Infinitive

The infinitive is the base form of the verb plus the particle "to": to read, to go, to jump. We use the infinitive of purpose to say “why” we do something. If we use the Ving form, there is a suggestion that we are witnessing the event in progress, whereas if we use the bare infinitive, this suggests that we can hear or see the complete action or event. An infinitive describes why someone does something. Bir eylemin yapılma nedenini anlatmak için kullanılır (infinitive of purpose):

-    I sat down to rest. Dinlenmek için oturdum.

-    He went to London to improve his English. İngilizce’sini geliştirmek için Londra’ya gitti.

-    I’m going to Italy to learn Italian. İtalyanca öğrenmek için İtalya’ya gidiyorum.

-    To switch on, press red button. Açmak için kırmızı düğmeye basın.

 

Infinitive Structure: to + V

 

A verb + infinitive:

-    She likes to read.

-    He wants to go.

-    An eagle attempted to lift a little boy into the air during a bird show at Alice Springs in Australia

Witnesses said the bird attempted to pick him up "like a small animal".

The bird then flew over the crowd and tried to grab on to a young boy's head. He screamed, the mother was distraught and the presenters wrapped up the show very quickly.

 

“for” or “to + infinitive”: individual purpose

If we want to express individual purpose with a verb pattern, we are obliged to use “to + infinitive”:

-    I decided to buy a new computer.

-    I stopped by at the supermarket to buy some apples on the way home.

 

Note that when the subject of the sentence is a person rather than the thing described, the “to + infinitive” pattern is also possible:

-    I use this small knife to slice vegetables with.

-    I use this gadget to open shellfish with.

 

“For” is commonly used with nouns to express individual purpose:

-    I decided I would save up for a new computer.

 

A verb + infinitive without “to”:

The infinitive without the particle "to" is called bare infinitive.) The infinitive loses the particle "to" after modal verbs. Bare infinitive (i.e., infinitive without the particle “to”) is used after modal verbs and after the verbs "make, let" (and after "help" in AmE):

-    He can swim.

-    She made me do it.

-    She can read.

-    He must go.

An adjective + infinitive:

-    It is not necessary to be rich and famous to be happy.

-    It is only necessary to be rich.

 

Simple active and passive infinitive forms are the most common.

 

An infinitive can function as the subject, part of the predicate, object, attribute, adverbial modifier.

-    To ask such a thing is ridiculous.

-    I can do it.

-    I hope to see you soon.

-      I asked him to help me.

-      It's time to go.

-    I went there to see my brother.

 

The infinitive can have a direct object:

-    He plans to visit a museum.

-    Press Enter to start the installation.

-    She came here to study.

-    I went out to buy bread and milk.

-    He did it to help her.

 

The infinitive can have a prepositional object:

-    He wants to know about it.

 

The infinitive can be modified by an adverb:

-    He tried to walk slowly.

 

The infinitive can function as an adverbial modifier of purpose:

-    He came here to study.

 

The infinitive can function as an adverbial modifier of consequence:

-    He was too tired to go to the cinema.

 

If there are two infinitives next to each other connected by "and, or, but, except, than", the second infinitive is often used without "to":

-    I told him to sit down and rest.

-    She didn't know whether to go or stay.

-    There was nothing to do but wait.

-    There is nothing for him to do but watch TV.

-    It's easier to type than write.

 

But it is often necessary to repeat "to" before the second infinitive for clarity, especially in longer infinitive phrases:

-    I told him to sit down on the sofa and to rest a little.

-    It is easier to type this text than to write it.

-    To buy or not to buy is a hard choice for her.

The particle "to" is often used without the infinitive at the end of the sentence if the infinitive is clearly mentioned earlier in the sentence:

-    He asks me to do this work, but I don't want to.

-      I didn't want to go there, but I had to.

-    He would prefer to sleep till noon if he were allowed to.

(The place of the particle "to" is also described in the part "Split infinitive" at the end of this article.)

 

The finite verb forms express the time of the action in the present, past, or future.

-    He works in a bank.

-    He worked yesterday.

-    He will work tomorrow.

 

The action indicated by the infinitive can be simultaneous with the action expressed by the verb in the predicate:

-    He seemed to be sleeping.

-    He is trying to work.

 

The action indicated by the infinitive can precede the action expressed by the verb in the predicate:

-    The rain seems to have stopped.

-    It is nice to have talked to you.

 

The action of the infinitive later than the action of the verb in the predicate is understood from the context and meaning:

-    He intends to do it tomorrow.

-    The goods are to be delivered next week.

 

In some situations, the noun is required. In other situations, the noun is optional.

-    The police ordered the man to stop. (noun is required)

-    She asked to leave. She asked him to leave. (noun is optional)

-    She wants me to go with her. Kendisiyle gitmemi istiyor.

-    They expect me to work on Saturdays. Cumartesi günleri çalışmamı bekliyorlar.

-    The boss forced me to work hard. Patron beni çok çalışmaya zorladı.

-    The doctor ordered the patient to stay in bed. Doktor, hastasına yataktan çıkmama talimatı verdi.

-    I told him to wait. Ona beklemesini söyledim.

-    We warned them not to go skating on such thin ice. Böyle ince buzda paten yapmamaları için onları uyardım.

-    I forbid you to use that word. O sözü kullanmanı yasaklıyorum.

-    We persuaded him to try again. Tekrar denemesi için onu ikna ettik.

-    He caused the prisoners to be put to death. Mahkumların öldürülmelerine neden oldu.

-    His conscience compelled him to confess. Vicdanı onu itiraf etmeye zorladı.

With modal verbs, the infinitive is part of the compound verbal predicate.

-    He can write reports.

-    He must be writing a report now.

-    He should have written a report yesterday.

-    This report might have been written by one of our freelance workers.

 

Simple and compound infinitive forms, together with the verbs "would, could, might", are used in the forms expressing unreal condition.

