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The infinitive
1. Forms (full and bare):
1.1. Simple: to do
1.2. Continuous: to be doing
1.3. Perfect: to have done
1.4. Perfect continuous: to have been doing
2. Infinitive clause
2.1. Infinitive followed by:
 An object
 A complement
 An adverbial
2.2. When it includes a preposition, the preposition goes in its normal position, often after
a verb or adjective
2.3. Formal: Preposition/relative pronoun + rest of infinitive clause
3. Uses of the infinitive:
3.1. To add information about what is expressed by certain (1) verbs; (2) adjectives; (3)
nouns
3.2. To explain the (1) reason, (2) purpose, (3) function of an action
3.3. As (1) subject/(2) complement
3.4. In certain tense forms
4. Bare infinitive (infinitive without to):
4.1. After the auxiliary verb ‘do’: Do+inf
4.2. After modal verbs, modal-like phrases with ‘to’: be able to, be allowed to, be
going to, have (got) to, ought to: Modal-like phrases + infinitive
4.3. After had better, would rather, rather than
4.4. After make, let, have, have +object
4.5. Help+to-infinitive with or without an object
4.6. Make in the passive + to-infinitive (e.g., I made them clean up their rooms)
4.7. After see, hear, feel, notice (perception verb) + object (though the -ing form may
also be acceptable)
4.8. Let+bare infinitive (e.g., go, know, have)
4.9. After why (not), often used with ‘if’ or ‘when’
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4.10. After ‘why not’ when we are making a suggestion (meaning being similar to
Why don’t you)
4.11. After come/go and + bare infinitive when we are: (1) making suggestions; (2)
giving orders and invitations; (3) making requests
4.12. After try and… = when we are (1) making suggestions; (2) giving advice
4.13. After ‘except’ and ‘but’
4.14. After do+be
4.15. We only use try and in the imperative, with modal verbs
4.16. Try to can be used with other tenses
5. Verb (+object) + to-infinitive
5.1. Verb+to-infinitive after certain verbs (e.g., agree, aim, appear, arrange, ask,
attempt, choose, dare, decide, demand, expect, fail, forget, hope, intend, learn (how),
manage, need, offer, plan, prepare, promise, seem, want, wish)
5.2. Verb+object+to-infininitive (e.g., advise, ask, beg, cause, challenge, choose, dare,
drive, enable, encourage, forbid, force, get, help, inspire, trust, invite, lead, leave,
mean, need, order, pay, permit, persuade, remind, require, teach, tell, tempt, trust,
urge, want, warn.
5.3. Some verbs that express thought or attitude may be rather formal: assume,
believe, consider, expect, feel, find, imagine, know, supposed, suspect, understand.
5.4. Verbs without an object:
5.4.1. Some verbs (e.g., Ask, beg, choose, dare, expect, need, want) can be used with
or without an object
5.4.2. Multiple verbs: one to-infinitive after another (to learn to drive)
5.4.3. Different forms of the infinitive can be used
6. Verb+to-infinitive:
6.1. Would like/prefer/hate/care + to-infinitive
6.2. Would like/prefer/hate/care + object+ to-infinitive
6.3. Would mind+gerund
6.4. Would prefer+to-infinitive
6.5. Would rather + bare infinitive
6.6. Seem/appear/tend + to-infinitive = to make it less direct and to generalise
6.7. We can sometimes omit the verb ‘to be’ after seem/appear/tend
6.8. The continuous form of ‘look’ can mean = aim to
6.9. Force/allow+to-infinitive
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6.10. Make/let+bare infinitive

6.11. Use to-infinitive when we use ‘make’ in the passive