Verb patterns with the to-infinitive
Some verbs take to directly, some need an object first, and some take -ing instead. Learning the groups saves a lot of errors.
| Pattern | Common verbs | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb + to-infinitive | want, decide, hope, plan, agree, refuse, promise, manage, afford, offer, fail, tend, seem, aim, would like | They failed to reach an agreement. |
| Verb + object + to-infinitive | ask, tell, advise, allow, encourage, persuade, remind, warn, invite, want, expect | The teacher advised us to read more. |
| Verb + -ing (not to) | enjoy, avoid, finish, mind, suggest, consider, admit, deny, practise, keep | He finished writing at midnight. |
| Both, meaning changes | remember, forget, stop, try, regret, go on | See the table below. |
The bare infinitive
After modal verbs: can, could, will, would, shall, should, may, might and must. "You should apply now."
After make and let with an object: "The film made me cry." "Let her speak." In the passive, make takes to: "We were made to wait." Let has no passive, so use be allowed to.
After had better, would rather and why not: "You'd better leave." "Why not ask him?"
After help, with or without to: "She helped me (to) move house." Both are correct.
Infinitive or -ing: verbs that change meaning
The to-infinitive usually points forward to an action. The -ing form usually points back to an action or describes the activity itself.
| Verb | With to-infinitive | With -ing |
|---|---|---|
| remember | Did you remember to switch off the gas? (a task) | I remember switching it off. (a memory) |
| forget | Don't forget to bring your passport. (a task) | I'll never forget flying over the Alps. (a memory, usually with never) |
| stop | We stopped to rest. (in order to rest) | We stopped resting and carried on. (no longer rested) |
| try | Try to finish on time. (make an effort) | Try writing a plan first. (experiment with it) |
| go on | After the intro, she went on to explain the rules. (next step) | He went on talking for an hour. (continued) |
Infinitive of purpose
Use the to-infinitive to say why someone does something: "She saved money to buy a laptop." In more formal writing, in order to and so as to also work, and they are useful for the negative: "in order not to waste time".
Don't use for + -ing for the purpose of a person's action: "I went to the bank to withdraw money", not "for withdrawing money". For + -ing is fine for the function of a thing: "This knife is for cutting bread."
Common mistakes
Wrong: The teacher made me to rewrite the essay.
Right: The teacher made me rewrite the essay.
Make + object takes the bare infinitive in the active.
Wrong: I came to the UK for studying.
Right: I came to the UK to study.
Purpose is shown with the to-infinitive.
Wrong: She wants that I help her.
Right: She wants me to help her.
Want takes an object plus to-infinitive, not a that-clause.
Wrong: We decided going by train.
Right: We decided to go by train.
Decide is followed by the to-infinitive.
Using this in IELTS and PTE
Infinitives of purpose are everywhere in IELTS Writing Task 2 and PTE Write Essay: "Governments should invest in schools to reduce inequality." Verb + object + to patterns (encourage people to, allow students to, force companies to) are useful when you discuss policies. In IELTS Speaking Part 2, "I decided to ..." and "I managed to ..." help you tell a clear story.
5 questions
Exercise
Try each one, then open it to check your answer.
1. Complete this: "They let us ___ (leave) early."
leave
Let + object takes the bare infinitive.
2. Complete this: "She can't afford ___ (buy) a car."
to buy
Afford is followed by the to-infinitive.
3. Correct this: "He was made apologise."
He was made to apologise.
In the passive, make takes the to-infinitive.
4. What does "I remembered to call her" mean?
I didn't forget, so I called her.
Remember + to-infinitive refers to a task you then did.
5. Correct this: "The manager encouraged us that we apply."
The manager encouraged us to apply.
Encourage takes an object plus to-infinitive.
Frequently asked questions
What is an infinitive?+
The base form of a verb, usually with to in front of it, as in to go, to write and to be. It doesn't show tense or agree with a subject.
What is a bare infinitive?+
An infinitive without to. It is used after modal verbs, after make and let with an object, and after had better and would rather: "You'd better hurry."
Is it wrong to split an infinitive?+
No. "To quickly check" is grammatical, and modern style guides accept it. Some formal writers still avoid it, so move the adverb if the sentence reads just as well: "to check quickly".
How do I know whether a verb takes to or -ing?+
There is no reliable rule, so learn the common verbs in groups and check a learner's dictionary, which shows the pattern in its example sentences.
Keep going
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