-      If I had known it, I would have stayed home.

 

İngilizce’de kimi fiiller (watch, see, hear, observe, feel, let, notice …), etken cümle durumunda, nesnelerinden sonra “to” almazlar:

-    I saw him cross the street.

-    I watched him plant the roses.

-    I heard her cry.

-    I watch my teacher do the exercise first before I attempt it myself. Kendim denemeden önce alıştırmayı öğretmenimin yapmasını izlerim.

 

Note: Bu tür fiiller edilgen çatıya çevrilirken to alırlar: He was heard to go out. Dışarı çıktığı duyuldu.

Note: Help ve be fiilleri, hem “to” ile hem de “to” olmaksızın kullanılabilirler:

-    The boy helped her (to) carry the table upstairs. Çocuk, onun masayı üst kata taşımasına yardım etti.

 

The present participle is used instead of the infinitive in such constructions to stress that the action is in progress.

-    I saw him crossing the street.

-      I heard her singing.

 

Bazı isimlerden ve something, anything gibi kelimelerden sonra kullanılırlar:

-    I have no wish to change. Değişmeye niyetim yok.

-    Madrid have no plan to sell Roaldo.

-    Have you got a key to open this door? Bu kapıyı açacak anahtarın var mı?

-    It’s a pleasure to see you again. Seni yeniden görmek çok hoş.

-    I am happy to see you again.

-    I told her about my decision to leave. Ona ayrılma kararımı söyledim.

-    I’d like something to stop my toothache. Diş ağrımı geçirecek bir şey istiyorum.

-    I need some more books to read. Bana okuyacak daha fazla kitap lazım.

-    Did you tell him which bus to take? Ona hangi otobüse bineceğini söyledin mi?

-    Is there anything to drink? İçecek bir şey var mı?

-    Is there any need to ask Tom? Tom’a sormaya gerek var mı?

-    Is there any milk to put on the cornflakes? Mısır gevreğine koyacak süt var mı?

 

Bir isimden sonra mastar + edat da gelebilir:

-    Jack needs a friend to play with. Jack’e oynayacak bir arkadaş lazım.

-    She is looking for a flat to live in. Oturacak bir daire arıyor.

Soru sözcükleriyle kurulan isim cümleciğinin (noun clauses) kısaltılmış biçimi olabilir:

-    Can you tell me how I should go there?

Can you tell me how to go there? Oraya nasıl gidileceğini bana söyleyebilir misiniz?

-    I don’t know what to do. Ne yapacağımı bilmiyorum.

-    They don’t know when to leave the town. Kasabadan ne zaman ayrılacaklarını bilmiyorlar.

 

İsim + mastar yapısı, yapılması gereken şeyler için kullanılır. Cümle ister aktif ister pasif olabilir:

-    There is a lot of work to do/to be done. Yapılacak çok iş var.

-    There are four letters to post/to be posted. Postalanacak dört mektup var.

-    Give me the names of the people to contact/to be contacted. Bana iletişim kurulacak kişilerin isimlerini verin.

-    The people to interview/to be interviewed are in the next room. Mülakata alınacak kişiler yan odadalar.

 

Bir yolculuğun ya da görevin sonunda ortaya çıkarılan ya da öğrenilen bir şeyi anlatmak için mastar kullanılabilir:

-    I arrived home to find that the house had been burgled. Eve varınca evin soyulduğunu anladım.

 

Şaşırma ya da hayal kırıklığını vurgulamak için only kullanılır:

-    At last we got to Susan’s place, only to discover that she was away. Sonunda Susan’a geldik; bir de baktık ki evde yok.

 

The infinitive serves as an object and stands immediately after the verb, usually after the following verbs: afford, agree, appear, ask, beg, begin, continue, decide, deserve, expect, fail, forget, hate, hesitate, hope, intend, learn, like, love, manage, mean, need, offer, plan, prefer, prepare, pretend, promise, refuse, regret, remember, seem, start, threaten, try, want, would like.

-    They came to help me. Bana yardım etmeye/etmek için geldiler.

-    We didn’t want to go, but we had to. Gitmek istemedik ama mecbur kaldık.

-    He hopes to see them soon.

-    I need to talk to him. She forgot to lock the door.

-    He refused to help them.

-    She seemed to like her job.

-    I want to go home.

 

The continuous infinitive (emphasizing duration of the action) and the perfect infinitive (indicating the preceding action) are rather often used after the verbs "seem, appear, pretend".

-    He pretended to be reading.

-    The weather seems to be improving.

-    He seems to have lost weight.

-    He appears to have forgotten about it.

-    Tom seems to be smoking a lot nowadays. Tom bugünlerde çok sigara içiyor sanki.

-    It is difficult not to be sleeping during his lectures. Derslerinde uyumamak zor.

Note the use of the passive infinitive in those cases where the person indicated in the subject undergoes the action of the infinitive (i.e., that person does not perform the action himself / herself).

-    She doesn't like to be disturbed during her work.

-    I would like to be invited to the party.

 

Depending on the meaning of the sentence, “NOT” can be used with the verb in the predicate or with the infinitive.

-    He did not promise to do it. He promised not to do it.

-    Don't even try to lie to me. Try not to be late.

-    They decided not to go to the party.

 

The verbs "begin, continue, forget, hate, like, love, prefer, regret, remember, start, try" are also used with a gerund, with or without a change of meaning. Compare:

-    He began to eat. – He began eating.

-    I remembered to lock the door. – I remember locking the door.

 

The infinitive is used after the verbs "advise, allow, ask, beg, convince, encourage, forbid, force, help, hire, instruct, invite, let, make, order, permit, persuade, remind, teach, tell, urge, warn". Note that the infinitive is used without the particle "to" after the verbs "make, let" (and "help" in AmE).

-    The doctor advised him to rest for a few days.

-    He asked her to speak slowly.

