Understanding Infinitives: Uses of To and Without To | Simple Examples | 1 Exercise

Infinitives in English Grammar: To-Infinitives, Bare Infinitives, Uses & Exercises

This article is about the use of infinitives ‘to’ and the ‘without to’ infinitive. It contains an exercise for students to solve and learn the use of the infinitives in English Grammar.

The infinitives are used with or without to:

1. I want to dance.
2. I am able to speak French.
3. I can dance.
4. I could sing.

The infinitives are used with to in the first two sentences. There are called to-infinitives.

The infinitive may be used:

• As the subject of a verb as,
  • To err is human; to forgive is divine.
  • To read is good for the mind.
  • To run on snow can be dangerous.

• As the object of a verb as,
  • Girls love to play with dolls.
  • Boys like to play football.
  • Soldiers do not fear to die.

• As an adjective as (noun + infinitive)
  • He is the best man to ask for help.
  • Clean water to drink is scarce in this city.
  • Morning is the time to go to school.

1. As the complement of a verb.

1) Sita appears to write well.

2) He seems to be kind.

3) Their greatest desire is to buy a car

As an adverb

• verb + infinitive
• We study to pass the exam.
• I came to buy a magazine.
• They practiced to win the match.
• adjective + infinitive
• I am glad to help you.
• They speak English.
• John is eager to learn swimming.
• adverb +infinitive
• Alice went there to learn to drive.
• We stayed at home to rest.
• Jack drew nicely to win the drawing competition.

As the object of a preposition.
1) He had no option but to sell his guitar.
2) He was about to reach the finishing line.
3) They were about to complete the project.

In passive form as,
1) Porus wanted to be treated as a kind.
2) to have been awarded a prize was a great honour.
3) The boss likes to be respected by his subordinates

Exercise on Infinitives.

Rewrite the following sentences using the introductory word it.

The first one is done for you.

1. To eat this dish is difficult.

It is difficult to eat this dish.

• Rajeev was intelligent to pass the exam.
• To win the match was a great achievement.
• To sit on the wet grass was uneasy.
• John was silly to spend so much.
• To walk barefoot is not easy.
• To write a book in a day is difficult.
• To get good marks is the desire of the students.
• To walk on the left is quite safe.
• To eat with a spoon is convenient. 

Infinitives ‘Without to’

1. We do not use to in the infinitive with the following verbs:

Know, let, make, watch, hear, see, make, let.

• They let me sit there.
• They made him read fast.
• He saw her paint the wall.
• She need not read these books.
• He heard him speak French.

• We can also leave ‘to’ after ‘had better’, ‘sooner than’, ‘had rather’, ‘would rather’.
• She had better not eat too much sugar.
• Jane would rather work in a bank than in a hospital.
• Harry would rather read a book than watch a film.

Overall, the infinitive in English grammar helps students to write and speak in English effectively.

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