UNIT 17 THE INFINITIVE

A lot of verbs and adjectives can be followed by either the to infinitive or the ing form. There
are no general rules as to when we should use these structures. Therefore, while we are going
to look at some general points in connection with them, it should be kept in mind that for
detailed information you should see a good dictionary.

The to infinitive

The to infinitive has the following forms and it can be negated with not or never before:
Active: (not/never) to do, to be doing, to have done
Passive: to be done, to have been done

1. Verbs + to infinitive
The following verbs take the to infinitive:
afford, agree, appear, arrange, ask, attempt, can’t bear, beg, begin, care, choose, consent,
continue, decide, demand, expect, fail, happen, hate, help, hesitate, hope, hurry, intend, learn,
like, love, manage, mean (intend), neglect, offer, pay, plan, prefer, prepare, pretend, promise,
propose, refuse, seem, struggle, swear, threaten, want, wish
We hope/intend to move to the suburbs in the near future.
I am planning to travel abroad this summer.
He happened to mention her name.

2. Verbs + object + to infinitive

Some verbs take object (usually a personal pronoun or a name) + to infinitive:
advise, allow, ask, can’t bear, beg, cause, command, compel, encourage, expect, forbid, force,
get, hate, help (also help sb do), instruct, intend, invite, leave, like, love, mean, need, oblige,
order, permit, persuade, prefer, recommend, remind, request, teach, tell, tempt, trouble, want,
warn, wish
I’ve invited them to stay for the weekend.
Circumstances compelled/forced/obliged him to sell his house.
Police are warning members of the public not to keep money at home.

3. For + object + to infinitive

Some structures can be followed by for + object + to infinitive:
After nouns: aim, idea, mistake, need, plan, problem, request, shame;
After adjectives of frequency, importance and judgement: common, difficult, easy, essential,
good, (un)important, (un)necessary, normal, pointless, rare, right, strange, (un)usual, vital,
wrong;
After verbs: arrange, ask, hope, look, pay, suit, take, wait;
After pronouns: anybody, anything, nobody, nothing, somebody, something etc.;
After enough and too.
It was a good idea for us to buy the tickets in advance.
It is important for agencies not to frighten tourists away.
The mother asked for the children to have some water.
It’ll take an hour for me to finish this. OR
It’ll take me an hour to finish this.
(NOT It will take for/to me an hour to finish.)
There is nothing for us to do.
It was easy/(not) too difficult for the swimmers to win the championship.
4. In order to, so as to and only to
a) To infinitive is used in clauses of purpose as well as after the conjunctions in order and so
as. However, clauses of purpose can only be negated with in order not to, so as not to and
never to in special cases (not to in itself is not enough). See also 24.6.
They held a meeting to/in order to/so as to discuss all the issues.
I took a taxi in order not to/so as not to miss the beginning of the performance.
(NOT I took a taxi not to miss the beginning of the performance.)
She decided to live in Australia never to see her family again.

b) Only to in the second part of a sentence shows something surprising, when one event
follows the other.
I came home (only) to hear that my girlfriend had married somebody else. = I came
home and I heard that that my girlfriend had married somebody else.

5. Expressing hope
a) With verbs expressing hope, like mean, hope, prefer and would like, the to infinitive refers
to the future, whereas the perfect infinitive (to have + past participle) refers to an imaginary
past.
I would like to talk to you about this (now).
I would have liked to talk to you about this (yesterday).
I would like (now) to have talked to you about this (yesterday).
I would have liked (yesterday) to have talked to you about this (earlier).

b) Some other verbs, which refer to the future, cannot be used with the perfect infinitive like
agree, arrange, choose, decide, expect, intend, plan, promise and wish.
They decided to travel to the United States last year.
(NOT They decided to have travelled to the United States last year.)
He rarely chose to sleep in the same place two nights running.

6. There + to be
A few verbs might take there + to be. These are: believe, expect, intend, like, love, mean,
prefer, understand, want and wish.
We expect there to be a lot of guests at the birthday party.

