INFINITIVES

(and more)
 
The following verbs are followed by an infinitive:

agree expect need refuse

appear forget offer seem
be able hope plan start*
begin* know how prefer* tend
can(’t) learn prepare try
afford like* pretend want
choose manage promise would like
decide

*These verbs can also be followed by a gerund

Note:
 To make an infinitive negative, put not before the infinitive.
e.g., Do you promise not to tell my secret?

 In a sentence with two infinitives connected by and, the

second to is usually omitted.
e.g., I expect to swim and surf in Hawaii.
Some verbs can be followed by an (pro)noun + infinitive

advise choose force select

allow convince invite teach
appoint encourage need tell
ask expect permit urge
beg forbid persuade want
would like

 
Permit + infinitive
Please allow me to help you.
 
Help + base form or infinitive
Sigurd helped his brothers (to) shovel the snow.
 
Let + base form
She let him borrow her car.
 
Some adjectives can be followed by an infinitive. Many of these
adjectives describe a person’s emotions or mental state.

glad sorry prepared hesitant

happy sad anxious reluctant
pleased upset eager afraid
delighted disappointed willing surprised
content proud motivated amazed
relieved ashamed determined astonished
lucky ready careful shocked
fortunate stunned

An infinitive can be the subject of a sentence, but it is very formal. In

more informal situations, it is used as the subject and the infinitive is
placed at the end of the clause.
 
To save for college takes many years.
 It takes many years to save for college.
To have good health is very important.
 It is important to have good health.
 
Use infinitives with too and enough.
That hill is too steep for me to ski up.
I’m not strong enough to lift a car.
 
Causative verbs:
make + simple form
Sad movies make me cry.
have + simple form
I had the maid polish my shoes.
get or persuade + infinitive
Sigurd got Haakon to give him a ride to school.
have or get + object + past participle
She got her shoes repaired in University Village.
The following verbs can be followed by either a gerund or an
infinitive with no change in meaning:

attempt continue like start

begin deserve love
can’t stand hate prefer

 
These verbs can be followed by either a GERUND or and INFINITIVE
with a difference in meaning.

remember forget regret try

 
Remember, forget + infinitive
–refers forward in time – to things that one still has or still had to do at
the moment of remembering or forgetting.
You must remember to pick up Mr. Brown from the airport tomorrow.
I forgot to buy the milk.
 
Regret + infinitive
–is used mostly in announcements of bad news
We regret to inform passengers that the 14.50 train for Tacoma will
leave approximately 45 minutes late.
 
Try + infinitive
is used to talk about making an effort to do something difficult
I tried to change the tire, but my hands were too cold.
(Note: Sometimes we use the gerund in this case also)
 GERUNDS
 
A gerund can be:
 the subject of the sentence Swimming is my favorite sport.
 the object of the sentence They enjoy watching movies.
 the object of the preposition He’s concerned about passing
Grammar 5.
 
Note: A gerund subject takes a singular verb. Eating raw oysters is
disgusting.
To make a gerund negative, put not before it. Not arriving on time
makes me uncomfortable.
 
These verbs are followed by a gerund:

admit delay imagine practice

advise deny keep quit
appreciate discuss mind recommend
avoid dislike miss regret
can’t help enjoy permit risk
consider finish postpone suggest

 
Go + gerund (recreational activities)

boating fishing sailing skiing

bowling hiking shopping swimming
camping hunting sightseeing
dancing jogging skating

 
Verbs of perception can be followed by verb -ing or an infinitive

see look at hear feel

notice observe listen to smell
watch

 
Remember, forget + gerund
refers back to the past – to things that one did. Forget...ing is used
mostly in the phrase I’ll never forget...ing... and expressions with similar
meanings.
I still remember buying my first bicycle.
I’ll never forget meeting the President.
 
Regret + gerund
refers back to past–something that one is sorry one did
I regret leaving school at 14 – it was a big mistake.
 
Try + gerund
is used to talk about making an experiment-doing something to see what
will happen.
I tried sending her flowers, writing her letters, and giving her presents,
but she still wouldn’t speak to me.
 
Special expressions + verb-ing
have: fun, a good time, trouble, difficulty, etc.
She had a good time watching the ice skating competition.
spend time, waste time
He spends a lot of time playing computer games.
sit, stand, or lie + expression of place
I stood at the bus stop waiting for 45 minutes.
find or catch + (pro)noun
I found the cat sleeping in my bed.
 
A gerund can be the object of a preposition after a verb or adjective (see
list below)
He complained about getting a bad grade.
She is upset about leaving her homework at home.
 
 
 PREPOSITIONS
Verbs + preposition

adjust to hear of
agree with insist on
apologize to...for listen to
approve of look at
argue about look for
believe in look forward to
blame...for object to
care about plan on
complain about prevent...from
concentrate on rely on
consist of speak about
deal with succeed in
decide on suspect...of
depend on take care of
disapprove of talk about
dream about/of thank...for
feel like think about
forget about wait for
forgive...for warn...about
hear about worry about

The dots (...) indicate than an object is needed: "She thanked the

man for helping her carry her groceries."
 
Adjective + Preposition

accustomed to interested in
afraid of lazy about
amazed at/by mad about
angry about/at mad at
ashamed of opposed to
aware of proud of
bored with/by responsible for
capable of sad about
concerned about satisfied with
different from sick of
excited about sorry about
famous for sorry for
fond of sure of
glad about surprised at
good at tired of
grateful to...for upset about
guilty of used to
happy about worried about

Send questions or comments to Mary Nell Sorensen

(marynell@u.washington.edu), Webmaster
Copyright © 1997