Questions tagged [to-infinitive]
For questions about the "base" form of a verb when it is used with "to". See "bare-infinitives" for questions about the base form of a verb when it is used without "to".
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questions with no upvoted or accepted answers
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How many times can you use “to” before verbs?
If a sentence describes a goal, then how many times should “to” be used there?
My goal is to practice conversation and to improve my vocabulary.
Or
My goal is to practice conversation and improve ...
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2
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3
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142
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"This computer is for you to attend lectures" instead of "*This computer is to attend lectures."
I learned that you use "for -ing" and not a 'to' infinitive when you want to say the purpose of a tool, but I am not so sure about it.
People told me I should say:
This computer is for you ...
- 69
2
votes
1
answer
125
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"the only thing you did today was breathe" vs. "the only thing you did today was TO breathe"
Sometimes it's okay if the only thing you did today was breathe.
In this sentence, should I use a bare infinitive, 'breathe', or 'to breathe'? I think I should use a bare infinitive, otherwise ...
2
votes
1
answer
347
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This is essential to be accepted or to/for being accepted by others
can you please help me with this sentence. Which is correct? Or are they both? What is the difference?
Many young people think that wearing trendy clothes is essential ...
to be accepted ...
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0
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53
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"XYZ is a website to improve English (on)" VS "XYZ is a good website to improve English (on)"
I am used to sentences like
"XYZ is a good website to improve your English (on)"
"XYZ is a great camera to film movies"
"XYZ is an amazing ball to play street basketball (...
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vote
1
answer
67
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Usage of " only to"
Could you help me understand the following structure:
This sentence is from Advanced Grammar in Use: " Note, however, that the situation or event does not have to continue until the time of the ...
- 33
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0
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28
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Sentences with :- helping verbs(except do and have)+to+verb
If I were to do this, it would be better.
All of these are to be considered music for us.
I have never seen helping verbs like 'are' and 'were' being used with 'to' in this way. What do 'were to do' ...
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Is the “to” in “the first person to seriously consider” a preposition or “to + verb”?
In this sentence,
She's the first person in her immediate family to seriously consider getting it.
"to" is not used as "to + verb", right? If so, it is used as a preposition, but ...
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1
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0
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228
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To infinitive as object complement
i have a question concerning whether "to resist" in the sentence below is an object complement.
"He lacked the strength to resist"
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0
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What part of speech is this "to be grown"?
The original sentence is
The plant itself is the only variety of orchid to be grown on a commercial scale.
I only want to know the function or the role of to be grown here.
Is it the complement? ...
- 524
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0
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32
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gerund and infinitive differences
1)Nobody likes being cheated
2)Nobody likes to be cheated
Are both sentences correct? If yes, what is the difference in meaning of the two sentences?
1
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0
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561
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To infinitive VS bare infinitive
He made me laugh(active)
I was made to laugh by him(passive voice)
In the active voice made is followed by personal object and bare infinitive.
But in the passive voice made is followed ...
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0
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96
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"try and be more assertive" VS "try to be more assertive"
I am not a native English speaker but I am very used to using try to be more + (Adjective) form.
But very often do I get to see native English speakers use try and be more (Adjective) form.
I'd like ...
- 1,659
1
vote
1
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330
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Is 'yet to arrive' a direct object of 'have'?
They have yet to arrive.
In this sentence, the understood meaning is that 'they' are going to arrive, but they haven't arrived yet. However, I'm struggling to break this down grammatically.
In the ...
- 247
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0
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21
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All you have to do now is "finish your homework" or "to finish your homework"?
I know that the sentences below are both correct.
All you have to do is finish your homework.
All you have to do is to finish your homework.
My grammar book says that "to do is..." is an ...
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0
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0
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57
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The difference between to-infinitives and Ving after superlative adjectives
We can use a to-infinitive after a superlative adjective, with a meaning similar to a relative clause with who, which or that:
Who was the oldest person to compete in the London Marathon of 2008? (Who ...
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1
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51
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'It is impossible' followed by a that-clause vs. 'It is impossible' followed by a for + Noun Phrase + to + Infinitive construction
It is impossible that everyone is telling the truth.
It is impossible for everyone to be telling the truth.
What on earth is the difference between the meanings of two sentences above?
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0
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46
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Strange intuition about split infinitives
I recently encountered a sentence in a story that has got me to thinking:
He at least had class enough not to leer.
The sentence as-is seems fine, although I would usually use a word order of "...
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0
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25
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Is it correct to use the to-infinitive after past participles?
The patches are seen to merge or diverge along their lengths.
The -ing shouldn't be used in this sentence?
The patch is understood to be a useful minimum indicator of the distribution of gas.
Is ...
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0
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Wash your hands before you go to sleep. (sleep is a noun or a verb?)
Wash your hands before you go to sleep.
'sleep' is a noun or a verb in the sentence above? (In other words, the 'to' is a preposition or an infinitive?)
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0
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"TO" FOR PURPOSE
Does "to" in the following sentences express purpose?