-    She helped me to wash the windows.

-    She reminded him to buy cheese.

-    He taught me to drive.

-    She told me not to invite them.

The verbs "advise, allow, forbid, and permit" can be followed by a gerund directly.

 

Compare:

-    She doesn't permit me to use her computer. – She doesn't permit using her computer.

Note: The gerund is also used after some of these nouns (chance, intention, necessity, reason), with or without a change in meaning.

 

The present participle is used instead of the infinitive in such constructions to stress that the action is in progress.

-      I saw him crossing the street.

-    I heard her singing.

 

The infinitive without "to" is used after the verbs of sense perception "hear, see, watch, observe, notice, feel".

-    I saw him cross the street.

-    I watched him plant the roses.

-    I heard her cry.

The infinitive is used after the verbs "want, would like, require, rely on, count on, expect, consider, find".

-    I want you to do something for me.

-    I count on you to do it quickly.

-    We expected Mike to be present at the meeting.

-    She found him to be a very nice person.

 

Note the use of the passive infinitive in those cases where the person indicated in the object undergoes the action of the infinitive (i.e., that person does not perform the action himself / herself).

-    She wants him to be elected.

-    I would like him to be invited to the party.

 

The verbs "have" and "get" has causative meaning, i.e., "have" and "get" here generally mean "induce someone to do something; ensure that someone does something", with "have" close in meaning to "ask" and "get" close in meaning to "persuade". The infinitive is used without the particle "to" after "have", but with "to" after "get".

-    Have him send the letters.

-    I had my sister watch the baby while I was out.

-    Get your son to clean the carpet.

-    I got my brother to help me (to) repair my car.

 

The past participle is used after the verbs "have" and "get" in constructions like "I had my car washed" which indicate that the action is performed for you by someone.

 

•    simple / active: to read

•    continuous: to be reading

•    perfect: to have written

•    perfect passive: to have been read

•    perfect continuous: to have been reading

•    simple passive: to be written,

•    perfect passive: to have been written.

 

-    I asked him to write a report.

-    He is supposed to be writing a report now.

-    He appears to have written a report already.

-    He seems to have been writing a report for two hours already.

-    I expect his report to be written tomorrow.

-    I expect his report to have been written by now.

Infinitives after passive verb forms:

Eylemi yapacak kişiyi vurguluyorsak aktif mastar yapısını, eylemi vurguluyorsak pasif mastar yapısı kullanılır:

-    I’ve got work to do. Yapacak işim var. (I’ve got work to be done denmez)

-    They’ve sent Lucy a form to fill in. Doldurması için Lucy’ye bir form gönderdiler.

-    The carpets to be cleaned are in the garage. Temizlenecek halılar garajda. (The carpets to clean … denmez)

-    His desk is covered with forms to be filled in. Masası, doldurulacak formlarla kaplı.

 

The infinitive is used after the passive forms of the verbs "say, report, expect, suppose, allege, believe, know, make, help, see, hear". Many verbs can be used in the passive voice with the infinitive in the function of an object after them.

-    Prices are expected to rise even higher.

-    He was expected to visit them.

-    She was supposed to arrive at 10 a.m.

-    You are not supposed to be here.

-    He is said to be 125 years old.

-    He is believed to be the oldest person in the country.

-    She was helped to do it.

-    He was seen to enter that building.

-    He was heard to laugh.

 

The infinitive is used after the passive forms of the verbs "allow, permit, ask, tell, order, force, advise, warn, encourage". Compare active and passive constructions:

-    She allowed us to go there. – We were allowed to go there.

-    They warned me not to do it. – I was warned not to do it.

-    He advised her to find a good lawyer. – She was advised to find a good lawyer.

 

Such constructions containing simple, continuous, perfect, or passive forms of the infinitive are often used in news reports.

-    The committee is expected to approve this initiative.

-    The commission is reported to be conducting an investigation of the incident.

-    He is alleged to have stolen more than ten million dollars.

-    Several people are reported to have been injured in the fire.

 

The infinitive after the linking verb “be” is part of the compound nominal predicate.

-    His aim was to help them.

-    Your duty is to study.

-    Your task is to do these exercises.

-    His assistant's main task is to gather information for research.

-    His sole desire is to be accepted in their circle.

 

The phrases "be to, be not to" are not very common in everyday speech. The modal verbs “must, should” and the phrases "have to, be supposed to" are often used instead of them.

-    You are to be here at six o'clock. You have to be here at six o'clock.

-    You are not to smoke here. You shouldn't smoke here.

-    The lecture is to begin at five.The lecture is supposed to begin at five.

-    We aren’t supposed to be here. That sign says “No Trespassing.” “not at all.”

 

“Be” fiilinden sonra normal olarak pasif mastar kullanılır:

-    The sheets are to be washed. Çarşafların yıkanması gerekir. (The sheets are to wash denmez)

-    This form is to be filled in in ink. Bu form, mürekkeple doldurulmalıdır. (This form is to fill in … denmez)

 

 

The infinitive as an object is often used after "how, what, who, whom, which, when, where, whether", usually after the verbs "know, ask, tell, advise, explain, show, decide, wonder, understand".

-    I don't know what to say.

-    I don't know who to ask.

-    Show me how to do it.

-    I haven't decided yet whether to go there or not.

-    The tour guide told us where to find interesting souvenirs.

 

Çok resmi kullanımda isimden sonra “preposition + whom/which + mastar yapısı” da kullanılabilir:

-    Jack needs a friend with whom to play. Jack’e oynayacak bir arkadaş lazım.

-    She is looking for a flat in which to live. Oturacak bir daire arıyor.

 

Edat yoksa bu yapı kullanılmaz.

-    I need a book which to read.

Dolaylı anlatımda (indirect speech) who, what, where gibi (why pek kullanılmaz) soru kelimelerinden sonra mastar kullanılabilir:

-    I wonder who to invite. Kimi davet etsem acaba?

