Unit 5 Grammar A: Infinitives after verbs
Use to-infinitives, negative infinitives, and infinitive transformations.
A to-infinitive uses to + the base form of a verb: to stay, to build, to help. It commonly follows verbs such as agree, afford, choose, decide, deserve, expect, fail, hope, need, offer, plan, promise, want, and wish, as well as would like and know how. The subject and tense are shown by the first verb: she plans to move, they planned to move. In the pattern taught here, put not before the infinitive: promise not to leave. Keep the meaning precise: decided not to leave means made a decision to stay, while did not decide to leave means no decision to leave was made.
Key terms
| Purpose | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Plan or choice | decide/plan/choose + to + base | They decided to move. |
| Ability to pay | afford + to + base | We can afford to rent it. |
| Knowledge of method | know how + to + base | She knows how to build it. |
| Negative promise | promise + not to + base | He promised not to leave. |
- 1Choose the first verb: The past plan is planned.
- 2Add the infinitive: Use to + repair.
- 3Complete the thought: They planned to repair the roof.
After planned, keep the infinitive in its base form: planned to build.
She chose not to go expresses a choice to stay; she did not choose to go only denies making that choice.
Rules
- 1Use to + base verb after the target verbs: decide to move, hope to finish, and offer to help.
- 2Put tense and subject agreement on the first verb: she plans to stay; they planned to stay.
- 3Use know how to + base verb for knowledge of how to perform an action.
- 4Use the taught negative pattern not to + base verb: promised not to change it.
- 5Distinguish decided not to act from did not decide to act; their meanings are different.
- 6When the subject must perform an action, use need to + base verb: we need to repair the door.
Practice
4 easy · 4 medium · 4 hard
Up to 10 random questions per test