7. Question words + to infinitive

a) Question words except why can be used before the to infinitive with the following verbs:
consider, decide, explain, find out, forget, hear, know, learn, observe, remember, see,
understand, wonder.
I didn’t know when/where/whether/with whom I should go. OR
I didn’t know when/where /whether/with whom to go.
(NOT I didn’t know why to go.)

b) Learn can either be followed by the to infinitive or how + to infinitive. The structure with
how to emphasises the method more.
I learnt to appreciate my position. OR
I learnt how to appreciate my position.

8. Adjectives and adverbs + to infinitive

Adjectives and adverbs can also be used with the to infinitive.
a) We use the structures ‘too + adjective/adverb + to infinitive’, ‘adjective/adverb + enough +
to infinitive’ and ‘so + adjective/adverb + as + to infinitive’.
She is too young to drive a car.
Is this room big enough (for you) to sleep in?
(NOT Is this room enough big to sleep in?)
I was so stupid as to forget you were coming.
(NOT I was as stupid as to/so stupid to forget you were coming.)
She danced so beautifully as to enchant everybody.

b) The structures ‘subject + be + adjective + to infinitive’ or ‘it + be + adjective + of + object

+ to infinitive’ are possible with the following adjectives: brave, careless, clever, foolish,
generous, good, (un)kind, polite, right, rude, (un)selfish, silly, wicked, wrong.
They were generous to invite us for dinner. OR
It was generous of them to invite us for dinner.

c) The structure ‘subject + be + adjective + to infinitive’ might come with the adjectives:
afraid, anxious, ashamed, careful, curious, determined, due, eager, fit, free, frightened, glad,
keen, prepared, quick, ready, reluctant, slow, sorry, willing. Here the sentence cannot start
with it, but the adjectives anxious, determined, eager and keen can be used with for + object.
We are curious to know what is going to happen.
(NOT It is curious to know what is going to happen.)
I’m sorry to have to ask you these personal questions.
Talk to the locals but be careful not to believe every thing you hear.
I am anxious for them to get there in time.

d) Adjectives of possibility like bound, certain, (un)likely and sure are followed by the to
infinitive. Certain and (un)likely can combine with ‘it + that clause’, but not bound and sure.
Tim is bound/certain/(un)likely/sure to accept the offer.
It is certain/(un)likely that Tim will accept your offer.
(NOT It is bound/sure that Tim will accept your offer.)

Note: For other structures used with the to infinitive referring to the future, see 8.7.

e) When the to infinitive has an object, the constructions ‘it + be + adjective + to infinitive +
object’ or ‘subject (from the object) + be + adjective + to infinitive’ can be used with these
adjectives: agreeable, amusing, boring, difficult, easy, hard, impossible, nice.
It was impossible to find the location/it.
The location/It was impossible to find.
(NOT The location was impossible to find it.)
It is easy to talk to him. OR
He is easy to talk to.
(NOT He is easy to talk. NOR He is easy to talk to him.)

Note: With negative infinitives we rather use ‘it + be + adjective + to infinitive + object’.
It is difficult not to think about Helen all the time.
(NOT Helen is difficult not to think about all the time.)

9. Nouns and pronouns + to infinitive

Nouns and pronouns might occur with the to infinitive.
a) The nouns decision, freedom, fun, pity, refusal, wish and the expression it is time are
followed by the to infinitive. It is time can also be followed by the past tense. See 10.3.
Her decision to retire surprised all of us.
It is fun to be sitting on a train.
It’s time (for you) to start thinking about the future.

Note: Some nouns can only be followed by the ing form. See 18.3. However, some nouns can
be followed by both the to infinitive or the ing form, like chance, opportunity and pleasure.
Is there any chance to win/of winning the game tonight?

b) The to infinitive might follow a noun as a form of relative clause.

Have you still got that letter to send?
She was the first person to arrive that day.

c) Sometimes active and passive infinitive might follow the noun as well.
We’ve got a lot of food to eat/to be eaten.

