Verb + Infinitive: expressing intent about activity

"The Scream" by Edvard Munch

Verb + Infinitive

Expressing intent about activity

Full clause vs. Infinitive clause

FULL CLAUSE			INIFINITIVE CLAUSE
After a number of verbs, often expressing hopes or wishes about a future activity, a clause is reduced to an infinitive clause. (The clause is part of the underlying sentence structure not actually used in speech or writing.)			A similar meaning can be expressed with an infinitive clause An infinitive clause has an infinitival verb form that is not marked for tense, person, or number. The subject of the infinitive clause is understood as the subject of the main (matrix) clause. *[Ed needs for Ed to get some help.]
SUBJECT Ed	VERB needs	FULL CLAUSE COMPLEMENT [that Ed gets some help]	SUBJECT Ed	VERB needs	INFINITIVE CLAUSE COMPLEMENT to get some help.
Ed	hopes	[that Ed finds some peace and quiet]	Ed	hopes	to find some peace and quiet.
Ed	likes	[that Ed receives attention]	Ed	likes	to receive attention.
Ed	hates	[that Ed hears criticism from others]	Ed	hates	to hear criticism from others.

complement – a word, phrase or clause which is necessary in a sentence to complete its meaning
criticism (n.) – negative comments
*The subject of an infinitive clause is expressed as [for + noun] (accusative pronoun). Also see (CaGEL 1178)

Verbs Followed by Infinitives

VERB + INFINITIVE	VERB + INFINITIVE	VERB + INFINITIVE	VERB + INFINITIVE
afford I can afford to buy it.	continue* I continue to work there.	like* I like to swim.	regret I regret to tell you this.
agree I agreed to help her.	decide I can afford to buy it.	would like I'd like to go with you.	remember** I remembered to lock it.
appear You appear to be lost.	demand He demanded to know.	love* I love to dance.	seem He seems to be relaxed.
arrange I arranged to meet them.	deserve* You deserve to win.	manage I'll manage to survive.	start* It started to snow.
ask I asked to go along.	desire She desires to see you.	mean I didn't mean to hurt you.	struggle I struggle to do well.
attempt* I attempted to explain.	expect I expect to be a little late.	need I need to ask them.	swear I swear to be true.
beg I begged to go too.	fail I failed to get an A.	neglect* I neglected to do my work.	tend I tend to be on time.
begin* I began to take classes.	forget** I forgot to call you.	offer I offered to pay for it.	threaten I hope to see you soon.
can't bear I can't bear to leave.	hate I hate to miss your show.	plan I plan to leave soon.	try** I try to help often.
can't stand* I can't stand to wait.	hesitate* I hesitate to say anything.	prefer* I prefer to pay less.	volunteer I volunteered to cook.
care I don't care to see them.	hope I hope to leave soon.	pretend I pretend to be confident.	wait I wanted to see the show.
choose I choose to live here.	intend* I intend to win the game.	prepare I will prepare to leave.	want I want to leave now.
claim He claims to be smart.	learn I learned to speak Swahili.	promise I promise to be on time.	wish I hope to go to Italy.
consent She consented to marry him.	hope I hope to see you soon.	refuse I refuse to believe lies.

* This verb can be used before an infinitive or a gerund without a change in meaning (e.g. I began to plan my trip last week. / I began planning my trip last week.)
** See Meaning change

Bare Infinitives

Omitting to

Bare Infinitive – optional vs. not optional

BARE INFINITIVE – OPTIONAL		BARE INFINITIVE
When the verbs dare and need are used as modal s, the bare infinitive form is used. The verb help optionally takes the bare infintive form.		Modals are always followed by bare infinitive forms. An expression with a similar meaning usually requires to. (We can go. We are able to go.) See Modal Auxiliaries.
We didn't dare Dare we	to go on vacation this year. go on vacation this year.	We can We are able	go on vacation each year. to go on vacation each year.
Did we need Need we	to ask permission? ask permission?	We should It would be a good idea	take a trip. to take a trip.
They helped	to get the project done. get the project done.	We must We have	ask permission first. to ask permission first.
		We may We have permission	leave early. to leave early.
		We will We are going	depart at 6 p.m. to depart at 6 p.m.
		We would rather	go at 5 p.m.

