Grammar

Grammar - Verb + Infinitive

A. The to-infinitive is used:

1. To express purpose

• I went to the shop to buy some fruit.
• They never wanted to go away on holiday.

2. after certain verbs

agree / choose / dare / decide / expect / forget / help / hope / learn / manage / need / offer / promise / refuse / seem / want / would like / would love / would prefer / would hate

• The teacher agreed to help the student with her homework
• I promised to wash Pete's car before Sunday

3. After certain adjectives e.g. disappointed, relieved

• We were disappointed to find out that our cat had been run over

4. As grammatical subject

• To get to Cuffley you need to take Junction 17 of the M25.

5. After too/enough

• This is not enough food here to eat

B. Bare Infinitive

The bare infinitive is used:

1. After certain modal verbs

• I can speak French and Italian
• We must go to the park

2. Verb + somebody + infinitive (no to)

• I made her give me back my book

3. After certain expressions: would rather/sooner, had better, why not..

• I'd rather watch that film
• We'd better arrive on time

Exercises

A. Comment on the differences in meaning between the following pairs of sentences

(Para ver las soluciones haga doble click en el cuadro; un click vuelve a posición original)

B. Complete the following paragraph by putting the verb in brackets into the correct form: gerund, bare infinitive or to-infinitive.

C. Finish each of the following sentences so that it means the same as the sentence above it. In each case, use a gerund, bare infinitive or to-infinitive.