Note: However, the active and passive infinitives may not always mean the same.
There is nothing to do. = We are bored.
There is nothing to be done. = We can’t do anything, we’ll have to wait.

d) Too and enough are used with the to infinitive and an adjective. Too comes before
adjectives and can only be used with singular nouns. Enough is used after adjectives but
also before nouns if there is no adjective.
He is too cautious (a guy) to take any risks.
(NOT He is a too cautious guy to take any risks.)
He isn’t brave enough to take any risks. OR
He isn’t a brave enough guy to take any risks.
Have you got enough time to discuss this?

e) So and such are used with as + to infinitive. So appears before adjectives without a noun or
a singular noun, but cannot be used with plural nouns. Such has to be followed by a noun
(which can be singular, plural or uncountable).
Will you be so good as to let me pass?
The car accident left him with so severe a back injury as to necessitate three
operations. OR
The car accident left him with a back injury so severe as to necessitate three
operations.
(NOT so severe back injuries as to ...)
As is so often the case with archaeological data, the smaller cemeteries present such a
small sample/such small samples as to make detailed conclusions of dubious value.

10. Verbs of opinion

a) It is common to use verbs of opinion with the to infinitive (active or passive): acknowledge,
assume, believe, consider, declare, discover, estimate, feel, find, guess, imagine, know,
maintain, prove, reckon, see, show, suppose, think, understand.
Also, ‘it + passive verb + that clause’ might combine with these verbs.
Present:
People consider Tarot to be one of the most accurate forms of prediction.
Tarot is considered to be one of the most accurate forms of prediction.
 It is considered that Tarot is one of the most accurate forms of prediction.
Past:
People believe that the first church in the town was built in the fifth century. OR
The first church in the town is believed to have been built in the fifth century. OR
It is believed that the first church in the town was built in the fifth century.

b) When know is in active perfect form, to can be left out, but not in passive.
I’ve always known her (to) be a great friend, who can be trusted.
(NOT She has always been known be a great friend, who can be trusted.)

11. To be + to infinitive
The to infinitive follows structures with to be after nouns and pronouns.
Her decision was to leave immediately.
All/What we wanted was to relax for some days.

Note: With do the infinitive with or without to can also be used. After did and was, past
simple might also appear (though it is less frequent).
Nothing has been taken; all/what they did was rearrange/to rearrange/rearranged
the furniture.

12. To infinitive + would

When describing something surprising, we can use the to infinitive in the first clause of a
sentence and would in the second.
My own wife spies on me. To hear her talk, you’d think I was unfaithful.
To see Greg in that dress, you would think he was a woman.

The infinitive without to

13. Auxiliaries
a) Auxiliaries can, could, do, did, may, might, must, shall, should, will, would and need not
are followed by the infinitive without to. Dare can be used with or without to. See also Units
13 and 14.

b) Had better, would rather and would sooner (the latter is less frequent) are only used
without to.
We had better (not) hurry.
(NOT We had better (not) to hurry.)
I would rather (not) sleep there. = I would(n’t) like to sleep there.
I would rather (not) have slept there. = I would(n’t) like to have slept there.
I hate hurting you and I’d sooner die than do it again.

14. Let
Let is used without to, and it is mostly used in active form. For more about let, allow and
permit, see 11.8.
Has she ever let you use her camcorder?

15. Short questions

In short questions with why, the infinitive without to is used.
Why worry about such things? = Why should we worry about such things?
(NOT Why to worry about such things?)
 Why not leave things alone?
(NOT Why not to leave things alone?)

16. Conjunctions
After the conjunctions as, and, but, except, like, or and than, the infinitive without to can be
used.
We did nothing but/except speak all night.
I would like to eat and/or drink something.
I’d rather/sooner eat at home than go out tonight.

Note: Can(not) … but and could (not) … but, nothing ... but are also used with the infinitive
without to and they mean cannot/could not do anything but.
If the disease strikes their children, they can (do very little) but wait, hope and pray.
We can’t but smile when we see her make-up every morning.
When I was in the canoe, I could not but admire the beauty of the lake.
There was nothing to do but wait for their uncle.

17. Rather than and sooner than

Rather than and less frequently sooner than can be followed either by the infinitive without to
or the ing form.
Rather than go/going straight on to drama college, she decided to take a year out to
travel.
(NOT Rather than to go straight on to drama college, she decided to take a year out to
travel.)

