What Are Infinitives?

An infinitive is the base form of a verb, the simplest and most fundamental version of any action word in the English language. When we say "to go," "to eat," "to learn," or "to believe," we are using infinitives. They are the raw, unconjugated form of a verb — they do not change for tense, person, or number. The infinitive is the form you find when you look up a verb in the dictionary, and it serves as the building block from which all other verb forms are created.

There are two types of infinitives in English: the full infinitive (also called the to-infinitive), which includes the word "to" before the verb, and the bare infinitive, which is the verb alone without "to." Both types play essential roles in English grammar, and knowing when to use each one is a key skill for any learner aiming for accuracy and fluency.

Infinitives can function in several different ways within a sentence. They can act as the subject of a sentence (To travel is exciting), as the object of a verb (She wants to leave), as a complement after an adjective (I am happy to help), or to express purpose (He went to the shop to buy milk). This remarkable flexibility makes infinitives one of the most versatile structures in English.

💡 Key Point

The infinitive is not a tense. It does not tell us when something happens. Instead, it names an action in its purest form. Think of it as the "dictionary form" of any verb.

Type Form Example
Full Infinitive to + base verb I want to learn English.
Bare Infinitive base verb (no "to") She can speak three languages.
Negative Infinitive not + to + base verb He decided not to go.
Perfect Infinitive to + have + past participle She seems to have forgotten.
Continuous Infinitive to + be + verb-ing He appears to be sleeping.
Passive Infinitive to + be + past participle The report needs to be finished.

Full Infinitive vs Bare Infinitive

The most important distinction when studying infinitives is the difference between the full infinitive (to-infinitive) and the bare infinitive. The full infinitive includes the particle "to" before the verb, while the bare infinitive drops "to" entirely. The context — specifically, the word that comes before the infinitive — determines which type we must use.

📐 The Two Forms

Full Infinitive: to + base verb

Used after most verbs (want, need, decide, hope), after adjectives, and to express purpose.

Bare Infinitive: base verb (without to)

Used after modal verbs (can, will, must, should), after let, make, and sometimes help.

Feature Full Infinitive (to + verb) Bare Infinitive (verb only)
Form to go, to eat, to sleep go, eat, sleep
After main verbs ✔ I want to go. ✘ I want go.
After modal verbs ✘ I can to swim. ✔ I can swim.
After adjectives ✔ It is easy to learn. ✘ It is easy learn.
After "let" ✘ Let me to help. ✔ Let me help.
After "make" ✘ She made me to cry. ✔ She made me cry.
To express purpose ✔ I came to help. ✘ I came help.
After "would rather" ✘ I'd rather to stay. ✔ I'd rather stay.
After "had better" ✘ You'd better to hurry. ✔ You'd better hurry.
After "help" ✔ He helped me to carry it. ✔ He helped me carry it.
⚠️ Common Mistake

Never use "to" after modal verbs (can, could, will, would, shall, should, may, might, must):
✘ She can to dance very well.
✔ She can dance very well.
✘ You must to finish your homework.
✔ You must finish your homework.

💡 Special Case: Help

The verb help is unique because it can be followed by either the full infinitive or the bare infinitive — both are correct:
She helped me to clean the house. = She helped me clean the house.
In American English, the bare infinitive after "help" is more common.

Verbs Followed by Infinitives

Many common English verbs are followed directly by the to-infinitive. There is no simple grammar rule to predict which verbs take an infinitive — you must learn them through practice and exposure. However, these verbs generally express desires, plans, decisions, or attitudes about future actions. Below is a comprehensive list of the most important verbs followed by infinitives.

📐 Pattern

Subject + verb + to + base verb

The main verb expresses the attitude or decision, and the infinitive names the action being planned, desired, or decided upon.

