INFINITIVES
Infinitive after be + complement
Gerunds are common in constructions that use a form of the verb be plus a
COMPLEMENT and a PREPOSITION (see 43b). However, use an infinitive, not a
gerund, when be plus a complement is not followed by a preposition.
We are eager to go [not going] camping.
I am ready to sleep [not sleeping] in a tent.
Infinitive to indicate purpose
Use an infinitive in expressions that indicate purpose: I read a book to learn
more about Mayan culture. This sentence means “I read a book for the pur-
pose of learning more about Mayan culture.” To learn delivers the idea of
purpose more concisely (see Chapter 16) than expressions such as so that I
can or in order to.
Infinitive with the first, the last, the one
Use an infinitive after the expressions the first, the last, and the one: Nina is
the first to arrive [not arriving] and the last to leave [not leaving] every day.
She’s always the one to do the most.
Unmarked infinitives
Infinitives used without the word to are called unmarked infinitives, or
sometimes bare infinitives. An unmarked infinitive may be hard to recognize
because it is not preceded by to. Some common verbs followed by unmarked
infinitives are feel, have, hear, let, listen to, look at, make (meaning “com-
pel”), notice, see, and watch.
Please let me take [not to take] you to lunch. [unmarked infinitive]
I want to take you to lunch. [marked infinitive]
The verb help can be followed by a marked or an unmarked infinitive. Either
is correct: Help me put [or to put] this box in the car.
Gerunds are common in constructions that use a form of the verb be plus a
COMPLEMENT and a PREPOSITION (see 43b). However, use an infinitive, not a
gerund, when be plus a complement is not followed by a preposition.
We are eager to go [not going] camping.
I am ready to sleep [not sleeping] in a tent.
Infinitive to indicate purpose
Use an infinitive in expressions that indicate purpose: I read a book to learn
more about Mayan culture. This sentence means “I read a book for the pur-
pose of learning more about Mayan culture.” To learn delivers the idea of
purpose more concisely (see Chapter 16) than expressions such as so that I
can or in order to.
Infinitive with the first, the last, the one
Use an infinitive after the expressions the first, the last, and the one: Nina is
the first to arrive [not arriving] and the last to leave [not leaving] every day.
She’s always the one to do the most.
Unmarked infinitives
Infinitives used without the word to are called unmarked infinitives, or
sometimes bare infinitives. An unmarked infinitive may be hard to recognize
because it is not preceded by to. Some common verbs followed by unmarked
infinitives are feel, have, hear, let, listen to, look at, make (meaning “com-
pel”), notice, see, and watch.
Please let me take [not to take] you to lunch. [unmarked infinitive]
I want to take you to lunch. [marked infinitive]
The verb help can be followed by a marked or an unmarked infinitive. Either
is correct: Help me put [or to put] this box in the car.
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