18. Verbs of perception

a) With the following verbs of perception, the infinitive without to or the ing form can be
used: feel, hear, listen to, look at, notice, observe, perceive, see, smell, watch. With shorter
and complete actions we use the infinitive without to, while with long or unfinished ones take
the ing form.
I saw Ann come down the stairs. = I saw that she came down.
(NOT I saw Ann to come down the stairs.)
I saw Ann coming down the stairs. = I saw as she was coming down.
They watched the bomb explode.
(NOT They watched the bomb explode.)
I saw a man lying on the street.
(NOT I saw a man lie on the street.)

b) The verbs of perception can also be in the passive (but not listen to and look at). Here, the
to infinitive and the ing form can be used, but not the infinitive without to.
Ann was seen to come down the stairs.
(NOT Ann was seen come down the stairs.)
Ann was heard coming down the stairs.
If a girl was seen (to be) cooking a meal for a man, this was evidence that she
belonged to him.

c) When the second verb is in the passive, the ing form is used, and being can be left out.
I saw a model being photographed on the roof of a building. OR
I saw a model photographed on the roof of a building.
d) Many of the causative structures are used with the infinitive without to. See Unit 12.

Exercises

1. In these sentences out of the four alternatives ONE is WRONG. Your task is to find this
wrong answer.

1. Would … to give me some more information about the conference?

A) you be so kind as C) you be so kind
B) you be good enough D) you be willing

2. All you need to do is … here and the car will be yours.

A) sign C) to sign
B) signing D) to put your signature

3. He was … .
A) nowhere to be seen C) nowhere to see
B) not seen anywhere D) not to be seen anywhere

4. Sooner ... about it, you should ask your friends to help you.
A) than to worry C) than worrying
B) than worry D) or later

5. I’ve always known … a punctual and hard-working person.

A) her be C) her to be
B) that she is D) her being

6. I don’t … there to be any scandal at the meeting tomorrow.

A) expect C) wish
B) hope D) intend

7. I had no idea … to write the letter.

A) why C) where
B) when D) to whom

2. You are kindly asked to rewrite these sentences beginning as shown so that the meaning
stays the same.

1. He hopes there will be enough people at the opening of his first exhibition.
He would like …
2. You should really start looking for a job.
It’s time for …
3. The Prime Minister was probably kidnapped by right wing extremists.
The Prime Minister is thought …
4. We were supposed to learn history last night, but we only giggled.
All we …
5. It is not easy to like her, but she deserves our respect and admiration.
She is …
6. Don’t you think we could leave the decision to him? He knows better than anyone else.
Why ...
7. We didn’t want to stay in a stuffy room so we decided to carry on with our lessons in the
back garden.
Rather than ...
8. People believe that a family of four is involved in organizing a spy-ring from their home.
A family ...

3. Choose the answer that best completes each sentence.

1. It takes … dressed in the morning.

A) hours for Minnie to get C) for Minnie hours to get
B) Minnie hours getting D) to Minnie hours to get

2. He arrived at the restaurant … that his wife was having dinner with another man.
A) so that to see C) for seeing
B) only to see D) in order for seeing

3. He read some articles and essays on the subject … sound uninformed.

A) not to C) never to
B) in order to not D) so as to not

4. She promised … us a week ago, but she might have forgotten it.
A) to call C) calling
B) to have called D) having called

5. Her husband had ... insult everybody.

A) such bad manners to C) so bad manners as to
B) as bad manners as to D) such bad manners as to

6. He is the person … because he knows a thing or two about computers.

A) to be asked C) asking
B) to be asking D) who to ask

7. He’s got ... personality to take all this criticism.

A) so a strong C) a too strong
B) such strong D) a strong enough

4. Rewrite these sentences without changing the word given so that the meaning stays the
same.

1. He talks about her as if he was in love with her. TO

2. People think that an electrical fault was the cause. HAVE
3. We heard Michael admit his fault. TO
4. She feels very bad to leave the village. SORRY
5. I wanted you to be brought here to do a specific job. ASKED
6. It wouldn’t be so good if everyone set up their own business. IDEA
7. I learnt to plan ahead because I don’t want to run out of anything. NOT TO
8. You can’t be so self-deceiving that you think this was a serious AS
relationship?