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 click en el cuadro; doble 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.