-    Tell us what to do. Bize ne yapmamız gerektiğini söyle.

-    Can you show me how to get to the post office? Postaneye nasıl gidileceğini bana gösterebilir misiniz?

-    I don’t know where to put the car. Arabayı nereye koyacağımı bilmiyorum.

-    I can’t decide whether to answer her letter. Onun mektubuna cevap verip vermemem gerektiğine karar veremiyorum.

-    Tell me when to pay. Ne zaman ödeme yapmam gerektiğini bana söyle.

 

 

The infinitive as an attribute always stands after the noun (or indefinite pronoun) that it modifies.

-    Can you give me a book to read?

-    I have a lot of work to do today.

-    Give him something to eat.

-    He has nowhere to go.

 

Infinitives as attributes are used after many nouns, for example, after "ability, advice, attempt, capacity, chance, command, decision, desire, eagerness, effort, excuse, failure, intention, invitation, necessity, need, offer, opportunity, order, permission, power, promise, reason, recommendation, refusal, reluctance, right, time, way, willingness, wish".

-    Her ability to memorize words is amazing.

-    I have no intention to work there.

-    She has no desire to get married.

-    There's no need to hurry.

-    They had every reason to believe that he had left the country.

 

Note: The gerund is also used after some of these nouns (for example, after "chance, intention, necessity, reason"), with or without a change in meaning.

 

 

This construction is often used to describe people's feelings in relation to the action expressed by the infinitive. The infinitive as an object is used after many adjectives and participles, for example, after "able, afraid, amused, anxious, ashamed, astonished, careful, delighted, determined, disappointed, eager, free, frightened, glad, grateful, happy, interested, lucky, pleased, prepared, proud, ready, relieved, reluctant, sad, shocked, sorry, surprised, terrified, and willing".

-    She is afraid to go there alone.

-    We are ready to start.

-    You were lucky to find that book.

-    She was reluctant to go.

-    He is eager to be invited to the show.

 

The infinitives "to hear, to see, to learn, to discover, to find" are often used after the adjectives "glad, happy, delighted, disappointed, surprised, sorry".

-    She was glad to hear that.

-    He was happy to see her.

-    I was sorry to hear about their divorce.

-    I was surprised to learn that she had quit her job.

-    They are glad to receive a letter from their son. Oğullarından mektup aldıklarına memnun oldular.

-    I am happy to meet you. Sizinle tanıştığıma memnun oldum.

-    He is always ready to help his friends. Her zaman arkadaşlarına yardım etmeye hazırdır. Note: To fill out this form is difficult.

 

Sıfat cümleciklerinin (adjective clauses) kısaltılmış biçimi olabilirler:

-    Tom has a question which will puzzle you.

Tom has a question to puzzle you. Tom’un, seni şaşırtacak bir sorusu var.

-    The teacher suggested some topics to interest the students. Öğretmen, öğrencileri ilgilendirecek birkaç konu önerdi.

-    I will give you some money to spend. Sana harcayacak/harcaman için biraz para vereceğim.

 

 

For emphasis, the infinitive of purpose is sometimes placed at the beginning of the sentence.

-    To understand his stories, you need to know where he grew up.

-    To find him was difficult.

-    To know the rules is necessary.

-    To ask him for help was a mistake.

-    To walk to work is good for my health. İşe yürüyerek gitmek sağlığım için yararlı.

-    To fill out this form is difficult. Bu formu doldurmak zor.

-    To eat in that restaurant is cheap. O lokantada yemek yemek ucuz.

 

In this function the infinitive may be preceded by "in order" or "so as". Aynı anlam, “in order to” ve “so as to” ile de verilir:

-    He got up early in order to pack. Toplanmak için erken kalktı.

-    I moved to a new flat so as to be near my work. İşime çok yakın olmak için yeni bir daireye taşındım.

 

Bu ifadelerin olumsuz olması durumunda not to yerine in order not to ya da so as not to kullanılır:

-    I’m going to leave now so as not to be late. (… not to be late denmez) Geç kalmamak için şimdi çıkıyorum.

 

Infinitives in constructions after formal subject “it”

Note: Yukarıdaki cümleler, günümüz İngilizce’sinde “it” ile de kurulabilir:

-    To walk to work is good for my health. It is good for my health to walk to work.

-    To fill out this form is difficult. It is difficult to fill out this form.

-    To eat in that restaurant is cheap. It is cheap to eat in that restaurant.

 

See ve hear fiilleri, yanlış bir izlenimin nedenini açıklamak için kullanılır. Ardından you’d think ya da benzeri bir ifade gelir:

-    To see them, you’d think they were married. But they only met yesterday. Onları görsen evli sanırsın. Ama daha dün tanıştılar.

-    To see him walk down the street, you’d never know he was blind. Caddede yürümesine baksan onun kör olduğunu anlamazsın.

-    To hear him talk, you’d think he was made of money. Konuşmasına baksan kendisini para babası sanırsın.

 

However, it is more common to use the construction in which the pronoun “it” is the formal subject, and the infinitive is placed after the predicative adjective or noun.

-    It was difficult to find him.

-    It is necessary to know the rules.

-    It was a mistake to ask him for help.

 

The infinitive in this construction is often used after the following adjectives and participles: advisable, amazing, awful, bad, convenient, careless, correct, cruel, dangerous, desirable, difficult, easy, foolish, funny, good, great, hard, helpful, important, impossible, interesting, intolerable, natural, necessary, nice, pleasant, possible, reasonable, ridiculous, silly, strange, surprising, terrible, unbearable, undesirable, unnecessary, unpleasant, unreasonable, useful, useless, wise, wonderful, wrong.

-    It is nice to meet you.

-    It is useless to talk to him.

-    It is hard to be a doctor.

-    It was dangerous to stay there.

