Infinitives after

10 Certain Verbs

The Life of an
English Student

Focus on Grammar 3
Part VII, Unit 29
By Ruth Luman, Gabriele Steiner, and BJ Wells
Copyright © 2006. Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
What Students Are Thinking
I want to learn.
I plan to get to class
to get only “A”
I tryup.
on time. I refuse to give
I hope to succeed. grades!

I promise to study
hard.
 Form
An infinitive is to + base form of the verb.
Form the negative by placing not before the
infinitive.

Infinitive
to + base form of the verb

I decided to study English this year.

Negative Infinitive
not +to + base form of the verb

I decided not to study chemistry this year.

 Infinitives after Verbs 1

Certain verbs can be followed by an infinitive.

Examples: ask, advise, tell, want

Infinitive

I want to get a good grade in my English

class.
Infinitive

I told her to go to bed.

 Infinitives after Verbs 2
Some verbs can be followed directly by an
infinitive.

Examples: begin, decide, fail, learn, plan, promise, refuse, seem, try

Infinitive

He is learning to spell correctly.

Infinitive

He refuses to be uncomfortable
when studying.
 Infinitives after Objects 1
Some verbs need an object (noun or
pronoun) before the infinitive.
Examples: advise, allow, encourage, force, invite, remind, tell, warn

Object Infinitive

Our teacher advises them to take notes.

Object Infinitive

She doesn’t allow students to do

their homework in class.
 Infinitives after Objects 2
Some verbs need an object (noun or
pronoun) before the infinitive.

Examples: advise, allow, encourage, force, invite, remind, tell, warn

Object Infinitive

My teacher tells us to pay

attention.
Object Infinitive

She warns students not to cheat

on tests.
 Complete the sentences with
infinitives and your own
Practice 1 information. Use objects where
needed.

Example: Maria invited …

Maria invited me to go to a party with her.

1. I promised …

2. My mother plans …

3. Our teacher encourages …

4. My friends decided …

5. My father always tells …

Infinitives with or without Objects
Some verbs can be followed by either an infinitive or
an object + infinitive.

Examples: ask, expect, help, need, want, would like

Infinitive

He expected to get an “A.”

Object Infinitive

He expected the teacher to give

him an “A.”
 Form sentences with the verbs. Use
Practice 2 infinitives and use each verb twice:
First without an object, and then
with an object.
without object
Example:
expect I expected to do well on the test.
My teacher expected me to do well on the test.

with object
1. need

2. help

3. would like

4. ask
 References

Copyright © 2006 Pearson Education

and its licensors. All rights reserved.