Form
The infinitive of a verb has two forms: theto-infinitive and the infinitive withoutto. Theto-formconsists oftoplus the base form of the verb:
I wantto speakto you.
We came hereto work, notto play.
The form withouttoconsists of the base form of the verb:
She made uswaitfor half an hour.
John lets the dogsleepon the sofa.
To-infinitive
We use theto-infinitive after a number of common main verbs. These include:
agree | demand | long | pretend |
aim | fail | love | promise |
arrange | forget | manage | propose |
ask | hate | mean | refuse |
begin | help | need | remember |
choose | hope | offer | try |
claim | intend | plan | want |
continue | learn | prefer | wish |
decide | like | prepare |
We arrangedto seethe bank manager and applied for a loan.
Mrs Harding asked usto callin on our way home.
Did you rememberto postthe letter to your mother?
He just wants everyoneto behappy.
Some of these verbs are also often followed by-ing.
See also:
Verb patterns: verb + infinitive or verb + -ing?
Verbs followed by ato-infinitive
Verbs followed by an infinitive withoutto
We can use theto-infinitive in a clause with a verb that has no subject(a non-finite clause). Theto-infinitive focuses on the idea of an action or the results of an action, rather than the action in itself:
To workin a developing country had always been her ambition.
To getthere before lunch, you would have to take the seven o’clock train.
See also:
Finite and non-finite verbs
Non-finite clauses
Perfect infinitive withto(to have worked)
Infinitive withoutto
We use the infinitive withouttoafter modal verbscan,could,may,might,will,shall,would,should,must:
She cansleepin the guest room tonight.
Will youneedto rent a car during your stay?
We also use the infinitive withouttoafterlet,makeand (optionally)help:
He lets ususesome of his land to grow vegetables.
You can’t make a catdoanything it doesn’t want to do.
I just want to help you(to) understandthe situation better.
See also:
Modality: introduction
Auxiliary verbs
Had better
Would rather
Typical errors
We don’t use theto-infinitive after modal verbs:
We might buy a new sofa.
Not:We might to buy a new sofa.
We don’t use the infinitive (with or withoutto) after prepositions:
Lemon juice is usefulfor cleaningstained surfaces in the kitchen.
Not: …is useful for clean… or …for to clean…
See also:
Prepositions