 

The infinitive in this construction is used after various nouns, for example, after "duty, fun, idea, mistake, pleasure, surprise, thing, time".

-    It's a good idea to invite John.

-    It is time to leave.

-    It was a surprise to hear such words.

-    It was a terrible thing to say.

 

The action indicated by the infinitive usually refers to the subject or to the object. Compare: I'm planning to visit her. – I asked him to visit her.

 

In some sentences, the action indicated by the infinitive does not refer either to the subject or to the object:

-    It is pleasant to walk in the park.

-    The tea was too hot to drink.

 

If it is necessary in such sentences to indicate the person to whom the action of the infinitive refers, add "for + noun / pronoun" before the infinitive. For example: It is pleasant for me to walk in the park. The tea was too hot for the children to drink.

-    It was important for Victor to be present at the meeting.

-    It is difficult for him to live alone.

-    It is easy for her to learn English.

-    The first thing for you to do is to find Tom.

-    This is not for us to decide.

 

In some cases, "of + noun / pronoun" is used before the infinitive to indicate the person to whom the action of the infinitive refers. For example: It was very nice of you to bring her flowers. It was inconsiderate of him to ask her such questions.

 

 

The infinitive is also used as an adverbial modifier of consequence, with the adverbs "too" and "enough".

-    I was too tired to notice it.

-    It is too late to call him now.

-    He is too young to be a manager.

-    She is old enough to understand it.

-    I don't know this subject well enough to discuss it with you.

-    It is too hot to work. Hava çalışılamayacak kadar sıcak.

-    The box is too small to hold all these things. Kutu, tüm bu şeyleri alamayacak kadar küçük.

 

Adj/adv + enough (for sbd) to do sth:

-    If I had a long enough holiday, I would visit Florida.

-    He wasn’t early enough to see her.

-    She is old enough to understand it.

-    I don't know this subject well enough to discuss it with you.

 

In speech and writing of general character, the infinitive is not used as the predicate. But there are some constructions in which the infinitive may serve as the predicate.

The infinitive without the particle "to" may be used as the predicate in interrogative sentences beginning with "Why" and expressing suggestion, usually in everyday speech.

-    Why waste time on such trifles?

-    Why pay more than necessary?

-    Why not wait a little?

 

The infinitive with the particle "to" may be used as the predicate in the meaning close to the meaning of the phrase “be to” expressing strong expectation that some action is going to happen according to rules, agreements, plans, and the like. Such use of the infinitive is mostly found in legal, commercial, or technical texts, in newspaper articles and advertising materials.

-    Buyers to pay for ordered goods upon delivery. (= Buyers are to pay for ordered goods upon delivery.)

-    Three new schools to open next year. (= Three new schools are to open next year.)

-    The same construction may be used as an infinitive phrase at the end of the sentence.

-    Goods are ordered by catalogue, buyers to pay for ordered goods upon delivery.

-    Registration lasts till September, applications to be submitted in person.

 

Set expressions containing infinitives, such as "needless to say; so to speak; to be quite frank; to make matters worse; to put it mildly; to say the least; to tell the truth", are used as parenthetical words. For example:

-    To be quite frank, I didn't want to lend him my books.

-    Needless to say, he lost my books.

 

A split infinitive is a construction in which the adverb that modifies the infinitive is placed between the particle "to" and the infinitive. Split infinitives are quite common in informal English speech. Generally, style manuals say that the particle "to" should not be separated from the infinitive without necessity, especially in writing.

 

For example, splitting the infinitive in the following sentences is considered unnecessary:

-    They want to quickly sell the house.

-    He seems to often complain about it.

 

In such cases, it is better to use more typical constructions:

-    They want to sell the house quickly.

-    He seems to complain about it often.

 

However, in some cases placing the adverb between the particle "to" and the infinitive is preferable to placing that adverb in any other part of the sentence because such use may help to express the meaning more clearly and may even help to avoid possible misunderstanding of the whole sentence. The adverbs "really, fully, even, never, ever" are rather often placed between the particle "to" and the infinitive. For example, look at this sentence:

-    She always tried to really understand young children and their hopes and fears.

If we move "really" to some other places, the meaning will change, the construction will become awkward or incorrect: always really tried to understand; always tried really to understand; to understand really young children; to understand young children and their hopes and fears really.

 

A hundred years ago, the split infinitive was considered to be bad writing style. Nowadays split infinitives are becoming more acceptable in speech and writing. It is advisable for language learners to use split infinitives sparingly and only when such use is necessary for clear and correct expression of the meaning.

 

 

 

“Object + bare infinitive (i.e. without to)”

Verbs like “make, let, feel , hear, observe, see, watch, have” are followed by a bare infinitive after an object.

 

Make +object + V (bare infinitive):

Make is followed by “object + bare infinitive”. It cannot be followed by “object + Ving”

-    I made him wait. I had no intention of speaking to him while he was in such a foul mood.

-    She didn't want to do it, but he made her do it.

 

We can also use “make” with “a reflexive object”, myself, yourself, himself, herself, etc and a past participle, particularly with the verbs understood and heard:

-    She doesn't speak English very well but she can make herself understood in most situations.

-    There was so much noise at the party that I had to shout all the time to make myself heard.

 

We can also use “make” in the passive voice, but in this case to before the infinitive is needed:

-    He had done so badly that he was made to repeat the school year.

-    He had borrowed over five hundred pounds and was made to pay it back in monthly installments.

 

 

Let + object + V (bare infinitive):

Like “make”, “see and hear, let” is followed by “object + bare infinitive”. It cannot be followed by Ving:

-    Let me carry that box of papers for you. It's very heavy.

-    Why don't you let him walk home by himself from school now? He's eleven years old after all.

 

“Let” is also frequently used in the expression let's (let us) to introduce a suggestion. Note that negative sentences with let's can be formed in two possible ways:

-    Let's finish the video tomorrow, shall we? I'm tired and I want to go to bed.

