Infinitive

Infinitive
Verb + infinitive
Verb + infinitive without to
• After modal verbs
We can use the swimming pool after midday.
She must send e-mail till evening.
• After help (possible with and without to). The meaning isn`t change
I will help pack your bag.
I will help to pack your bag.
Verb + infinitive with to
Mental states Agree, choose, decide, forget, learn, Did you agree to help them?
or activity remember, want, wish Why did you decide to go the
camping?
Future Aim, arrange, expect, hope, offer, The hotel aims to provide excellent
arrangements plan, prepare, promise, refuse, service.
threaten The college promised not to give up
my place.
Appearance Appear, pretend, seem, tend People round here tend not to go
to bed early.
Mr Knowles doesn't seem to be
very confident.
Other Attempt, (can/can`t) afford, ask, We can't afford to eat out tonight.
deserve, fail, try The letter failed to arrive on time
Would like, etc
• Would like, etc
We use the infinitive with to after would ('d) + Iike/love/hate/prefer:
I'd really like to learn a new skill - perhaps we could go sailing?
Jacky would prefer not to go out this evening as she's really tired.
• Would rather + infinitive without to
After would rather we can use the infinitive without to. We only use
this if the subject of would rather and the second verb is the same:
We'd rather we went by plane, '" I would rather went by plane.
Practice
Practice
Verb (+ object) + infinitive with to
• With some verbs it is possible to put an object between the first verb
and the infinitive:
ask beg dare expect help intend mean need require want wish would
like/love/hate/prefer
Sami wants to find a better job. – V+inf+to
Sami wants his son/him to find a better Job. - V+obj + inf + to
Verb + object + infinitive with to
• With other verbs we ALWAYS put an object between the first verb and
the infinitive:
advise allow cause encourage forbid force invite permit
persuade recommend remind teach tell order warn
Mrs Grant is teaching Justin to play the piano.
We always encourage the students to plan their revision.
Can you remind me to set the alarm for 6.30 when we go to bed?
Make and let
• To make the infinitive verb negative we put not BEFORE to:
The police persuaded the gunman not to shoot.
The verbs make and let always have an object, and are followed by the
infinitive without to:
Mrs Grant makes Justin practice every day.
Our manager lets us work from home once or twice a week.
The soldiers made the prisoners walk 50 kilometres.
Practice
Verb + infinitive or -ing form
• Infinitive or -ing form with similar meanings
After the verbs begin, continue, hate, intend, like, love, prefer, start we
can use an infinitive or an -ing form with little difference in meaning:
Oh no! It's just started to rain .

Oh no! it's just started raining.
Infinitive or -ing form with different
meanings
feel, hear, see, etc. + infinitive or -ing form
• After sense verbs (e.g. feel, hear, see) we can use
object + infinitive without to
object + -ing form.
The meaning is slightly different:
We were watching the runway and saw your plane arrive. (= We saw
the plane as it came down and landed.)
We saw your plane arriving as we parked the car. (= We saw the plane
in the sky, but we didn't see it land.)
Practice
Infinitive clauses
• Infinitive clauses (infinitive + to)
We often use infinitive clauses after the verb be:
As a child, my ambition was to study medicine. My ambition is to
become a vet.
• if the subject or the infinitive clause is different from the subject of
the sentence, we can use for + subject + infinitive with to:
I think it's important for politicians to tell the truth. My aim is for my
children to be happy.
Infinitives after superlatives, adjectives, etc.
• We often use infinitive clauses to replace relative clauses after a
superlative, after the first, the second, etc. or after One, next, last,
few and onIy:
It was the first book by Agatha Christie which sold more than 100
million copies. - It was the first book by Agatha Christie to sell more
than 100 million copies.
• We also use infinitives after adjectives which describe people's
feelings and opinions:
We're delighted to be here. I'm happy for them to join the class.
Infinitive of purpose
• We can use an infinitive clause to describe the purpose or reason for
an action:
Carlos went to college to study law. I took a pill to get rid of my
headache.
• We don't use for + infinitive of purpose:
He went to the corner for to get a taxi.
He went to the corner to get a taxi.
Practice
Practice. Past Tenses
1) They _____ football at the institute. (to play)
2) She _____ emails. (not / to write)
3) ____ you____ English? (to speak)
4) My mother ____ fish. (not / to like)
5) ____ Ann ____ any friends? (to have)
6) His brother _____ in an office. (to work)
7) She ___ very fast. (cannot / to read)
8) ____ they ____ the flowers every 3 days? (to water)
9) His wife _____ a motorbike. (not / to ride)
10) ____ Elizabeth_____ coffee? (to drink)
Practice. Past Tenses
1. They (to write) the test at this time yesterday.
2. He (to work) in the garden from six till nine o'clock.
3. We (to watch) television the whole evening.
4. You (to play) chess at six o'clock?
5. You (to drink) tea at seven o'clock?
6. He (to draw) from three till five o'clock?
7. Who (to listen) to the radio at this time?
8. It (to rain) the whole day yesterday?
9. They (to skate) at five o'clock?
10. She (not to help) mother about the house from two till seven.
Practice. Future Tenses
1) They _____ football at the institute. (to play)
2) She _____ emails. (not / to write)
3) ____ you____ English? (to speak)
4) My mother ____ fish. (not / to like)
5) ____ Ann ____ any friends? (to have)
6) His brother _____ in an office. (to work)
7) She ___ very fast. (cannot / to read)
8) ____ they ____ the flowers every 3 days? (to water)
9) His wife _____ a motorbike. (not / to ride)
10) ____ Elizabeth_____ coffee? (to drink)
Practice. Future or Present
1. If he still (to have) a cold and (not to feel) better, he (not to go) to the theatre.
2. He (to ring) me up when he (to return) home.
3. Where we (to go) if the weather (to be) fine?
4. If we (to be) tired, we (to stop) in a small village halfway to the town and (to
have) a short rest and a meal there.
5. If she (not to work) properly, her boss (to fire) her.
6. I am sure she (to come) to say goodbye to us before she (to leave) for Spain.
7. Before he (to start) to London, he (to spend) a week or two at a health resort
not far from here.
8. If you (to decide) about your diet, you (to eat) wedding cake tomorrow.
9. What he (to do) when he (to come) home tomorrow evening?
10. If we (to put) in surveillance cameras, they (to stop) people stealing things.

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Oh no! It's just started to rain .

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