the sentence to say он выбрал жестокость по отношению к ней (he chose cruelty towards her). The compound preposition по отношению к (in relation to / towards) always takes the dative case.
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