-    Let's not be late home tonight. It's Monday tomorrow after all.

-    Don't let's get too stressed about this. I know the car is damaged, but it's only a piece of metal.

Note: We do not normally use let in the passive voice.

Allow /permit + object +bare infinitive:

“Allow” and “permit” are the more formal equivalents of let. But they both require to before the infinitive. Permit sounds a bit more formal than allow.

-    Let me bake the cakes for the party.

Allow me /permit me to bake the cakes for the party.

-    I would never let him smoke in the bedroom.

I would never allow him /permit him to smoke in the bedroom.

 

Allow and permit are often used in the passive voice. Remember, we cannot use let in these examples:

-    I wasn't allowed to pay for my meal. Tony insisted on inviting me.

-    Young children should not be allowed /permitted to watch television after nine o' clock.

 

have + object + bare infinitive / Ving form

This special usage of the verb have means 'to cause to happen' or 'to experience'.

-    He had us wash the dishes after supper.

-    He had us washing the dishes after supper.

When we choose the bare infinitive, we are pointing to things that happen, or (have) happened or might happen. When we choose the Ving form, we are thinking of things that are happening, were happening or might be happening. Depending on how we are thinking about it causes us to choose one or the other. Compare the following.

-    I opened the bonnet of the car and saw that I had water dripping out of the radiator.

-    You really ought to have the chemist take a look at that wasp sting. It looks really nasty.

-    I'm ready to see him now, Geraldine. Have him come in, please.

 

I won't have...

When we use the expression I won't have..., it means I won't allow... and here the -ing form works best, but be careful: after allow, you need to + infinitive:

-    I won't have you smoking in the bedroom. = I won't allow you to smoke in the bedroom.

-    I won't have you staying out late. = I won't allow you to stay out late.

-    She wouldn't have him telling her when she could go out and who she could go out with.

 

have + object + past participle

This structure is also used when we talk about causing things to be done or about things happening to you, but with the past participle, note that it always has a passive meaning and can sometimes be used instead of the passive:

-    I'm going to have my car repaired next week. (It's going to be repaired next week.)

-    Have you ever had your credit cards stolen? (Have they ever been stolen?)

-    Kevin had his air pistol confiscated by the headmaster. (It was confiscated last week.)

-    I think you should have the curtains dry-cleaned. Don't try to wash them yourself.

 

Infinitives are the "to" form of the verb. The infinitive form of "learn" is "to learn." You can also use an infinitive as the subject, the complement, or the object of a sentence.

-    To learn is important. (subject of sentence)

-    The most important thing is to learn. (complement of sentence)

-    He wants to learn. (object of sentence)

 

Infinitives can be made negative by adding "not."

-    I decided not to go.

-    The most important thing is not to give up.

 

Gerunds and infinitives can be used as the subject or the complement of a sentence. However, as subjects or complements, gerunds usually sound more like normal, spoken English, whereas infinitives sound more abstract. In the following sentences, gerunds sound more natural and would be more common in everyday English. Infinitives emphasize the possibility or potential for something and sound more philosophical. If this sounds confusing, just remember that 90% of the time, you will use a gerund as the subject or complement of a sentence.

-    Learning is important. (normal subject)

-    To learn is important. (abstract subject - less common)

-    The most important thing is learning. (normal complement)

-    The most important thing is to learn. (abstract complement - less common)

 

As the object of a sentence, it is more difficult to choose between a gerund or an infinitive. In such situations, gerunds and infinitives are not normally interchangeable. Usually, the main verb in the sentence determines whether you use a gerund or an infinitive.

-    He enjoys swimming. "Enjoy" requires a gerund.

-    He wants to swim. "Want" requires an infinitive.

Some verbs are usually followed by a gerund, but they can also be followed by a noun plus infinitive. Using a noun plus infinitive will usually change who is performing the action.

-    I advised taking the train. (in general)

-    I advised him to take the train. He will take the train.

 

Advise: I advised seeing a doctor. I advised them to see a doctor.

Allow:   Ireland doesn't allow smoking in bars. Ireland doesn't allow people to smoke in bars. Encourage:

He encourages eating healthy foods.

He encourages his patients to eat healthy foods.

 

Permit:

California doesn't permit fishing without a fishing license. California doesn't permit people to fish without a fishing license.

 

Require:

The certificate requires completing two courses.

The certificate requires students to complete two courses.

 

Urge:

They urge recycling bottles and paper.

They urge citizens to recycle bottles and paper.

 

Verb followed by "after, before, while, when..." is Ving

After + Ving, before + Ving, While + Ving, When + Ving

-    Please check that you have your belongings with you before leaving the train.

 

Some verbs can be followed by a question word:

Verbs: ask, decide, explain, forget, know, show, tell, understand, can be followed by a question word such as where/ how/ what/ who/ when or whether + to Verb.

-    I wondered how to tell Lucy that I’d lost her favourite CD.

 

Some special expression followed by “Ving”:

Have a good time + Ving; Have a trouble + Ving; Have difficulty + Ving; Have a hard time + Ving....

-    We had some good times sharing a house.

 

We use “-ing clause” to explain something or to say why somebody does something:

-    We sat on the beach for hours looking at the sea.

 

It's + objective of somebody+ to do sth:

-    I think it is silly of David to buy a car because he doesn’t need one to get to work.

 

It's + adj (of sbd) to do something:

 

The next/ the first/ the second/ the last/ the only/ the best......................... + to Verb:

-    The best hotel to stay in is the one near the main square.

Would rather somebody do something?

A: What is your telephone number?

B: 664178. I would rather you didn’t give it to anyone else.

 

Verb + infinitive or Verb + gerund

There is little or no difference in meaning between infinitives and gerunds after "begin, start, continue, like, love, hate, prefer, can't bear, can't stand".

-    She started to cry. She started crying.

-    He likes to swim. He likes swimming.