Verb Meaning Example
want desire something I want to travel to Japan next year.
need require something You need to study harder for the exam.
decide make a choice They decided to move to Berlin.
hope wish for something We hope to see you at the concert.
plan intend to do She plans to start her own business.
agree consent to do He agreed to help us with the project.
promise give your word She promised to call me after the meeting.
refuse say no The children refused to eat their vegetables.
offer propose to do My neighbour offered to water our plants.
learn gain knowledge He is learning to play the guitar.
expect anticipate I expect to receive the results tomorrow.
afford have enough money/time We cannot afford to buy a new car.
manage succeed in doing She managed to finish the report on time.
seem appear to be He seems to enjoy his new job.
appear look like The weather appears to be improving.
pretend act as if The boy pretended to be asleep.
tend usually do People tend to eat more in winter.
choose select an option She chose to study medicine.
fail not succeed He failed to pass the driving test.
attempt try to do They attempted to climb the mountain.
⚠️ Common Mistake

Do not use a gerund (-ing) after verbs that require an infinitive:
✘ I want going to the cinema.
✔ I want to go to the cinema.
✘ She decided leaving early.
✔ She decided to leave early.

💡 Memory Trick

Many verbs that take infinitives involve future-oriented thinking — plans, decisions, hopes, and expectations. If the verb looks forward to a future action, it probably takes an infinitive. Gerunds, by contrast, often refer to actions that are already happening or are general experiences.

Infinitive of Purpose — To Express Why

One of the most common uses of the to-infinitive is to express purpose — to explain why someone does something. When we use "to + verb" in this way, it answers the question "Why?" or "What for?" This is called the infinitive of purpose, and it is equivalent to saying "in order to" or "so as to."

📐 Formula

Subject + verb + to + base verb (purpose)

The infinitive of purpose explains the reason for an action. You can also use "in order to" or "so as to" for a more formal tone.

Action Purpose (Why?) Full Sentence
She went to the library to study for her exam She went to the library to study for her exam.
He opened the window to get some fresh air He opened the window to get some fresh air.
We saved money to buy a new house We saved money to buy a new house.
I called you to ask about the meeting I called you to ask about the meeting.
They moved to London to find better opportunities They moved to London to find better opportunities.
She woke up early to catch the first train She woke up early to catch the first train.
He turned off his phone to avoid distractions He turned off his phone to avoid distractions.
I am writing this email to inform you about the changes I am writing this email to inform you about the changes.

For the negative infinitive of purpose, we use "in order not to" or "so as not to." We do not normally say "not to" on its own for purpose:

Negative Purpose Example
in order not to She whispered in order not to wake the baby.
so as not to He left quietly so as not to disturb anyone.
in order not to I set an alarm in order not to oversleep.
so as not to We drove slowly so as not to miss the turning.
⚠️ Common Mistake

Do not use "for + verb-ing" when the subject of both clauses is the same person:
✘ I went to the shop for buying milk.
✔ I went to the shop to buy milk.
✘ She exercises for losing weight.
✔ She exercises to lose weight.

💡 Formal vs Informal

to + verb → neutral, everyday English
in order to + verb → slightly more formal
so as to + verb → formal, often written English
All three mean the same thing. Use "to" in conversation and "in order to / so as to" in essays and reports.

Bare Infinitive — After Modals, Let, Make, Help

The bare infinitive is the verb form without "to." While the to-infinitive is more common overall, the bare infinitive appears in several very important structures. Learning when not to use "to" is just as important as learning when to use it.

📐 When to Use the Bare Infinitive

Modal verb + bare infinitive

Let + object + bare infinitive

Make + object + bare infinitive

Would rather + bare infinitive

Had better + bare infinitive

In all these structures, the verb that follows does NOT take "to."

Structure Rule Example
can can + bare infinitive She can speak four languages fluently.
could could + bare infinitive I could hear the music from my room.
will will + bare infinitive They will arrive at six o'clock.
would would + bare infinitive I would like a cup of tea, please.
shall shall + bare infinitive Shall we go for a walk?
should should + bare infinitive You should see a doctor about that.
may may + bare infinitive It may rain this afternoon.
might might + bare infinitive We might visit Paris in the summer.
must must + bare infinitive You must wear a seatbelt in the car.
let let + object + bare infinitive Please let me know if you need anything.
make make + object + bare infinitive The teacher made the students rewrite the essay.
would rather would rather + bare infinitive I'd rather stay home tonight.
had better had better + bare infinitive You'd better hurry or you'll miss the bus.
⚠️ Make — Active vs Passive

In active sentences, make takes the bare infinitive. But in passive sentences, make requires the to-infinitive:
✔ Active: The boss made us work overtime.
✔ Passive: We were made to work overtime.
✘ Passive: We were made work overtime.

