Verb + infinitive

UNIT 52  Verb + infinitive

A.   need           appear           forget               offer                  decide                 mean
learn (how)      agree            refuse            attempt                 plan                   seem
       dare           promise       manage            arrange             pretend               tend
   threaten            fail              hope                afford                 intend

If these verbs are followed by another verb, the structure is usually verb + infinitive:

• It was late, so we decided to take a taxi home.

• like George, but I think he tends to talk too much

• How old were you when you learned to drive? (= or learned how to drive)

• They agreed to lend me some money when I told them the position I was in.

• He's lazy. He needs to work harder.

• I'm sorry I didn't mean to hurt you.

Note these examples with the negative not to . . .

• We decided not to go out because of the weather.

• She pretended not to see me as she passed me on the street.

with other important verbs you cannot use the infinitive. For example think and suggest:

• Are you thinking of buying a car? (not thinking to buy)

• Jill suggested going to the movies (not suggested to go)                       

B.   There is a continuous infinitive (to be doing) and a perfect infinitive (to have done). We use
these after seem, appear, and pretend:

• I pretended to be reading (= I pretend that i was reading)

• You seem to have lost weight. (= it seems that you have lost weight)

• He appears to be doing a good job. (as it appears that he is doing a good

C.   Dare: You can say dare to do or dare do (without to):

• I wouldn't dare to ask him    or    I wouldn't dare ask him

D.   After the following verbs you can use a question word (what/where/how, etc.) + infinitive:

ask         decide         know          remember          forget           explain          understand

We asked                        how         to get           to the station.

Have you decided        where       to go            for your vacation?

Tom explained (to me)  how    to change       the tire on the car.

I don't know                whether     to go            to the party or not.

Also: show/tell/ask someone what/how/where to do something:

• Can someone show me how to change the film in this camera?

• Ask Jack. He'll tell you what to do.