-    He hates to wash the dishes. He hates washing the dishes.

-    He prefers to watch TV rather than go to the movies. He prefers to live alone. She preferred not to do it. I'd prefer to go there with you.

-    I prefer eating at home to eating at a restaurant. He prefers living alone. I'd prefer going there with you.

 

There is noticeable difference in meaning between infinitives and gerunds after "forget, remember, regret, stop, try".

-    I will not forget to call him. – I will never forget talking with him on that day.

-    I remembered to switch off the heater before leaving. – I can remember visiting them when I was a child.

-    I regret to tell you that you have failed your examination. – I regret telling them about my plans.

-    Try to find my book; I need it urgently. – Try looking in the desk drawers; maybe you'll find my book there.

-    She stopped in order to say hello to them. / She stopped to say hello to them. – She stopped saying hello to them.

 

Note the use of the verbs "cease" and "quit", synonyms of the verb "stop": "cease" usually takes an infinitive but sometimes may take a gerund with little change in meaning; "quit" takes a gerund.

 

Sometimes a gerund is used after "attempt, neglect, plan" with the same meaning as that of the infinitive:

-    Have you ever attempted climbing this mountain?

-      Don't neglect writing to her once in a while. I planned visiting Rome.

 

Sometimes an infinitive is used after "dread", with the same meaning as that of the gerund:

-    She dreads to think that they may come back.

 

The verb "intend" is usually followed by an infinitive but sometimes may be followed by a gerund with no change in meaning:

-    We intend to visit them tomorrow. We intend visiting them tomorrow.

The verbs "mean, propose" in the meaning "intend" are followed by an infinitive; the verb "mean" in the meaning "denote, imply" is followed by a gerund; the verb "propose" in the meaning "suggest" is followed by a gerund.

-    I didn't mean to hurt you. She means to go there. – If I asked him for help, it would mean telling him everything.

-    I propose to stay there for about a week. – I propose staying here.

 

The verb "need" is usually followed by an infinitive:

-    We need to talk. He needs to buy a new car.

 

The verb "need" is followed by a gerund in the phrase "to need doing", usually about cleaning, repairing, improving something:

-    Your jacket needs cleaning. These doors need painting.

 

Passive infinitives can also be used in such situations:

-    Your jacket needs to be cleaned. These doors need to be painted.

 

Some verbs can be followed by either a gerund or an infinitive. Sometimes, there is no difference

in meaning. Sometimes there is.

Verb + infinitive  =                   verb + gerund

These verbs can be followed by either an infinitive or a gerund, with no difference in meaning.

-    He continued to shout. He continued shouting.

-    I like to read. I like reading.

-    I love to read. I love reading.

-    I prefer to read. I prefer reading.

-    I hate to wait. I hate waiting.

-    I can't stand to wait. I can't stand waiting.

-    I can't bear to wait. I can't bear waiting.

 

 

Some verbs can be followed by either an infinitive or a gerund, but “their meanings are not the same:”

-    I will remember to call her.   (I will be sure to call her in the future.)

≠ I remember calling her.                       (I have the memory of calling her in the past.)

-    I will not forget to meet him. (I will be sure to meet him in the future.)

≠ I will never forget meeting them. (I will not lose the memory of meeting them.)

-    I regret to say he is not here. (I am sorry I must tell you he is not here.)

≠ I regret saying it.                       (I am sorry I said it.)

-    I will try to ring the bell. (I will see if it is possible to ring the bell.)

≠ I will try ringing the bell. (I will ring the bell to see if it will help the situation.)

 

Verbs: Feel, find, Notice, see, watch

Feel...+ Verb_ing: you feel part of the action.

-    At the beach I noticed a lot of people wearing the same sandals as mine. Feel...+ Verb (without to): you feel the whole action.

A: I can’t remember if I have taken my tablets today. B: I saw you take two after breakfast.

 

 

 

Allow / advice /permit /forbid + Ving:

Bu fiiller eğer nesne almamışsa “-ing” ile,

-    We are not allowed listening to music at work.

-    We don’t allow/permit smoking in the classroom. Sınıfta sigara içilmesine izin vermiyoruz.

-    I wouldn’t advise taking a taxi. Taksi tutmayı tavsiye etmem.

-    The teacher has forbidden running in the corridors. Öğretmen, koridorlarda koşmayı yasakladı.

 

Allow / advice /permit /forbid + Objective + to Verb infinitive:

Bu fiiller nesne almışsa “to” ile kullanılırlar:

-    We don’t allow/permit people to smoke in the classroom. İnsanların sınıfta sigara içmesine izin vermiyoruz.

-    I wouldn’t advise you to take a taxi. Taksi tutmanı tavsiye etmem.

-    The teacher has forbidden students to run in the corridors. Öğretmen, öğrencilerin koridorlarda koşmalarını yasakladı.

 

Apologize somebody for doing sth

-    Kate apologized to me for spelling my name wrongly in her letter.

 

Begin /start + to V /Ving:

Her ikisi de anlam farkı olmaksızın hem -ing ile hem de to ile kullanılabilir.

-    I began playing/(to play) the piano when I was ten. On yaşındayken piyano çalmaya başladım.

-    She started talking/(to talk) about football. Futboldan konuşmaya başladı.

-    Thomas Edison began conducting experiments during his childhood.

 

Dare + to V:

-    I didn’t agree with Brain butI didn’t dare to argue with him in front of everyone.

 

Enjoy /like + to V /Ving:

Like + Ving: enjoy in doing something Like + to V: want to do something

-    If someone is angry with me, I like to know the reason.

-    I like staying at hotels. I enjoy not cooking.

 

Forget:

Forget + V_ing: geçmişte yapılmış işleri anlatır.

-    I’ll never forget meeting Sharon Stone. Sharon Stone ile karşılaşmamı asla unutmayacağım.

