The Infinitive. Infinitive Constructions

Infinitive

Definition: Infinitive is the base form of the verb. The infinitive form of a verb is the form which follows "to".

For example:

(to) go, (to) be,(to) ask, (to) fight, (to) understand, (to) walk .

Infinitives may occur with or without the infinitive marker "to".

The to-infinitive is used:

• after certain verbs. e.g. want, wish, agree, fail, mean, decide, learn
• after the auxiliaries to be to, to have to, and ought to
• in the pattern 'it is + adjective + to-infinitive'

Examples

with 'to'

• You will have to ask her
• You are to leave immediately
• He ought to relax
• She has to go to Berlin next week
• It's easy to speak English
• It is hard to change jobs after twenty years
• It's stupid to believe everything you hear

Infinitives without "to" are known as "bare infinitives". 

Examples

without 'to'

• I would rather visit Rome.
• She would rather live in Italy.
• Would you rather eat steak or fish?
• He would rather work in a bank.
• I'd rather be a forest than a tree.

 Verbs which are normally followed by the infinitive form:-

  afford | agree | appear | arrange | ask | attempt | care | choose | claim | come | consent | dare | decide | demand | deserve | determine | elect | endeavour | expect | fail | get | guarentee | hate | help | hesitate | hope | hurry | incline | intend | learn | long | manage | mean | need |offer | plan | prepare | pretend | promise | refuse | resolve | say | seem | tend | threaten | want | wish 

For example:

• I can't afford to go to the pub.
• He agreed to practise more.
• You should learn to express yourself.
• They managed to fix the problem. 

There are three Infinitive constructions in Modern English:

1. the Objective-with-the-Infinitive Construction;
   
2. the Subjective Infinitive Construction;
   
3. the for-to-Infinitive Construction 

The Objective-with-the-Infinitive construction is a syntactic structure in which the Infinitive is in the predicate relation to a noun in the common case or a pronoun in the objective case. In the sentence this construction has the function of a complex object.

The Objective-with-the-Infinitive Construction is used:

 1. after the verbs denoting sense perception (to hear, to see, to watch, to feel, to observe, etc.):

I heard Mother come in.

Harry watched him place the hat upon his head (J.K. Rowling).

2. after the verbs denoting mental activity (to know, to think, to consider, to believe, to suppose, to expect, to find, to feel, to trust, etc.):

I believe him to have no conscience.
I have never known her to be late before. 

3. after the verbs of declaring (to pronounce, to declare, to report):

The surgeon pronounced the wound to be a slight one.

4. after the verbs denoting wish and intention (to want, to wish, to desire, to mean, to intend):

I want you to come and dine with me.
He intended me to go to India with him.

5. after the verbs and expressions denoting feeling and emotion (to like, to dislike, to love, to hate, cannot bear, etc.):

I hate him to be teased. 

6. after the verbs denoting order and permission (to order, to allow, to suffer, to have, etc.):

The colonel ordered the troops to move back.7. after the verbs of compulsion (to make, to cause, to get, to have):

The noise caused her to awake.
Have the next patient come in, please. 

 

The Subjective Infinitive Construction is a construction in which the Infinitive is in the predicate relation to a noun in the common case or a pronoun in the nominative case, which is the subject of the sentence. The Infinitive here stands after the Predicate which, in the majority of cases, is in the Passive Voice. Thus this construction may be called “split” since its parts are detached.

 

The Subjective Infinitive Construction is used with the following groups of verbs in the Passive Voice:


1. with the verbs denoting sense perception (to see, to hear, etc):

The rider was seen to disappear in the distance.


2. with the verbs denoting mental activity (to think, to consider, to know, to expect, to believe, etc.):

He was thought to be honest and kind.

3. with the verb to make in the causative meaning:

Little Dora was made to put on her coat.

4. with the verbs to say and to report:

The President is reported to arrive on Friday.

5. with the expressions to be likely, to be sure, to be certain:

He is sure to marry her.

The for-to-Infinitive Construction is a construction in which the Infinitive is in the predicate relation to a noun or pronoun preceded by the preposition for. Its use is not preconditioned by certain lexical groups of verbs, so its syntactic functions in a sentence are numerous.

The functions of the for-to-Infinitive Construction are as follows:

1. subject (often with the introductory it):

It would be difficult for me to ask about it / For me to ask would be difficult.

2. predicative:

That was for him to find out.

3. complex object:

He waited for her to speak.

4. attribute:

The best thing for you to do is to hide here.

5. adverbial modifier:

1. of purpose: He stepped aside for me to pass.
   

2. of result: The temptation was too great for me to resist.

Exercises

Elementary

 Exercise 1 

(Verb+ ing or + infinitive. Complete the sentences with the verb in brackets.)

 Exercise 2

(Change the verb in brackets into the correct form, note that in some cases both forms can be correct).

 Exercise 3

(Change the verb in brackets into the correct form, note that in some cases both forms can be correct).

Exercise 4 

(Change the verb in brackets into the correct form, note that in some cases both forms can be correct).

Exercise 5

(Choose the correct form infinitive with or without to or gerund).

Exercise 6

(Test your knowledge on Infinitive and Gerund)

Exercise 7

(Test your knowledge on Infinitive and Gerund)

Exercise 8

(Test your knowledge on Infinitive and Gerund)

Exercise 9

(Want plus infinitive. Choose the right answer)
Exercise 10
(Put the verb into either the gerund (-ing) or the infinitive (with 'to'))

Intermediate

 Exercise 1
(Change the verb in brackets into the correct form, note that in some cases both forms can be correct).
Exercise 2

(Complete the sentences using infinitive constructions. Remember that the verb before the Infinitive Construction must be in Simple Past.)

Exercise 3

(Decide whether to use Infinitive (with/without to) or Gerund)

Exercise 4 

(Infinitive with 'to' or -ing. Complete the sentences)

Exercise 5

(Find the infinitive of the verbs and don't forget 'to')
Exercise 6
(Complete with the right verb)
Exercise 7
(Choose the most appropriate answer)
Exercise 8 
(Choose the right verb) 
Exercise 9
(Put the verb into the gerund or the infinitive)
Exercise 10 
(Put the vern into the gerund or the infinitive)

 

Advanced

Exercise 1

('The Infinitive'. Choose the right answer, if you doubt just miss the question)

Exercise 2

(Change the verb in brackets into the correct form, note that in some cases both forms can be correct).

Exercise 3

(Imagine you work in a tourist information. Tell your colleague what the tourists asked you. Transform the direct speech into infinitive constructions.)

Exercise 4

(Infinitive or Gerund? - Which is correct?)

Exercise 5

( Locate the infinitive phrase  in each sentence.  Identify each as adverbial, adjectival, or nominal. Type the entire infinitive phrase and its function into the box below the sentence.)

Exercise 6

(Verbs followed by the infinitive. Choose the right verb)

Exercise 7

(Choose the most appropriate answer)
Exercise 8
(Gerund or Infinitive. Choose the right verb)
Exercise 9
(Gerund or Infinitive. Choose the right verb)
Exercise 10
(Infinitive Constructions. Choose the correct variant)

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