Verb + Infinitive

Negatives

Negative main verb vs. negative infinitive

NEGATIVE MAIN VERB	NEGATIVE INFINITIVE
Use a negative verb if the speaker has no particular intention to do something.	Use a negative infinitive if the speak has a clear intention to avoid something.
I don't plan to shop downtown. (Either I have no plans or shopping downtown is not included in my plans.)	I plan not to shop downtown. (Shopping downtown is not included in my plans.)
I don't want to buy anymore shoes. (Buying shoes is not included in my "want list".)	I want not to buy shoes. (This is my desire—no shos!)
I don't choose to wear fashionable shoes. (I am not a decision maker. The fashionistas make this decision.)	I choose not to wear fashionable shoes. (I make the decision—no fashionable shoes for me.)

subtle – not easy to notice or understand unless you pay careful attention; not obvious

Verb + Infinitive

Double -ing

Avoiding Double –ing

DOUBLE -ING	SWITCHING TO AN INFINITIVE
Commonly, a speaker will switch to vary the wording of a sentence that links same-form verbs. That is to say, we avoid using two -ing forms in a series, or too many to+verb forms in a series.	For those verbs (e.g.,attempt, begin, can't stand, continue, deserve, hesitate, intend, like, love, neglect, prefer, start) that do not change in meaning, the speaker can choose either infinitive or gerund form.
*Justin was continuing driving without his glasses. same meaning → Justin continued driving without his glasses.	Justin was continuing to drive without his glasses.
*Justin was starting wearing his glasses. same meaning → Justin started wearing his glasses.	Justin was starting to wear his glasses
He won't dare [to] continue to refuse paying for the gas. same meaning → (bare infinitive – gerund)	He won't dare to continue to refuse to pay for the gas.
She intends to try persuading him to help her [to] change her car tire. same meaning → (gerund – bare infinitive)	She intends to try to persuade him to help her to change her car tire.

*Yellow highlighted words are examples of incorrect usage.
"The doubl-ing constraint" (CaGEL 14.5.6.1)

Advanced – Infinitive / Gerund

Meaning Differs

Infinitive vs. Gerund meaning

INFINITIVE—MEANING 1	GERUND—MEANING 2
Some verbs change meaning when followed by an infinitive or gerund.	The verbs below vary in meaning from the verbs on the left.
Justin tried to wear his glasses all day. (attempted)	Justin tried wearing his glasses all day. (tried a new method)
Justin stopped to put on his glasses. (purpose; "so that he could")	Justin stopped putting on his glasses. (ended)
Justin remembered to put on his glasses . (didn't forget; he did put them on)	Justin remembered putting on his glasses. (recalled the action)
Justin forgot to put on his glasses . (didn't put them on)	Justin forgot putting on his glasses. (couldn't recalled the action)

Grammar Notes

Traditional Grammar vs. Linguistic Description

Advanced

TRADITIONAL GRAMMAR	LINGUISTIC DESCRIPTION
In traditional grammar, an "infinitive "phrase" wasa nominal form used as the object of the verb. Click to enlarge a diagram below.	In current grammar, the verb+ infintive is a "simple" construction. The clause complements specific verbs which form a sub-category. (See list a bove.) . The understood subject of the matrix (main) clause is the same as the subject of the infinitive clause: Ed needs (for Ed) to get some help. For more precise and complete details, see CaGEL — To-infinitivals with and without a subject (1178); The clause subordinator for (1181); accusative rather than nominative pronoun fomrs (1182); The infinitival subordinator to (1183); understood subjects (1192)
PARSE — Ed needs to get some help.	TREE — Ed needs to get some help.

TRADITIONAL GRAMMAR

LINGUISTIC DESCRIPTION

In traditional grammar, an "infinitive "phrase" wasa nominal form used as the object of the verb.

Click to enlarge a diagram below.

In current grammar, the verb+ infintive is a "simple" construction. The clause complements specific verbs which form a sub-category. (See list a bove.) . The understood subject of the matrix (main) clause is the same as the subject of the infinitive clause: Ed needs (for Ed) to get some help. For more precise and complete details, see CaGEL — To-infinitivals with and without a subject (1178); The clause subordinator for (1181); accusative rather than nominative pronoun fomrs (1182); The infinitival subordinator to (1183); understood subjects (1192)

PARSE — Ed needs to get some help.