 

Forget + to, yapılması gereken işleri anlatır:

-    I forgot to buy the soap. Sabun almayı unuttum.

 

Help somebody (to) do something:

-    Hundreds of people have helped us to raise money for children’s hospital.

 

Interested + to Verb: How somebody react to what they hear/ watch/ know/find/learn... Interested + Ving: think of doing something and would like to do it.

-    Do you think Philp would be interested to play volleyball on Saurday? I am trying to organize a game.

 

Make somebody do something:

-    This picture of you always makes me smile.

 

Need + to be Past Particple/ V_ing: if before "need" is not person Need + to Verb: If before "need" is person

-    This cupboard is full of very old clothes. Most of them need throwing away.

 

Prefer Ving/sth to Ving / sth:

She is always very quiet in meetings. She prefers listening to speaking.

 

Prevent somebody/something from doing something

The verb "promise"

The verb "promise" is usually followed by the infinitive directly: She promised to wait for them. Other common constructions: She promised that she would wait for them. She promised him that she would not tell anyone.

The verb "promise" is sometimes used in the construction Verb + noun / pronoun + infinitive, usually in negative constructions: I promised him not to tell you.

Put off + Ving: delay, postpone doing something Regret:

Regret + V_ing geçmişte yapılmış bir şeyden duyulan üzüntüyü anlatır.

-    I regret leaving school at 12. It It was a big mistake. 12 yaşında okulu bıraktığıma pişmanım. Büyük bir hataydı.

Regret + to: kötü bir haber verileceği zaman kullanılır.

-    We regret to say that we are unable to help your company. Şirketinize yardımcı olamayacağımızı üzülerek bildiririz.

 

Remember:

Remember + V_ing geçmişte yapılmış işleri anlatır.

-    I still remember buying my first car. İlk arabamı almamı hâlâ hatırlarım. Remember + to, yapılması gereken işleri anlatır.

-    You must remember to fetch Mr Taylor from the airport tomorrow. Bay Taylor’ı yarın havalimanından getirmeyi unutmamalısın.

 

Seem:

Verb followed by seem is "to infinitive" however this sentence implys a continuous action (waiting), therefore we should add a "to be" after "seem" and let it in infinitive form.

-    Is that a bus stop over there? Those people seem to be waiting for something.

 

 

Sorry:

Sorry to do: is not occurring or imminent Sorry for doing: what had happened

-    I am sory for getting annoyed with you last night. I was tired.

 

Spend time:

Spend time doing something: use time to do something

-    When she goes on holiday, He spends ages writing postcards to her friends at home.

Spend time to do something: mention the reason of action "spend"

 

Stop:

Stop + Ving: not doing something.

Stop + V_ing yapılan bir işten vazgeçmeyi anlatır.

-    I stopped smoking. Sigarayı bıraktım.

Stop + to Verb: stop (doing) something to do something Stop + to, ‘mola vermek, ara vermek’ anlamındadır:

-    We stopped to rest. Dinlenmek için mola verdik.

Try:

Try + V_ing daha çok ‘denemek’ anlamı vardır.

-    Have you tried sleeping on your back as a cure for snoring? Horlamaya çare olarak sırt üstü uyumayı denedin mi?

Try + to, daha çok ‘çaba göstermek, çalışmak’ anlamı verir.

-    Try to get here early. Buraya erken gelmeye çalış.

 

 

 

Agree                    Tom agreed to help me.

Appear                      His health appeared to be better.

Arrange Naomi arranged to stay with her cousin in Miami. Ask She asked to leave.

Begin                      He began to talk.

Can't bear                      He can't bear to be alone.

Can't stand Nancy can't stand to work the late shift. Care He doesn't care to participate in the activity.

Cease The government ceased to provide free healthcare. Choose I chose to help.

Claim She claimed to be a princess. Continue She continued to talk.

Decide We decided to go to Hawaii. Demand He demanded to speak to Mr. Harris. Deserve He deserves to go to jail.

Dread I dread to think what might happen. Expect They expect to arrive early.

Fail He failed to get enough money to pay for the new project. Forget I forgot to lock the door when I left.

Get (be allowed to) Debbie gets to go to the concert next week! Why can't I? Happen She happened to be at the bank when it was robbed.

Hate                      He hates to clean dishes.

Hesitate She hesitated to tell me the problem. Hope I hope to begin college this year.

Intend                     We intend to visit you next spring.

Learn I learned to speak Japanese when I was a kid. Like Samantha likes to read.

Love                     We love to scuba dive.

Manage He managed to open the door without the key. Need I need to study.

Neglect She neglected to tell me the date of the meeting. Offer Frank offered to drive us to the supermarket.

Plan                     We plan to go to Europe this summer.

Prefer He prefers to eat at 7 PM. Prepare They prepared to take the test.

Pretend The child pretended to be a monster. Promise She promised to stop smoking.

Propose                   Drew proposed to pay for the trip.

Refuse                     The guard refused to let them enter the building.

Regret I regret to inform you that your application was rejected. Remember Did you remember to lock the door when you left?

Seem                 Nancy seemed to be disappointed.

Start                 Marge started to talk really fast.

Swear                    She swore to tell the truth.

Tend He tends to be a little shy. Threaten He threatened to leave forever.

Try                   Mary tried to lift the table, but it was too heavy.

Vow                      He vowed to get revenge.

Wait                    She waited to buy a movie ticket.

Want                 I want to study Spanish.

Wish                 I wish to stay.

Would like (meaning "wish" or "want") We would like to start now. Yearn Melanie yearns to travel somewhere exotic.

 

 

List of Verbs:

be said to do something

Would like/love to do something

 

Agree to do something Consider to be/do sth

Find/ see/ watch...+ Verb (with to) :you find /see or watch the whole action Find/ see/ watch...+ Verb_ing : you find /see or watch part of the action Make to do sth

Pretend to do something Tell + Infinitive

Warn + infinitive