Which has neither face nor number. The infinitive only names the action denoted by the verb. As in Russian, in English the indefinite form of the verb answers the questions “what to do?” and "what to do?"
To think - to think.
To say - to speak.
The indefinite form of the verb comes from the verbal noun and retains the properties of this part of speech, performing the syntactic functions of the noun in the sentence.
The formal sign of the infinitive in English is the particle to before it, which in some cases can be omitted. The to particle has no independent meaning; it never gets stressed.
Functions of the infinitive
1. Function of the subject:
2. The nominal part of the predicate:
His aim was to decline Mark. His goal was to deceive Mark.
3. Part composite verbal predicate:
We intend to celebrate this occasion.We intend to celebrate this event.
4. Function additions:
Peter asked me to look after his son. Peter asked me to look after his son.
5. Function definitions:
There is a lot of work to be done.There is a lot of work to be done.
6. Function circumstances:
I swim everyday to be fit.I swim every day to keep fit.
Infinitive forms: table
Transitive verbs in English have four forms of the infinitive in the active voice and two in the passive voice, for a total of 6 forms:
| Active | passive | |
| Indefinite continuous Perfect Perfect Continuous |
to accept
to be accepted to have accepted to have been accepted |
to be accepted — to have been accepted — |
Only two forms of the infinitive are translated into Russian with the corresponding forms: Indefinite Infinitive Active and Indefinite Infinitive Passive. There are no corresponding forms for other forms in Russian, so they cannot be translated in isolation from the sentence.
The use of the infinitive with a particle to(full infinitive)
As mentioned above, the indefinite form of the verb in English is used with the particle to:
to swim- swim.
To playplay.
If two infinitives are side by side in a sentence, then the particle to before the second of them is usually omitted:
He is too young to smoke and drink. He is too young to smoke and drink.
Sometimes a particle to can be used at the end of a sentence without a verb. This happens when the verb to which the particle refers has already been mentioned in the sentence. In this situation, the particle to is stressed. This use of the particle is often found in sentences with verbs. to want - to want, to wish - to wish, to mean - to keep in mind, to try- try, try, to allow - allow, to be going - gather, should (would) like - would like and etc.:
She wants me to go there today, but I don't want to. She wants me to go there today, but I don't want to.
(Implying: go).
I didn't want to stay there, but I had to. I didn't want to stay there, but I had to.
(Implying: stay).
Using the infinitive without a particle to(bare infinitive)
In some cases, the infinitive is used without a particle to.
1. After modal verbs must, can (could), may (might) And need:
He must help me. He must help me.
You may come in.You can to come in.
2. After verbs to make - force,to let - allow and sometimes also after to help - to help:
Help me choose a gift for my sister.Help me choose a present for my sister.
Mother makes me clean my room.Mom makes me clean my room.
Father let me go to my friend.My father allowed me to go to a friend.
3. In circulation after verbs to watch - observe,to see - see,to hear - hear,to feel - feel and some others:
I saw her write the letter.I saw her writing a letter.
Note. If the verbs listed in paragraphs. 2–3 are used in the passive voice, then the infinitive following such a verb is used with the particle to:
He was made to clean his room.They made him clean the room.
She was seen to write the letter.We saw her writing a letter.
4. After set expressions had better - it would be better, would rather, would sooner - preferred would:
You had better go home.You'd better go home.
I would rather stay here.I would rather stay here.
Now you know all about the infinitive in english. Ask questions in the comments.
That smoke is harmful. Smoking is harmful.
That obey the laws is everyone's duty.
Obeying the law is everyone's responsibility.
to save money now is practically impossible.
It is almost impossible to save (postpone) money now.
I shall go to the Crimea. I will go to the Crimea.
I didn't see the new production of our drama theatre.
I have not seen the new production of our drama theater.
3. Part of the compound verbal predicate.
Not can dance twist.
He can dance the twist.
b) in combination with verbs that do not give a full semantic meaning without an infinitive: to begin - start off, to continue - continue, to decide- decide, to want - want, to hope- hope, to try- try, try, to end - finish, to stop - stay and etc.:
He decided to rest in Sochi. He decided to rest in Sochi.
She hoped to get tickets for the concert. She hoped to get tickets for the concert.
4. The nominal part of the compound predicate.
Our plan is to work during our summer vacation and then buy a tape player and some cassettes.
Our plan is to work during the summer holidays and then buy a tape recorder and some cassettes.
I have no desire to order these books.
I have no desire to order these books.
The captain was the last to leave the ship.
The captain was the last to leave the ship. (The captain was the last to leave the ship.)
Note:
I. The infinitive, which determines the noun, is translated by a definitive subordinate clause with a verb expressing obligation in the form of the future tense.
The schoolchildren to take part in the ski race, have come.
Schoolchildren who will take part in skiing competitions have come.
The text-book to be published next year is written by our lecturers.
The textbook, which will be published next year, is written by our teachers.
2. The infinitive in the definition function is often used after the words the first, the second, the third, ..., the last, the only, etc. and is translated by the verb in the personal form in the tense in which the verb-predicate is.