⚠️ Let vs Allow

Let takes the bare infinitive, but allow takes the to-infinitive. Do not mix them:
✔ My parents let me go to the party.
✔ My parents allowed me to go to the party.
✘ My parents let me to go to the party.
✘ My parents allowed me go to the party.

💡 Perception Verbs

Verbs of perception — see, hear, watch, notice, feel — can also take the bare infinitive when we talk about a complete action:
I saw her cross the road. (She crossed completely.)
I heard him sing a beautiful song. (The whole song.)
Compare with -ing: I saw her crossing the road. (She was in the middle of crossing.)

Infinitive After Adjectives and Question Words

The to-infinitive frequently appears after adjectives to explain why we feel a certain way, or to comment on the nature of something. It also combines with question words (who, what, where, when, how, which) to form indirect questions and express uncertainty about an action.

📐 Patterns

It is + adjective + to + verb

Subject + be + adjective + to + verb

Question word + to + verb

These patterns are extremely common in everyday English and appear in both speaking and writing.

Infinitive after adjectives:

Adjective Example
happy I am happy to help you with your project.
glad We are glad to hear the good news.
sad She was sad to leave her friends behind.
surprised They were surprised to find the door unlocked.
afraid He is afraid to walk home alone at night.
ready Are you ready to begin the presentation?
difficult It is difficult to learn a new language quickly.
easy This recipe is easy to follow.
important It is important to eat a balanced diet.
impossible It was impossible to see anything in the fog.

Infinitive after question words:

Question Word Example
what + to verb I do not know what to say.
where + to verb Can you tell me where to park the car?
when + to verb She is not sure when to call the doctor.
how + to verb He taught me how to ride a bicycle.
which + to verb I cannot decide which to choose.
who + to verb We need to decide who to invite to the wedding.
whether + to verb I am wondering whether to accept the job offer.
how much + to verb He asked how much to pay for the tickets.
💡 Too and Enough

The infinitive is also used after too and enough to express result or consequence:
too + adjective + to + verb: She is too tired to cook dinner.
adjective + enough + to + verb: He is old enough to drive a car.
not + adjective + enough + to + verb: The water is not warm enough to swim in.

⚠️ Common Mistake

Do not confuse "why" with the question-word + infinitive pattern. We do NOT say "why to":
✘ I do not know why to go there.
✔ I do not know why I should go there.
Use a full clause after "why," not an infinitive.

❖

The infinitive is the seed of every verb — small in form, yet containing all the potential of an action waiting to unfold.

— The Grammar Gazette
❖

Example Sentences

Below you will find a rich collection of example sentences organized by type. Study these carefully to see how infinitives are used across different contexts and situations.

✅ Full Infinitive (to + verb)
She wants to become a doctor when she grows up.
They decided to postpone the meeting until next week.
I need to finish this report before five o'clock.
He promised to bring the books back tomorrow.
We hope to visit New York one day.
My grandmother is learning to use a computer.
The company plans to expand into new markets.
She refused to accept the unfair conditions.
❌ Bare Infinitive
You should take an umbrella — it might rain.
Can you help me carry these boxes upstairs?
Let me explain the situation clearly.
The funny film made everybody laugh.
I'd rather walk than take the bus in this weather.
You'd better leave now or you'll be late.
We must finish the project by Friday.
I saw him cross the street and enter the building.
❓ Infinitive of Purpose
She went to Paris to study art at a famous academy.
I turned on the heating to warm up the house.
He joined the gym to get fit before the summer.
We need to save more money to afford a holiday.
She took a taxi in order not to be late for the interview.
I wrote down the address so as not to forget it.
They hired a guide to show them around the city.
He is studying hard to pass the entrance examination.

Verb + Object + Infinitive Pattern

Many verbs in English can be followed by an object and then an infinitive. In this pattern, the subject of the infinitive is the object of the main verb — in other words, the infinitive tells us what the object does, not what the subject does. This is a very common and important structure.