TREE — Ed needs to get some help.

Click the diagram to enlarge it.

Also see Nonfinite Clause Diagrams

Practice 1

Verbs followed by infinitives

Global Warming

Select the word from each menu that best completes the sentence.
Compare your response to the answer by clicking the "check" button to the right.

#	IMAGE	YOUR RESPONSE
e.g.	Al Gore	Al Gore intends world-wide awareness to the issue of Global Warming.
1	Polar Ice Melting	Polar ice seems melting faster than ever before.
2	Stranded Polar Bears	Polar bears continue (lose) their habitat. (area where they live)
3	Solar Panels	People are trying alternative energy sources to heat homes.
4	Wind Mills	People want cleaner energy sources.
5	Fuel Efficient Car	People are promising more fuel-efficient cars.
6	Gas Guzzler	People are refusing huge "gas guzzling" (fuel inefficient) cars.
7	The Garbage Patch	Groups are preparing garbage islands in the Atlantic.
8	Air Pollution	People are demanding higher standards set for acceptable air pollution levels.
9	Clean Water	People want water supplies clean.
10	Biker	Everyone would like a clean environment.

Practice 2

Verbs followed by infinitives or gerunds

#	YOUR RESPONSE	CHECK YOUR ANSWER
11.	Taylor Mallory tried a new kind of diet.
12.	He planned among orangutans in a zoo for a month.
13.	He wanted how a plain and simple diet would affect him.
14.	Taylor attempted only the food the zookeepers brought to the gorrillas.
15.	He began carrots, cabbages, apples and oranges in their whole form.
16.	The animal keepers agreed no special food preparation to him. That is to say, they washed the cabbage and just chopped it in quarters.
17.	Taylor struggled cabbage, turnips and other raw fiberous vegetables .
18.	Soon, he hated food arrive. In contrast, his primate neighbors were delighted.
19.	Taylor had such intense stomach pain that the animal keepers didn't dare him anymore of the foods on the orangutan's' diet.
20.	Taylor gave up. He had hoped to try others to consider to a strict vegetarian diet, but he couldn't do it. commit (v.) – promise to do something

Practice 3

Editing

How good are you at editing sentences?

Write your corrections for the sentence in the text area
Then compare your response to the answer with the "check" button.

#	YOUR RESPONSE	ANSWER / FEEDBACK
21.	When learning how to cook, ninety per cent of the people fail learn what to cook or cook something really well. EDIT THIS: When learning how to cook, ninety per cent of the people fail learn what to cook or cook something really well.
22.	A true chef has to know how to examine, to feel and smell food. EDIT THIS: A true chef has to know how to examine, to feel and smell food
23.	Every young chef, hoping to create, perfect, and to present a special signature dish, begins by experimenting with strange combinations. perfect (v.) – to make perfect (adj.) , excellent EDIT THIS: Every young chef, hoping to create, perfect, and to present a special signature dish, begins by experimenting with strange combinations.
24.	Chocolate and pepper, onions and papaya, strawberries and truffles—bold pairings of ingredients tend to struggle persuading us to accept them as complementary. complementary (adj.) – things that are different but go well together EDIT THIS: Chocolate and pepper, onions and papaya, strawberries and truffles—bold pairings of ingredients tend to struggle persuading us to accept them as complementary.
25.	To seek that perfect combination of flavors is daunting; it is sheer joy finding it. daunting (adj.) – frightening in a way that makes you feel less confident EDIT THIS: To seek that perfect combination of flavors is daunting; it is sheer joy finding it.

Grammar-Quizzes.com

PRACTICE ON POINTS OF ENGLISH GRAMMAR

Verb + Infinitive

Expressing intent about activity

Full clause vs. Infinitive clause

Verbs Followed by Infinitives

Bare Infinitives

Omitting to

Bare Infinitive – optional vs. not optional

Verb + Infinitive

Negatives

Negative main verb vs. negative infinitive

Verb + Infinitive

Double -ing

Avoiding Double –ing

Advanced – Infinitive / Gerund

Meaning Differs

Grammar Notes

Traditional Grammar vs. Linguistic Description

Practice 1

Verbs followed by infinitives

Global Warming

Practice 2

Verbs followed by infinitives or gerunds

Practice 3

Editing

How good are you at editing sentences?