Is not always the last to come to work.
He always comes to work last.
I am sure she will be the first to come to the railway station to meet us.
I'm sure she'll be the first to come to the station to meet us.
1. To express the goal (when translating before the infinitive, the union is used in order to):
Not came to Moscow to study at the University.
He came to Moscow (to) study at the university.
He worked hard not to lag behind the other people.
He worked hard to keep up with others.
BUT: After the verbs to go and to come in the imperative mood, the infinitive is not used. The infinitive takes on an imperative form (the form of the imperative mood), and both verbs are combined with the conjunction and.
go and ask him. (You can't say: Go to ask him.) Go and ask him.
Come and ring him up. (You can't say: Come to ring him up.) Come and call him.
An infinitive expressing a goal can be preceded by conjunctions in order to - to, so as to - in order to.
Doesn't work so hard in order not to lag behind the other people.
He works so hard (in order to) keep up with the others.
Take a taxi so as not to miss the train.
Take a taxi so you don't miss the train.
2. To express the consequence in circulation
Infinitive (infinitive) is an impersonal verb form that only names an action, without specifying either a person or a number. The infinitive answers questions what to do? what to do?: to read read, read; to write write, write; to buy buy, buy; to sell sell, sell.
The infinitive has no special ending; its formal feature is the particle to, which has no independent meaning and does not take on stress, but shows that the word following it is an infinitive. However, it is often omitted. So, the particle to is not placed before the infinitive if it is used after modal verbs or verbs of sensory perception as part of the "complex addition" construction.
The infinitive originated from the verbal and retained the properties of this part of speech, performing in the sentence, like the infinitive in Russian, the syntactic functions of a noun.
№
p/n
FUNCTION
EXAMPLE
Subject
That skate is pleasant.
Ride nice to skate.
To read is a great pleasure.
Read (reading)
-
great pleasure.
Predicative
Your duty was to inform me about it immediately.
Your duty was to report me about it immediately.
The duty of every student is to master at least one foreign language.
The duty of each student is master in at least one foreign language.
Part of the compound verb predicate in combination with modal verbs and with verbs expressing the beginning, continuation or end of an action ( to begin, to continue, to end, to stop) or attitude to the action indicated by the infinitive ( to want, to decide, to intend)
She began to translate the article.
She started transfer article.
She must translate this article today.
She must translate this article today.
He began to translate this article.
He started transfer this article.
Addition
I asked him to help me.
I asked him help to me.
He had promised me to draw this map.
He promised me draw this card.
Definition. The infinitive in the definition function comes after the word being defined
Not expressed a desire to help me.
He expressed his desire help to me.
The device to be tested has been brought to our library.
Appliance, to be tested (probable) brought to our laboratory.
Purpose circumstance or consequences. In the function of circumstance, the infinitive can be both at the beginning of the sentence and at the end. In the function of the circumstance of the goal, the infinitive may be preceded by conjunctions: in order, so as in order to
I went to the station to see off a friend. I went to the station to see a friend off.
You must work much in order to master a foreign language. = In order to master a foreign language you must work much.
You must work hard to master foreign language.
He went there so as to help you.
He went there to help to you.
№ |
PROPERTY |
EXAMPLE |
||
The infinitive of a transitive verb can have a direct object after it. |
I told him to post the letter. I was asked to send this letter. |
|||
The infinitive can be determined by the circumstance expressed by the adverb |
I asked him to speak slowly. He hoped to finish his work soon. |
|||
The infinitive has tense and voice forms. In English, transitive verbs have four active forms and two passive forms. |
Active |
passive |
||
Indefinite |
to ask |
to be asked |
||
continuous |
to be asking |
does not exist |
||
Perfect |
to have asked |
to have been asked |
||
Perfect |
to have been asking |
does not exist |
||
The infinitive can express an action that is not related to a specific person or object:
In most cases, however, the action expressed by the infinitive refers to a specific person or thing:
(The action expressed by the infinitive to go refers to the subject I.)
Ask him to come early. |
Ask him come early. |
(The action expressed by the infinitive to come refers to the addition him.)
When an action expressed by the infinitive is performed by the person or object to which it refers, then the infinitive is used in the Active form:
When the action expressed by the infinitive is performed on the person or object to which it refers, then the infinitive is used in the Passive form:
FEATURES OF THE USE OF INFINITIVE FORMS |
||
№ |
CAN EXPRESS |
EXAMPLE |
INDEFINITE INFINITIVE |
||
Action (or state), simultaneous with the action indicated by the personal form of the verb (predicate) |
We want to learn. |
|
Action (or state) irrespective of the moment of its commission |
We know aluminum to be one of the lightest metals. |
|
Future action after modal verbs may , must , should , ought , and after verbs to expect expect, suppose, to intend to intend , to hope to hope , to want to want and a number of others |
You must leave tomorrow. I intend to begin the experiment. |
|
CONTINUOUS INFINITIVE |
||
The action in its development, occurring simultaneously with the action indicated by the verb in the personal form |
I knew him to be writing an article. |
|
PERFECT INFINITIVE |
||
The action that preceded the action expressed by the verb in the personal form |
I know him to have written this article last night. |
|
After the past tense of verbs to intend, to hope, to expect, to mean expresses an action that was not taken contrary to expectation, hope, intention or assumption |
I meant to have done it. |
|
The assumption that the action has already taken place. In combination with the modal verbs must and may, it is translated as a verb in the past tense with the words " probably should be maybe" |
My watch must have stopped during the night. |
|
After modal verbs should, would, could, might, ought And was (were) expresses regret or reproach about an action that should have or could have taken place, but actually did not take place. It is translated into Russian by a verb in the subjunctive mood with the words "should", etc. |
You might have asked me about it. |
|
PERFECT CONTINUOUS INFINITIVE |
||
Expresses an action that took place over a period of time. previous action expressed by the verb in the personal form |
I know him to have been writing this article for 2 hours. |
|
INFINITIVE WITH TO |
The infinitive is usually preceded by the particle to: to speak to talk, to buy to buy, to read to read.