She was busy all day. She didn't have a moment to rest.
He loved her but he didn't have the courage to tell her.
My friend helped me ...
0
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2
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Which one is correct? When asked to comment / When he being asked to comment / When asking to comment / When he asked comment
I'm doing my grammar homework, but it really kills me.
( ).He refused to given any explanation.
A. When asked to comment on the quality of the goods.
B. When he being asked to comment.
C. When asking ...
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0
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35
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Do bare infinitives/to infinitives/gerunds refer to both unfinished action and finished action?
Do infinitives and gerunds refer to both unfinished action and finished action?
For example, I started building a house. In this case, “building a house” refers to unfinished action. I finished ...
- 305
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0
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50
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"To" or "that" after passive construction?
When I study, I saw sentence like this:
Earthquake rupture has been thought to happen by enlargement of a crack.
There is a information for this sentence in my book and by the way "has been ...
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21
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What kind of grammar construction is this?
I came across this sentence in "English Grammar In Use Supplementary Exercises".
The following sentence is:
"We had hoped to be living (live) in our new house by now, but the builders ...
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0
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33
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For someone to do something vs so that
I was wondering, if there is any difference between "for someone to do" and "so that".
For instance, Is
"many parents used to beat their children for them to study" the ...
- 69
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0
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237
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be careful to do something
If you are careful to do something, does it mean you do it carefully, or you are careful in order to do it? What is the function of the infinitival phrase?
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0
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58
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Aim to or Aim for in this context?
Is it correct to use aim for in this context? or rather I should write aim to?.
.Firstly, the MSc in ecology at the Kora University shares the same focus my bachelor in ecology has. Both aim for ...
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0
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For someone to + verb
8 minutes for this guy to fall down to earth yet it takes one hour for my Uber eats to be delivered
I saw this comment on a video on YouTube and I'd like to know if when I use 'for someone to + verb',...
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0
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What the usage and role of "to be" in below sentence?
What the usage and grammatical role of "to be" in below sentence?
It rained this morning but it has turned out to be a lovely day.
What's the difference between the above sentence and ...
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0
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48
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When is 'to' prepositional and when particle of infinitive?
1.Having been in that kind of situation I can tell you it's not the good place to be.
2.Having been in that kind of situation I can tell you it's not the good place to being.
3.Having been in that ...
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0
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gerund and infinitive difference
I regret being late
vs
I regret to be late.
what is the difference in meaning of these two sentences???
0
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1
answer
255
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"Sue told Johnsy not to move and (to) promise her..."
Sue said, "Johnsy, don't move and promise me not to look out of the window."
Sue told Johnsy not to move and to promise her not to look out of the window.
(OR)
Sue told Johnsy not to move ...
0
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0
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54
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I have a lamp to repair vs I have a lamp to be repaired. To infinitive passive or active?
I'm trying to study to infinitive passive/active form, and I've seen the explanation.
It says, we use the active infinitive if we are focusing on the agent(doer of the action), and passive if we are ...
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0
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What "to infinitive" modifies in this sentence?
The fund will go a long way to solve their problem.
I have a question on what "to solve their problem" modifies in the sentence.
I think this can modify either "a long way" or "the whole sentence, ...
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0
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62
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To infinitives as adjectives
I have been thinking about the two sentences below to see whether they are natural or not. I am wondering when an infinitive used as an adjective makes sense or sounds correct.
a
The parent just ...
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0
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"Could you help me [to] review this document?"
Should we use to after the verb "help"? Are both of the following sentences correct?
Could you help me to review this document?
Could you help me review this document?
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2
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They have a big project to launch a new product
They have a big project to launch a new product.
Does this sentence sound natural?
If so, in the natural reading, what's the syntactic function of "to launch a new product"?
This is not ...
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1
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852
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except drink / to drink / drinking - difference
She had nothing to eat except drink water
She had nothing to eat except to drink water?
She had nothing to eat except drinking water
Are all the above sentences grammatical? IF So, What is the ...
0
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1
answer
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ability for V-ing?
Normally, the noun "ability" is followed by a to-infinitive, as in "ability to sing." But I have seen someone define the noun "faculty" as "a particular ability for doing something." I'd like to know ...
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1
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"To" + infinitive for purpose
Does "to" in the following sentence express purpose?
He could not bring himself to believe that his father had really died.
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1
answer
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the people’s anxiety for the war (to end)
"the people’s anxiety for the war to end"
"the people's anciety for the war" means they want the war to happen ?
What's the function of 'to end' after for the war? Is there any ...
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1
answer
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Why does "a comma" exist between "to+infinitive clause" and "a relative clause" in this sentence?
In the link https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/declaration-transcript, it is written
We hold these truths to be self-evident , that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their ...
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1
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Infinitive.. How to form these sentences correctly?
1) I intended to have spent my summer vacation in the country
2) I knew him to be waiting for me that evening -
I would rather say "I knew he was waiting for me that ...