如前言中說明，不定詞一般帶有「想做但未做」的概念。例如: I want to swim. (我想要游泳)。因此有些動詞因本身的意義會比較適合搭配不定詞作為受詞。

常見的動詞如下:

1. plan
   例句: I'm planning to move to Taipei next year.

2. decide
   例句: I’ve decided to break up with my boyfriend.

3. promise
   例句: John promised not to be late for the meeting.

4. want / would like / would love
   例句: He doesn’t want to attend his ex-girlfriend’s wedding.

5. need
   例句: I’m sorry I need to study tonight.

6. expect
   例句: We expect to have fifty people attending our annual conference.

7. offer
   例句: He offered to help me carry those bags.

8. mean
   例句: I didn’t mean to hurt you.

9. hope
   例句: I hope to take at least seven courses next semester.

以上9個動詞之外，其他後面需接不定詞的動詞一覽表格，請參考「後接不定詞與動名詞的常見動詞一覽表」。

另外某些動詞(含上述)後或許會先接一個代名詞或名詞作為受詞，之後再接不定詞。此種情況的不定詞的功能為受詞補語。例如:

• John wants to clean the kitchen.-->to clean於此句中做為受詞使用。

• John wants his son to clean the kitchen.-->此句的受詞為his son，to clean則為受詞補語。

相關句型請參考做「不定詞與動名詞做受詞補語」頁面。