Infinitive

Participle

Gerund

Infinitive1.Form The infinitive is the

base form of a verb. It may be preceded by 'to‘ (the to-infinitive)

or stand alone (the base or zero infinitive).

2. The to-infinitive is used:

a.after certain verbs. want, wish, agree, fail, mean, decide, learn

b. after the auxiliaries to be to, to have to, ought to

c. in the pattern it’s+adjective +to-infinitive

with 'to'        The elephant decided to marry the mouse         The mouse agreed to marry the elephant         You will have to ask her         You are to leave immediately         He ought to relax         She has to go to Berlin next week         It's easy to speak English        

without 'to'         I would rather visit Rome.         She would rather live in Italy.         Would you rather eat steak or fish?         He would rather work in a bank.         I'd rather be a forest than a tree.

Examples: Why wait until tomorrow?  Why not ask him now?

The question word Why isfollowed by the zero infinitive in suggestions:

Make and Let

•The customs officer made Sally open the case.

•Let me carry your bag for you.

The infinitive can have the following forms:    The perfect infinitive  The continuous infinitive  The perfect continuous infinitive The passive infinitive

The perfect infinitive:to have + past participle

e.g. to have broken, to have seen, to have saved.

This form is most commonly found in Type 3 conditional

Sentencese.g. If I had known you were

coming I would have baked a cake.

•Someone must have broken the window and climbed in. •He pretended to have seen the film. •If I'd seen the ball I would have caught it.

Examples:

The continuous infinitive:

to be + present participle

e.g.to be swimming, to be joking, to be waiting

•I'd really like to be swimming in a nice coolpool right now. •You must be joking! •I happened to be waiting for the bus when the accident happened.

Examples:

. to have been + present participle

to have been cryingto have been waitingto have been painting

The perfect continuous infinitive:

•The woman seemed to have been crying. •You must have been waiting for hours! •He pretended to have been painting all day

Examples:

e.g. to be given, to be shut, to be opened

The passive infinitive:

to be + past participle

•I am expecting to be given a pay-rise next month. •These doors should be shut. •This window ought to be opened.

Examples: