Verbs with Objects Followed by Infinitives: getting other people to do things

Verb + Pronoun + Infinitive

Getting other people to do things

That Clause vs. Infinitive Clause

FULL CLAUSE			INIFINITIVE CLAUSE
After a number of verbs expressing hope or attitude, a that-clause follows with noun/pronoun and a particular activity. †(The that-clauses below, demonstrate the underlying sentence structure and may not actually be used in speech or writing.) Note that the that-clause includes a nominative pronoun (subject pronoun).			A similar meaning may be expressed with an infinitive clause. Because the infinitive clause has no subject, it must be understood from the main clause. → Ed needs (for Ed) to get some help. Ed needs (for you) to get some help. (The subject of an infinitive is expressed as [for + accusative noun]. Review Infinitive with Subject.)
SUBJECT NOUN & VERB Ed needs	NOMINATIVE PRONOUN [that he (Ed) [that you†	UNDERLYING THAT-CLAUSE get some help.] get some help.]	SUBJECT NOUN & VERB Ed needs	ACCUSATIVE PRONOUN — you	INFINITIVE CLAUSE COMPLEMENT to get some help. [Ed needs Ed to get…] to get some help.
Ed wants	[that he (Ed) [that he	finds some peace and quiet.] find some peace and quiet.]	Ed wants	— him	to find some peace and quiet. to find some peace and quiet.
Ed wishes	[that he (Ed) [that she	receives attention.] receive attention.]	Ed likes	— her	to receive attention. to receive attention.
Ed hates	[that he (Ed) [that we	hears criticism from others.] hear criticism from others.]	Ed hates	— us	to hear criticism from others. to hear criticism from others.

NP (noun phrase) – a noun and any dependents such as a determiner or a modifying word, phrase, or clause
nominative – a noun form used when it is the subject of the verb (she, he, we, they)
accusative – a noun form used when it is the object of the verb (her, him, us, them)
complement – a word, phrase or clause required in a sentence to complete its meaning
[not used] The clause is part of the underlying sentence structure and may not actually be used in speech or writing.

Two Subcategories of Verbs — How Do They Differ?

1. PERSUADED — HAS AN ORDINARY OBJECT	2. INTENDED — HAS A RAISED OBJECT
Persuade takes either an object noun, or an object noun + an infinitive clause as its complement. The person mentioned as the object of the main clause is also understood as the subject "doer" in the infinitive clause. Frida is both an ordinary object of the verb persuade and the understood subject of the infinitive clause to do the portrait. Ed persuaded Frida (for Frida) to do the portrait.	However, intend takes only an infinitive as its complement. It does not take a noun as its object. The object (Frida) is actually a raised object, or the understood subject of the infinitive clause [ for + noun] (accusative pronoun). Ed intended (for) Frida to do the portrait.
APPEARS THE SIMILAR Ed persuaded Frida to do the portrait. Ed persuaded Frida that Frida do the portrait.	APPEARS SIMILAR Ed intended Frida to do the portrait. Ed intended that Frida do the portrait.
VERB TAKES AN NOUN AS OBJECT — YES Ed persuaded Frida. This verb does not take an noun as its object.	VERB TAKES AN NOUN AS OBJECT — NO *Ed intended Frida. This verb does not take a noun as object, but it can take an infinitive clause after it. (In traditional grammar this is marked as a transitive verb, even though it does not take a noun as its object.)
VERB ACCEPTS FOR BEFORE THE OBJECT — NO Ed persuaded (for) Frida to do the portrait. Note this is for, the subordinator, not for, the preposition.	VERB ACCEPTS FOR BEFORE THE OBJECT — YES Ed intended (for) Frida to do the portrait. If we can put for before the object, then Frida is actually the subject of the infinitive clause. See Infinitive with Subject.
PERSUADE ⇒ VERB + OBJECT + INFINITIVE CLAUSE Ed persuaded Frida (for Frida) to do the portrait. †clause subject Ed persuaded Frida (for Frida) to do the portrait. omit repeated noun Ed persuaded Frida to do the portrait. The object of the main verb is also the understood subject of the infinitive clause.	INTEND ⇒ VERB + INFINITIVE CLAUSE w/ SUBJECT Ed intended (for) Frida to do the portrait. Ed intended (for) Frida to do the portrait. for is optional Ed intended Frida to do the portrait. The subject of the infinitive clause is raised to become the object of the verb in the main clause.

1. PERSUADED — HAS AN ORDINARY OBJECT

2. INTENDED — HAS A RAISED OBJECT

Persuade takes either an object noun, or an object noun + an infinitive clause as its complement. The person mentioned as the object of the main clause is also understood as the subject "doer" in the infinitive clause. Frida is both an ordinary object of the verb persuade and the understood subject of the infinitive clause to do the portrait. Ed persuaded Frida (for Frida) to do the portrait.

However, intend takes only an infinitive as its complement. It does not take a noun as its object. The object (Frida) is actually a raised object, or the understood subject of the infinitive clause [ for + noun] (accusative pronoun). Ed intended (for) Frida to do the portrait.

APPEARS THE SIMILAR

Ed persuaded Frida to do the portrait. Ed persuaded Frida that Frida do the portrait.

APPEARS SIMILAR

Ed intended Frida to do the portrait. Ed intended that Frida do the portrait.

VERB TAKES AN NOUN AS OBJECT — YES

Ed persuaded Frida.

This verb does not take an noun as its object.

VERB TAKES AN NOUN AS OBJECT — NO

*Ed intended Frida.

This verb does not take a noun as object, but it can take an infinitive clause after it. (In traditional grammar this is marked as a transitive verb, even though it does not take a noun as its object.)

VERB ACCEPTS FOR BEFORE THE OBJECT — NO

Ed persuaded (for) Frida to do the portrait.

Note this is for, the subordinator, not for, the preposition.

VERB ACCEPTS FOR BEFORE THE OBJECT — YES

Ed intended (for) Frida to do the portrait.

If we can put for before the object, then Frida is actually the subject of the infinitive clause. See Infinitive with Subject.

PERSUADE ⇒ VERB + OBJECT + INFINITIVE CLAUSE

Ed persuaded Frida (for Frida) to do the portrait. †clause subject

Ed persuaded Frida (for Frida) to do the portrait. omit repeated noun

Ed persuaded Frida to do the portrait.

The object of the main verb is also the understood subject of the infinitive clause.

INTEND ⇒ VERB + INFINITIVE CLAUSE w/ SUBJECT

Ed intended (for) Frida to do the portrait.
Ed intended (for) Frida to do the portrait. for is optional
Ed intended Frida to do the portrait.

The subject of the infinitive clause is raised to become the object of the verb in the main clause.

†The subject of the infinitive clause is expressed as [for + noun] (accusative pronoun)
transitive – in traditional grammar, a verb that takes a direct object and form a passive
See Infinitive with Subject. (CaGEL 1178)
(CaGEL 1201-39)

1. Verbs Like "persuade" — [He persuaded us] to take his place.

VERBS LIKE "PERSUADE" — verbs whose complement is an object + infinitive clause
advise We advised him to take a break.	*ask She asked us to come along.	aid We aided him to take a stay.	appoint We appointed him to lead.
assist We assisted him to finish.	authorize We authorized them to withdraw.	back We backed him to be President.	*beg She begged us to stay up late.
blackmail We blackmailed him not to speak.	bribe We bribed him to advance.	bring up We brought him up to be honest.	caution We cautioned him to slow down.
challenge We challenged him to compete.	choose We chose him to help.	coax We coaxed him to be nicer..	command He commanded us to stop.
commission We commissioned him to paint.	compel He compelled us to leave.	condemn He condemned the prisoner to death.	dare He dared us to jump.
direct They directed us to walk back.	discipline He disciplined them to sit and wait.	drive He drove them to act selfishly.	elect They elected her to serve two years.
enable They enabled him to act.	encourage They encouraged me to speak.	equip They equipped him to climb the mountain.	forbid They forbid him to go alone.
force They forced him to go alone.	*help(optional to) They helped us to win.	hire He hired me to drive.	inspire He inspired us to try.
instruct He instructed us to dance.	invite They invited us to eat..	instruct He instructed me to leave at once.	lead His action lead us to strike.
leave He left us to finish the work.	nag She nagged him to stop smoking.	nominate We nominated him to be president.	oblige They obliged us to carry a passport.
order They ordered us to carry a passport.	persuade He persuaded us to drive.	prefer He urged us to work hard.	prepare She prepared us to go home.
pressure He pressured us to help.	prompt He prompted us to respond.	provoke They provoked us to strike back.	push They pushed us to excel.
remind He reminded us to be there.	select We selected him to lead.	sentence The judge sentenced him to a week in jail.	summon The judge summoned him to come.
teach He taught me to read.	tell He told me to rest.	tempt She tempted him to eat the apple.	trust They trusted us to be honest.
urged He urged us to work hard.	warned We warned them to slow down.	warned We warned them to slow down.	will She willed herself not to cry.

*verb can be used in both sentences

Verbs Like "Intend" He intends [us to take his place] .

VERBS LIKE "INTEND" — verbs whose complement is an infinitive clause with a subject
allow He allowed us to try it out.	can't bear They can't bear us to be gone.	can't stand He can't stand us to be lazy.	cause We cause us to lose the race.
desire He desired us to win.	expect We expected him to be President.	hate We hated them to slow down.	intend He intended us to take his place.
*like She liked us to be creative.	love They love us to be around.	need We need you to think clearly.	permit He permitted us to eat out at lunch.
plan He planned us to go to college.	require He require ed us to dress for business.	want She wanted us to cry.	wish We wished then to succeed.

command & order

Verbs Like "Ask" — Who is doing the Action?

1. SUBJECT DOES THE ACTION			2. SOMEONE ELSE DOES THE ACTION
It is possible to understand each sentence below in two ways. (1) Edward is the subject of the main clause and the understood subject of the infinitive clause. Ed asked us (for Ed) to leave. The object "us" can be deleted without much change in meaning. Ed asked to leave.			(2) Edward is the subject of the main clause and "us" is both the object of the main clause and the understood subject of the infinitive clause. Ed asked us ← (for us) to leave. The pronoun is called a "raised object"
SUBJECT NOUN & VERB 1a. Edward asked 1b. Edward asked	OBJECT PRONOUN — us (optional)	INFINITIVE CLAUSE to leave. (He's leaving.) to leave. (He's leaving.)	SUBJECT NOUN & VERB 1c. Edward asked	RAISED OBJ PRONOUN us ← (for us)	INFINITIVE CLAUSE to leave. (We're leaving.)
2a. Edward begged 2b. Edward begged	— us	to stay. (He's staying.) to stay. (He's staying.)	2c. Edward begged	us ← (for us)	to stay. (We're staying.)
3a. Edward is paying 3b. Edward is paying	— us	to house-sit. (He's house-sitting.) to house-sit. (He's house-sitting.)	3c. Edward is paying	us ← (for us)	to house-sit. (We're house-sitting.)

Other verbs that follow (1.) pattern above: petition, promise, pledge, request, train
†The subject of the infinitive clause is expressed as [for + noun] (accusative pronoun) See Infinitive with Subject. (CaGEL 1178-82)
house-sit – occupy and care for a house while the usual people who live there are away on a trip

Other

Bare Infinitives & Negative

Bare Infinitives

VERB	"TO" OMITTED	VERB	OPTIONAL "TO"
make	They made us wash dishes. They forced us. We washed the dishes.	help	They helped us (to) cook dinner. They helped us. We all cooked.
have	They had us clear the table. They employed us. We cleared the table.
let	They let us leave early. They permitted us. We left early.

Negatives – Similar Meanings

NEGATIVE MAIN VERB	NEGATIVE INFINITIVE
He doesn't want me to waste paper.	He wants me not to waste any paper.
* He doesn't want me to waste no paper. (Use any.)	He wants me not to waste any paper.
	He wants me to not waste any paper. (awkward word order - place not before to.)

Common Mistakes

ERROR	FIX
*I hope you to have a good trip.	I hope to have a good trip. (Remove the indirect object - you.) I hope (that) you will have a good trip. (Use a that-clause with an indirect object.)
*I promise you to be careful.	I promise to be careful. (I promise that I will be careful.) I promise you (that) I will be careful. (Use a that-clause with an indirect object.)

*Yellow highlighted words are examples of incorrect usage.
Related page Command Clauses

Grammar Notes

Traditional Grammar vs. Linguistic Description

(Advanced)

TRADITIONAL GRAMMAR	LINGUISTIC DESCRIPTION
Traditional grammar did not focus on this particular functional relationship between the verb and the object pronoun with regard to the "infinitive phrase".	In modern linguistics, noun or pronoun in a verb + pronoun + infinitive construction either belongs syntactically to the main verb (as its object), or to the infinitive clause as its subject [for + noun] (accusative pronoun).. 1) Ed intended to do it. → [Ed intended (for Ed) to do it.] (Ed is the understood subject of both clauses.) 2) Ed intended Frida to do it. → [Ed intended (for) Frida to do it. (Frida is the subject of infin. clause.) 3) Ed persuaded Frida to do it. → [Ed persuaded Frida (for Frida) to do it.] (Frida is both the object of the main clause and the understood subject of the infinitive clause.) To-infinitivals with and without a subject (CaGEL 1178); The clause subordinator for (1181); accusative rather than nominative pronoun forms (1182); The infinitival subordinator to (1183); understood subjects (1192)
Ed persuaded Frida to do the portrait. This diagram is a guess !	Ed intended Frida to do the portrait. Also a guess !	Ed persuaded Frida to do the portrait.	Ed intended Frida to do the portrait.

TRADITIONAL GRAMMAR

LINGUISTIC DESCRIPTION

Traditional grammar did not focus on this particular functional relationship between the verb and the object pronoun with regard to the "infinitive phrase".

In modern linguistics, noun or pronoun in a verb + pronoun + infinitive construction either belongs syntactically to the main verb (as its object), or to the infinitive clause as its subject [for + noun] (accusative pronoun)..

1) Ed intended to do it. → [Ed intended (for Ed) to do it.] (Ed is the understood subject of both clauses.)
2) Ed intended Frida to do it. → [Ed intended (for) Frida to do it. (Frida is the subject of infin. clause.)
3) Ed persuaded Frida to do it. → [Ed persuaded Frida (for Frida) to do it.] (Frida is both the object of the main clause and the understood subject of the infinitive clause.)

To-infinitivals with and without a subject (CaGEL 1178); The clause subordinator for (1181); accusative rather than nominative pronoun forms (1182); The infinitival subordinator to (1183); understood subjects (1192)

Ed persuaded Frida to do the portrait.

This diagram is a guess !

Ed intended Frida to do the portrait.

Also a guess !

Ed persuaded Frida to do the portrait.

Ed intended Frida to do the portrait.

Click the diagram to enlarge it.

Practice

Cleaning up after an oil spill

Getting someone else to do something!

Select the verb form that best completes the sentence.
Compare your response to the answer by clicking the check button.

#	YOUR RESPONSE	ANSWER
e.g.	Scientists selected Al Gore the message about Global Warming.
1	We want drivers their driving.
2	We are urging Congress laws to restrict energy waste.
3	We expect environmental scientists solutions.
4	We urge politicians the country toward energy conservation.
5	We need inventors solutions.
6	We can teach children lights when they leave rooms.
7	We invite volunteers parks and beaches.
8	We need to remind everyone the planet's resources.
9	Compact fluorescent light bulbs help us electricity.
10	Driving compact cars lets us fuel consumption.