📐 Formula

Subject + verb + object + to + base verb

The main verb acts on the object, and the infinitive tells us what the object is expected, asked, told, or allowed to do.

Verb Pattern Example
ask ask + obj + to verb I asked her to close the window.
tell tell + obj + to verb The teacher told us to open our books.
want want + obj + to verb I want you to be careful on the road.
expect expect + obj + to verb They expect us to arrive before noon.
advise advise + obj + to verb The doctor advised him to rest for a week.
encourage encourage + obj + to verb My parents encouraged me to follow my dreams.
invite invite + obj + to verb She invited us to join her for dinner.
allow allow + obj + to verb The school does not allow students to use phones.
remind remind + obj + to verb Please remind me to call the dentist tomorrow.
teach teach + obj + to verb My father taught me to ride a bicycle.
warn warn + obj + to verb The police warned drivers to be cautious on icy roads.
force force + obj + to verb Nobody can force you to change your mind.
⚠️ Common Mistake

Do not forget the object between the verb and the infinitive when the verb requires one:
✘ I told to come early.
✔ I told him to come early.
✘ She asked to help her. (ambiguous — means she asked permission)
✔ She asked me to help her. (clear — she requested my help)

💡 Want, Need, Would Like

These verbs work in two patterns:
Without object: I want to go. (I will go.)
With object: I want you to go. (You should go.)
Notice how the meaning changes completely depending on whether there is an object. With an object, the infinitive action applies to the object, not to the subject.

💡 Negative Object Infinitive

To make the infinitive negative in this pattern, put "not" before "to":
I told her not to worry.
The sign warned us not to touch the exhibits.
She asked me not to tell anyone.

Common Mistakes

Infinitives are a frequent source of errors for English learners. Below is a detailed breakdown of the most common mistakes, with clear corrections and explanations.

Mistake Type Incorrect Correct
"to" after modals ✘ I can to swim. ✔ I can swim.
"to" after let ✘ Let me to go. ✔ Let me go.
"to" after make ✘ She made me to cry. ✔ She made me cry.
Missing "to" after want ✘ I want go home. ✔ I want to go home.
-ing instead of infinitive ✘ She decided studying law. ✔ She decided to study law.
Missing object ✘ I told to be quiet. ✔ I told them to be quiet.
Wrong negative form ✘ He decided to don't go. ✔ He decided not to go.
"for" instead of "to" (purpose) ✘ I came for help you. ✔ I came to help you.
"to" after had better ✘ You'd better to leave. ✔ You'd better leave.
"to" after would rather ✘ I'd rather to stay. ✔ I'd rather stay.
Passive "make" without "to" ✘ I was made work late. ✔ I was made to work late.
"why to" error ✘ Tell me why to do it. ✔ Tell me why I should do it.
⚠️ The Negative Infinitive

The negative of an infinitive is not to + verb, NOT "to not + verb" or "to + do not + verb":
✘ I decided to not go to the party. (awkward — avoided in standard English)
✘ She promised to don't tell anyone. (grammatically wrong)
✔ I decided not to go to the party.
✔ She promised not to tell anyone.

⚠️ Split Infinitives

A split infinitive occurs when a word (usually an adverb) is placed between "to" and the verb:
to boldly go, to really understand, to carefully examine
While split infinitives are widely accepted in modern English, some formal writing guides still consider them incorrect. In academic writing, it is safer to place the adverb after the verb:
✔ to understand fully — rather than — to fully understand

💡 Quick Test

If you are unsure whether to use "to" or not, ask yourself: What word comes before the verb?
• If it is a modal (can, will, must, should, etc.) → NO "to"
• If it is let, make, would rather, had better → NO "to"
• If it is a main verb (want, need, decide, hope, etc.) → YES "to"
• If it is an adjective (happy, easy, difficult, etc.) → YES "to"

❖

Infinitives vs Gerunds

One of the most challenging areas of English grammar is knowing whether to use an infinitive (to + verb) or a gerund (verb + -ing) after a particular verb. Some verbs take only infinitives, some take only gerunds, and some accept both — sometimes with a change in meaning. There is no single rule that covers all cases, so learners must study the patterns carefully.

Verbs that take ONLY the infinitive:

Verb Example with Infinitive
want I want to learn how to cook.
need You need to practice every day.
decide They decided to sell their old car.
hope We hope to see you soon.
agree He agreed to pay for the damage.
promise She promised to write to us.
refuse The cat refused to eat the new food.
plan We plan to travel to Tokyo in April.
offer He offered to drive us to the airport.
manage She managed to solve the puzzle.

Verbs that take ONLY the gerund:

Verb Example with Gerund
enjoy I enjoy reading before bed.
avoid You should avoid eating too much sugar.
mind Do you mind waiting for a few minutes?
suggest She suggested going to a different restaurant.
finish Have you finished writing the report?
keep He keeps forgetting his password.
consider They are considering moving to a bigger city.
deny He denied stealing the money.
practise She practises playing the piano every day.
give up He gave up smoking last year.

Verbs that take BOTH — with NO change in meaning:

Verb With Infinitive With Gerund
start It started to rain. It started raining.
begin She began to cry. She began crying.
continue He continued to work. He continued working.
like I like to swim. I like swimming.
love She loves to cook. She loves cooking.
hate I hate to wait. I hate waiting.
prefer I prefer to walk. I prefer walking.
intend I intend to apply. I intend applying.

Verbs that take BOTH — with a CHANGE in meaning:

Verb + Infinitive (to + verb) + Gerund (verb + -ing)
remember I remembered to lock the door.
(I did not forget — I locked it.)		 I remember locking the door.
(I have a memory of doing it.)
forget I forgot to call her.
(I did not call — I forgot.)		 I'll never forget visiting Rome.
(The memory is unforgettable.)
stop He stopped to smoke.
(He paused in order to smoke.)		 He stopped smoking.
(He quit the habit.)
try I tried to open the window.
(I attempted but may have failed.)		 I tried opening the window.
(I experimented with that method.)
regret I regret to inform you...
(I am sorry to tell you now.)		 I regret telling her the secret.
(I wish I had not told her.)
go on She went on to become a lawyer.
(Next, she became a lawyer.)		 She went on talking for hours.
(She continued talking.)
mean I meant to call you.
(I intended to call.)		 This job means working weekends.
(It involves working weekends.)
⚠️ Stop + Infinitive vs Stop + Gerund

This is one of the most commonly confused pairs:
He stopped to talk to his friend. → He was doing something else, then he stopped (paused) in order to talk.
He stopped talking to his friend. → He was talking, and he ended the conversation.
The infinitive gives the purpose of stopping. The gerund names the activity that was stopped.

⚠️ Remember + Infinitive vs Remember + Gerund

Remember to lock the door. → Do not forget! (The action has NOT happened yet.)
I remember locking the door. → I have a memory of it. (The action already happened.)
The infinitive looks forward (future action). The gerund looks backward (past memory).

💡 The Golden Rule

As a general guideline:
• Infinitives often refer to actions that are future, potential, or not yet completed.
• Gerunds often refer to actions that are real, ongoing, or already experienced.
This is not an absolute rule, but it can help you make the right choice when you are unsure.

Feature Infinitive (to + verb) Gerund (verb + -ing)
Time reference Often future / potential Often past / ongoing
After modals Bare infinitive (no "to") Not used
As subject To err is human. (formal) Swimming is fun. (natural)
After prepositions ✘ interested in to learn ✔ interested in learning
For purpose ✔ I came to help. ✘ I came helping.
After "enjoy" ✘ I enjoy to read. ✔ I enjoy reading.
After "want" ✔ I want to read. ✘ I want reading.
After adjectives ✔ easy to understand ✘ easy understanding
💡 After Prepositions — Always Gerund

One rule that never changes: after a preposition, always use the gerund, never the infinitive:
✔ I am interested in learning French.
✘ I am interested in to learn French.
✔ She is good at playing chess.
✘ She is good at to play chess.
✔ Thank you for helping me.
✘ Thank you for to help me.

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