THE INFINITIVE

THE INFINITIVE

The form of “verb + to” is called infinitive.

Read the following sentences-

1.     To err is human

2.     Birds love to sing.

3.     To respect our parents is our duty.

4.     He refused to obey the orders.

5.     Many men desire to make money quickly.

Sentence 1: To err = noun, subject of a verb is.

Sentence 2: To sing = noun, object of a verb love.

Sentence 3: To respect = noun, subject of a verb is.

Sentence 4: To obey = noun, object of a verb refused.

Sentence 5: To make = noun, object of a verb desire.

** The word ‘to’ is frequently used with the infinitive, but is not an essential part or sign of it. Thus, after certain verbs (bid, let, make, need, dare, see, hear) use the infinitive without to; as-

Bid him go there.

I bade him go.

Let him sit here.

I will not let you go.

Make him stand.

I made him run.

We need not do it.

You dare not do it.

I saw him do it.

I heard him cry.

** don’t use ‘to’ after modal verbs will, would, shall, should, may, might, can, could, must etc. and also had better, would rather, sooner than, rather than etc.