The infinitive
TM 212-227; A 299-311
1. Infinitive
1.1. full infinitive = to + infinitive verb form e.g. to work
1.2. bare infinitive = infinitive verb form e.g. You had better say nothing.
1.2.1.modals are followed by bare infinitive with two exceptions
 ought to
Q: How about dare and need, e.g. in a) Do you dare (to) tell him? b) I dare you to jump
off that wall. 1
 In short answers: Yes, I can.
1.2.2.after let and make (=compel)
 Let’s not argue about it, shall we?
 The beard makes you look older.
Q: Make in the sense of ‘compel’ takes bare inf. so why He was made to work twenty
hours a day? is correct? 2
1.2.3.Some other forms:
Q: Mark correct forms:3
a.
Let's not talk about it.
b.
Don't let’s talk about it.
c.
Let's don't talk about it.
d.
Don't let us talk about it.
Q: Fill in the empty cells in the table with appropriate infinitival forms of the verb ask4:
active
passive
present infinitive
present progressive infinitive
perfect or past infinitive
perfect or past progressive infinitive
1.1. Sometimes the whole infinitive can be represented by its to to avoid repetition:
Did you get a ticket? – No, I tried to, but there weren’t any left.
Don’t spill any of that paint, will you? – I’ll try not to.
1.3. Sometimes also to can be omitted:
Try to be back by 12, won’t you? – OK. I’ll try.
1.4. Splitting infinitive used to be considered unacceptable and should generally be avoided. But now there is
more relaxed attitude to it. Especially in spoken language.
1.4.1.The word really is often put after the to:
It would take ages to really master this subject. ...really to master sounds rather formal
1.4.2.Adverbs like: completely, entirely, unduly can be treated similarly:
To completely cover the floor.
To unduly alarm people.
Q: Is the following sentence correct?
She decided to gradually get rid of the teddy bears she had collected.
If not, how would you rephrase it?5
2. Uses of infinitive
a) When ‘to’ is used, ‘dare’ becomes a full verb and not auxiliary. The meaning stays the same. Such forms though popular
are anomalous, like a full verb in taking do and like and aux taking a bare inf. b) Dare is a full verb meaning ‘challenge’
2
In the passive, ‘make’ in these senses is followed by ‘to’
3
a. 2.9mln, b. 785tys, c. 250tys, d. 74 occurrences in google. All are correct. The last one is ambiguous.
4
(to) ask | (to) be asked
(to) be asking | (to) be being asked, e.g. No one seems to be being held accountable for these failures.
(to) have asked | (to) have been asked
(to) have been asking | (to) have been being asked, e.g. ?To have been being asked stupid questions all the time bothered him.
The progressive passive and perfect progressive passive are awkward, perhaps because of two be auxiliaries but possible.
5
She decided gradually to get rid of the teddy bears she had collected. (This might imply that the decision was gradual.)
She decided to get rid of the teddy bears she had collected gradually. (This implies that the collecting process was gradual.)
She decided to get gradually rid of the teddy bears she had collected. (This sounds awkward, as it splits the phrase "get rid
of".)
She decided to get rid gradually of the teddy bears she had collected. (This is almost as awkward as its immediate
predecessor.)
So apparently, the split infinitive is the only option if you want to preserve the meaning.
1
2.1. the use of infinitive as a subject and with pronoun it
2.1.1.the use as the subject of a sentence: To compromise appears advisable.
2.1.2.in declaratives with it as a dummy subject and infinitive moved to the end of the sentence: It
appears advisable to compromise. 6
2.1.3.in interrogatives: Would it be safe to camp here?
2.1.4.it + be + ADJECTIVE/NOUN + INFINITIVE: It is an offence to drop litter in the street.
Q7: Order these words to make a sentence: castle. It rebuild take the to would years
2.1.5.believe/consider/discover/think(that)/wonder(if) + it + INFINITIVE: He thought (that) it would be
safer to go by train. may be the complement of a verb
Q8: Change into infinitive or gerund:
a. He said, ‘Do come.’ It was impossible .... (refuse).
b. It is not always easy .... (refuse) invitations.
c. .... (refuse) invitations is not always easy.
2.2. the use of verb / verb+object + infinitive
2.2.1.verbs that occur directly with INF: agree, choose, consent, proceed, seem, try (=attempt) etc.
2.2.2.some verbs that occur with INF can also be used with that–clause: I promise to wait
(that) I will wait.
Q9: Transform: I didn’t think of asking him for proof of his identity. It didn’t occur...
 it + appear, happen, seem, turn out + that: It turned out that his ‘country cottage’ was an
enormous bungalow but His ‘country cottage’ turned out to be an enormous bungalow
(infinitive construction)
 verb + infinitive doesn’t need to have the same meaning as the same verb use with a that–
clause (learn, forget, remember): He learnt to look after himself.
He learnt (=was told)
that it would cost 100$.
Q10: Match the sentence: a) I forgot to leave the keys. b) He forgot that he left the keys. with
the meaning: i) He left them. ii) He didn’t leave them.

some verbs that occur with INF can also be used with that … should construction. Often in
passive: I arranged that Tom should meet them. I arranged that they should be met.
Q11: Turn into passive: They decided to divide the profits equally.
2.3.the use of verb + how/what/when/where /which/why + infinitive
2.3.1.most frequently used verbs are: ask, decide, discover, find out, forget, know, learn, remember, see,
show, think, understand, want to know, wonder: He discovered how to open the safe.
2.3.2.whether + infinitive used after want to know / wonder and decide, know, remember, think in
negative or interrogative verbs: I wonder / wondered whether to write or phone. You needn’t
decide yet whether to study arts or science.
2.3.3.ask, decide, forget, learn, remember + infinitive - but the meaning may change
Q12: Match the sentence: a) I decided to do it. b) I decided how to do it. with the meaning: i) I
said to myself, ‘I’ll do it’. ii) I said to myself, ‘I’ll do I this way’.
2.4.verb + object
2.4.1.verb + infinitive has a different meaning from verb + object + infinitive in such verbs as ask, beg,
expect, would hate, help, intend, like, would like, would love, mean, prefer, want, wish:
I bagged (to e allowed) to go = I said ‘Please let me go’
I begged him to go = I said, ‘Please go’
2.4.2.show / teach / tell + how + infinitive: He showed me how to change a fuse.
2.4.3.remind / show / teach / tell + (that) + infinitive:
Q13:. Match sentence with meaning: a. He told me to go. b. He told me that I was late. i) he
informed ii) he ordered me.
2.4.4.assume / to believe / consider / feel / know/ suppose / understand + to be: I consider him to be
the best candidate.
6
Formal English requires an overt subject in each clause. A sentence may not need a subject to have valid meaning, but to
satisfy the syntactic requirement for an explicit subject a pleonastic (or dummy) pronoun is used. In It appears advisable to
compromise. the pleonastic "it" fills the subject function, however it does not contribute any meaning to the sentence.
7
It would take years to rebuild the castle. it + take/cost + infinitive construction
8
a. INF b. INF c. INF/GERUND.
For one particular action (a.) INF is obligatory. For many actions and in general sense (b., c.) both may be possible.
9
to me to ask him for proof of his identity. it + occur + that is used mainly in negative and interrogative
10
aii
11
They decided that the profits should be divided equally.
12
ai
13
aii