Infinitives

Holly Cin

Fall 2012

InfinitivesLike gerunds, infinitives also function

as nouns. Therefore…

Infinitives can be used as subjects.

Infinitives can be used as objects.

Infinitives can be used as subject complements.

However, unlike gerunds, infinitives cannot be used as objects of prepositions.

ALSO…Infinitives can follow adjectives and nouns.

Infinitives as subjectsTo be successful requires hard work.

To work hard is important.

Not to miss the flight was my objective.

This language is quite formal.

More commonly, we use the following combination:

It+ BE + ADJ + (for s/o or s/t) +infinitive.

Or It + BE + NOUN + infinitive

It is important to work hard.

It is important for you to understand what I said.

It was my objective not to miss the flight.

Infinitives as objects

More commonly, infinitives are used as objects.

Most LCC students try to be successful.

I want to buy a new car.

Mariana asked her mother to send her a warm coat.

Fahad told his sister to wait for him at the store.

Natsume didn’t want to travel to California by car.

Infinitives as complementsHis job is to motivate people.(To motivate people is his job.)

The reason you’re here is to learn English.

(To learn English is the reason why you’re here.)

Your goal is to pass this class.(To pass this class is your goal.)

Common verbs followed by infinitives (mental

verbs)Hope to

Plan to

Intend to

Decide to

Promise to

Agree to

Offer to

Refuse to

Seem to

Appear to

Pretend to

Ask to

Expect to

Would like to

Want to

Need to

Verb + Object + InfinitiveTell someone to

Advise someone to

Encourage someone to

Remind someone to

Invite someone to

Permit someone to

Allow someone to

Warn someone to

Require someone to

Order someone to

Force someone to

Ask someone to

Would like someone to

Expect someone to

Want someone to

Need someone to

Common verbs followed by either gerunds or

infinitivesNo difference in meaning:

Begin

Start

Continue

Like

Love

Prefer

Hate

Can’t stand

Can’t bear

Common verbs followed by either gerunds or

infinitivesDifference in meaning

Remember

I remember locking the door. (I have the memory.)

I remembered to lock the door this morning. (I didn’t forget my responsibility)

Forget

I forgot locking the door this morning. (That was one of the things I did this morning but forgot to tell you).

I forgot to lock the door. (I didn’t fulfill my responsibility)

Common verbs followed by either gerunds or

infinitivesDifference in meaning

Try

I tried to smoke a cigarette, but I couldn’t.

(I didn’t smoke. Try = attempt)

I tried smoking once, but I didn’t like it.

(I smoked. Try = experience)

Common verbs followed by either gerunds or

infinitivesDifference in meaning

Regret

I regret to tell you the bad news.

(I haven’t told you yet. I’m about to tell you).

I regret telling you the news.

(I told you the news, but I should have waited.)

Common verbs followed by either gerunds or

infinitivesDifference in meaning

Stop/Quit

I stopped smoking when I became ill.

I quit smoking when I became ill.

(I stopped the activity entirely. I don’t do it anymore).

I stopped to smoke. (I stopped what I was doing IN ORDER to smoke. I took a break from reading IN ORDER to smoke).

Infinitives of PurposeInfinitives of purpose answer the question “for

what reason?”

Question: Why did Abdulrahman come to the LCC?

Answer: He came here to study English.

We can also use “in order” before the infinitive to express purpose.

He came here in order to study English

IMPORTANT: DO NOT USE “FOR” TO EXPRESS PURPOSE!

He came here for studying English. INCORRECT!

Adjectives followed by infinitives

Sorry to

Surprised to

Happy to

Glad to

Delighted to

Pleased to

Relieved to

Lucky to

Sad to

Eager to

Embarrassed to

Prepared to

Anxious to

Afraid to

Likely to

Surprised to

Astonished to

Shocked to

Reluctant to

Hesitant to

Infinitives with TOO and ENOUGH

(not ) too + adj. + (for someone) + infinitive

(not) enough + noun + (for someone) + infinitive

The class is not too difficult to pass.

I don’t have enough money to buy a Porsche.

The chair is not too heavy for me to lift.

She’s not old enough to get married.

Simple and Past Infinitives

We use a simple infinitive to indicate an action in the same general time frame as the action in the main verb.

Example: Yesterday, I expected you to call.

My expectation and the call were in the same time frame—both in the past.

We use a past infinitive to show an action that occurred before the action of the main verb of the sentence.

Example: You seem to have forgotten what we discussed.

Right now it seems that you forgot our discussion.

Three prisoners are reported to have escaped.

It is reported now that they escaped before.

Passive and Past Passive Infinitives

Passive (same time frame):

The work is supposed to be finished by tomorrow.

Past Passive (different time frame):

Dinner was supposed to have been made and ready before I came home yesterday.

The prisoners, who escaped, are believed to have been helped by the prison cook.

Passive and Past Passive Infinitives

Holly plans to invite the students to the party (simple).

The students expect to be invited to the party (passive).

Holly was happy to have invited the students to her home (past simple).

The students were happy to have been invited (past passive).

Some infinitive quotes

It is better to have loved and lost then never to have loved at all.—Alfred, Lord Tennyson

“To be or not to be, that is the question.”—William Shakespeare

“It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees.”—Emiliano Zapata

“To err is human, to forgive divine.”—Alexander Pope

“It is better to seek than to find.”—Unknown

“It is better to arrive late than never to arrive at all.”--Unknown