If there are two side by side in a sentence, connected by the union and or or, then the to particle before the second of them is usually omitted:
The particle to is sometimes used at the end of a sentence without a verb when that verb is mentioned earlier in the sentence. In this case, the emphasis falls on her. This use of the particle is often found after the verbs to want to want, to wish to wish, to mean to mean, to try try, try to allow, to be going to gather, ought follows, to have in the meaning of "should", should (would) like would like etc.
CASES OF USE OF THE INFINITIVE WITHOUT THE PARTICLE TO |
|||
№ |
USE CASE |
EXAMPLE |
|
After modal verbs must, can (could), May (might) and need |
You must do it at once. Not can speak German. May I come in? need he come here? |
||
After the verbs to make to force, to let to allow, and sometimes also after to help to help (especially often in the USA) |
Not made me read this book. I let him go there. Help me (to) do it. |
||
In the turnover "complex subject" after the verbs of sensory perception: to see to see, to watch to observe, to hear to hear, to feel to feel and some others |
I saw her leave the room. I heard her sing. I felt him put his hand on my shoulder. |
||
When the verbs listed in paragraphs 2 and 3 are used in the passive voice, the infinitive following it is used with the particle to |
Not was made to do it. Not was seen to leave the house. |
||
After the expressions had better it would be better, would rather, would sooner would prefer |
You had better go there at once. I would rather don't tell them about it. Didn't say he would sooner stay at home. |
||
According to the norms of modern grammar, the English infinitive is one of the three main non-personal ones, along with the participle and the gerund. However, historical evidence suggests that in the Old English period the infinitive had an inflected form, which presumably indicates its origin from a noun. So how do you know what an infinitive really is? In general, it can be compared with in Russian, since, similarly to it, the English infinitive simultaneously has the properties of both a verb and a noun. However, at the same time, he has a number of specific qualities that significantly complicate the life of people who are just starting to learn English. To understand what the infinitive is and what it is "eaten with", consider its main functions, forms and the most common examples of use.
Functions of the infinitive
| Infinitive form | Pledge | |
| Active | Passive | |
| Simple | To bite | To be bitten |
| Perfect | To have bitten | To have been bitten |
| continuous | To be biting | - |
| Perfect Cont. | To have been beaten | - |
What is the infinitive c to
Particle to is an infinitive, although in itself it does not carry any semantic meaning. The infinitive with to in is always used after:
1. Words the last/first/next:
He is the next to get his passport in our family. - He is the next one to get a passport in our family.
2. Adjectives expressing any relationship:
We are more than happy to spend this weekend with you. - We will be happy to spend this weekend with you.
3. Question words:
Can you explain one more time how to fix it? - Can you explain again how to fix it?
4. Constructions verb + noun/local:
I helped my dad to clean the car. - I helped my dad wash the car.
5. Constructions for + noun/local:
She waited for the cab to come. She was waiting for the taxi to arrive.
6. Verbs agree, ask, decide, help, plan, hope, learn, want, would like, promise, refuse, claim, decide and others:
She refused to date her boss. She refused to meet her boss.
It should be remembered that with some verbs from this list, you can use both the gerund and the infinitive. It all depends on what meaning of the word you want to convey.
"Naked" infinitive
What is an infinitive with a particle to, as well as options for its use - we have considered. Now let's pay attention to the main cases when it can be used without it. So, in English, the “naked” infinitive comes after:
1. Modal verbs shall, can, will, may, must/mustn't, needn't, could, would, might and should:
I shall bake a cake for his birthday. - I should bake a cake for his birthday.
2. Phrase would rather/sooner, had better, why not, why should (not):
I would rather read a book than watch this film. I would rather read a book than watch this movie.
3. Verbs of sensory or intellectual perception feel, hear, notice, see, watch + addition:
I heard Peter sing a song. - I heard Peter sing.
4. verbs let/make + addition:
Mother let her daughter decide on her own. - A mother lets her daughter make her own decisions.
Of course, these are far from all the linguistic nuances associated with the use of the English infinitive. However, if you understand the basics, then learning a foreign language will go much easier.
