The Simple Infinitive

The infinitive is made up of to + the simple form of the verb, though to may be dropped when the infinitive follows certain verbs.

After verbs of causing such as let, help make, have, and verbs of sense such as see, watch, hear, feel, nouns and object pronouns are used with the simple verb only, without to.

Please let me study here

I helped him pass the examination

I made Joel answer the letter

I had my brother wash the car

I saw you take the money

Mr. Martinsky watched the bird make its nest.

I felt her anger increase

These infinitive phrases without to are direct objects of verbs.

Like participles and gerunds, infinitives resemble verbs in many ways, but also function as other parts of speech. Like verbs, they combine with be and have as auxiliaries to form tense constructions though they are never used as the main verb of the sentence.

Simple	to write
Perfect	to have written
Progressive	to be writing
Perfect progressive	to have been writing
Passive	to be written
Perfect passive	to have been written

The Infinitive Phrase

Like verbs, infinitives may have a subject or an object or both. Notice that if the subject of an infinitive is a pronoun, it is an object pronoun.

We asked John to study more.           (subject of infinitive)

We asked him to study more.                         (subject of infinitive)

Russell Youngblood likes to play basketball. (object of infinitive)

She invited us to visit her farm.          (subject of infinitive)

She invited us to visit her farm.          (object of infinitive)

Infinitives plus their subjects and objects are called infinitive phrases.

Use of the Infinitive and the Infinitive Phrase

The infinitive and the infinitive phrase may function in the sentence as a noun. an adjective, an adverb, or an absolute phrase.

Noun

Infinitives and infinitive phrases as subjects are often used in two variations of the sentence pattern. The meaning is the same in both.

To change our habits is difficult.

It is difficult to change our habits.

In this sentence pattern (noun + linking verb + noun/adjective), it is used as a subject the real subject occurs after the verb. This is mainly a stylistic device.

Their ambition is to obtain good jobs. (subjective complement)

He likes to play the piano. (direct object)

Adjective

Mrs. Martinsky has time to visit the zoo. (Modifies time.)

The desire to succeed is strong in youth. (Modifies desire.)

The books to be read this semester are listed. (Modifies books.)

Jessica Youngblood has the money to pay for her vacation. (Modifies money.)

Adverb

We came to discuss business. (Modifies came.)

Mrs. Martinsky is anxious to hear the news. (Modifies anxious.)

To arrive there on time, you must lee now. (Modifies leave.)

Absolute Phrase

To be frank, I need money. (Modifies whole sentence.)

To be honest, I did not pass this year. (Modifies whole sentence.)

To tell the truth, he is weak. (Modifies whole sentence.)

Infinitive Phrases with Subjects

A noun or the object form of a personal pronoun may occur before an infinitive and become part of the infinitive phrase. These words are called subjects of the infinitive. Infinitive phrases with subjects occur in specific instances (mainly after certain verbs) and function as nouns.

For us how to drive will take time. (object of the preposition for)

I want him to learn how to drive. (direct object of the verb)

Verbs Followed by Infinitive

Infinitives and infinitive phrases, like gerunds, can be used after certain verbs, but not after others. The following is a list of verbs frequently followed by infinitives but not by gerunds. Note that there are two sentence patterns represented: noun + verb + noun and noun + linking verb + noun/adjective.

agree	I cannot agree to do that.
arrange	The committee has arranged to meet once a week.
care	Would you care to join our organization?
consent	She has consented to address the meeting.
decide	Have you decided to answer the letter yet?
deserve	He does not deserve to pass the course.
endeavor	She has endeavored to do her best.
fail	Do not fail to visit the museum.
hesitate	Do not hesitate to call on me for help.
hope	I hope to hear from you soon.
learn	She learned to control her temper.
like	I would like to meet her.
mean	She meant to give me the book, but she forgot.
promise	She has promised to repeat the course next year.
prove	Russell proved to be correct.
refuse	She refused to answer the telephone.
seem	The class seemed to understand everything he said.
swear	She swore never to do that again.
undertake	The committee undertook to telephone all the members.

Verbs Followed by Subject and Infinitive

Some verbs are followed by infinitive phrases containing a subject. These verbs are transitive they must have an object. The sentence pattern is noun + verb + noun.

advise	He advised us to review for the examination.
allow	The professor did not allow us to smoke during examinations.
cause	The flowers will cause her to sneeze.
compel	You cannot compel him to study.
command	The officer commanded the soldiers to leave at once.
encourage	The teacher encouraged the students to study.
forbid	I forbid you to talk like that.
force	They forced me to confess.
get	The manager got him to resign.
help	I cannot help you to pass the exam.
instruct	She instructed him to complete the work before he left.
invite	The chairperson invited the committee members to vote.
oblige	Illness obliged him to leave school.
order	The umpire ordered the player to leave the game.
permit	I cannot permit you to do that.
persuade	She finally persuaded him to drive the car.
remind	Please remind me to pay this bill.
request	His friends requested him to sing a song.
teach	Please teach me to dance.
tell	The class told her to make all the arrangements.
tempt	The offer of a good job tempted him to leave school.
urge	The doctor urged Mr. Martinsky to rest.
warn	The teacher warned the students to drive carefully.

Verbs Followed by (Subject and) Infinitive

Some verbs can be followed either by a simple infinitive or an infinitive phrase. Adding the subject changes the meaning of the sentence.

ask              The professor asked to attend the meeting.

                   The professor asked us to attend the meeting.

beg             They begged to go.

                   They begged her to go.

expect         Jessica Youngblood expected to go away for the weekend.

                   Jessica Youngblood expected her mother to go away for the weekend.

intend         The man intends to be a doctor.

                   The man intends his daughter to be a doctor.

like             I would like to win the, game.

                   I would like you to win the game.

prefer          The class prefers to sing.

                   The class prefers you to sing.

want           I wanted to go to the art exhibit.

                   I wanted Mrs. Martinsky to go to the art exhibit.

wish            I wish to meet the new teacher.

                   I wish Russell to meet the new teacher