Infinitive, bare infinitive, gerund

The Bare Infinitive, Infinitive and Gerund

The word to is frequently used with a verb infinitive, but it is not an essential part of it.

When an infinitive is used without to it is called a bare infinitive.

Using the bare infinitive

1. The infinitive is used without to after certain verbs like bid, let, make, see, hear, need, dare etc.

I bade him go. (NOT I bade him to go.)
Let him sit there. (NOT Let him to sit there.)
She made me cry. (NOT She made me to cry.)
I heard him sing a lovely song. (NOT I heard him to sing a lovely song.)

2. The bare infinitive is also used after the MODAL VERBS will, would, shall, should, may, might, can, could and must. (these are also called "auxiliary" verbs) They can ONLY be used together with another verb.

I will wait. (NOT I will to wait.)
You must obey my instructions. (NOT You must ~~to obey~~ my instructions.)
He can speak five languages. (NOT He can ~~to speak~~ five languages.)
You should come to school in time. (NOT You should ~~to come~~ to school in time.)

3. The infinitive is also used without to after had better, would rather, sooner than and rather than.

You had better ask his permission. (NOT You ~~had better to ask~~ his permission.)
I would rather die than surrender. (NOT I ~~would rather to die~~ than surrender.)
He would rather play than work.

Remember we use the bare infinitive

After 'let', 'make' and (sometimes) 'help' - The teacher let us leave early
After some verbs of perception (see, watch, hear, notice, feel, sense) - I watched her walk away
After expressions with 'why' - why go out the night before an exam?

Using the gerund

We use gerunds (verb + ing):

After certain verbs, cor example ...

enjoy: I enjoyed living in France.
fancy: I fancy seeing a film tonight.
discuss: We discussed going on holiday together.
dislike: I dislike waiting for buses.
finish: We've finished preparing for the meeting.
mind: I don't mind coming early.
suggest: He suggested staying at the Grand Hotel.
recommend: They recommended meeting earlier.
keep: He kept working, although he felt ill.
avoid: She avoided talking to her boss.

2. After prepositions - I drank a cup of coffee before leaving. I read a book while leaving.

3. As the subject or object of a sentence - Swimming is good exercise. Walking is good for your health. Seeing you reminded me how much I had missed you.

Using the normal infinitive

We use 'to' + infinitive:

After certain verbs - e.g. We decided to leave
After many adjectives - It's difficult to get up early
To show purpose - I came to London to study English

These are typical verbs followed by 'to' and the infinitive.

agree: She agreed to give a presentation at the meeting.
ask: I asked to leave early / I asked him to leave early.
decide: We decided to go out for dinner.
help: He helped to clean the kitchen / he helped his flatmate to clean the kitchen.
plan: She plans to buy a new flat next year.
hope: I hope to pass the exam.
learn: They are learning to sing.
want: I want to come to the party / I want him to come to the party.
would like: I would like to see her tonight / I would like you to see her tonight.
promise: We promised not to be late.

See further examples here

Exercise: use the bare infinitive, the infinitive or the gerund?

They made me ___ what I had seen (tell, to tell, telling).
Walking or cycling is the best way ___ a country (see, to see, seeing).
They never let me ___ the night out when I was at school (spend, to spend, spending).
There is nothing ___ in this little town, so we always go to the city on Saturdays (do, to do, doing).
We'll have to give up ___ to parties every weekend (go, to go, going).
I suggest ___ the fish for just a short time (boil, to boil, boiling).
They said they had come ___ me questions but they only wanted to sell something (ask, to ask, asking).
My parents advised me not ___ too much medicine (take, to take, taking).
We forgot ___ the lights and our landlord got very angry with us (switch off, to switch off, switching off).
I remember ___ long conversations with my grandfather when I was younger (have, to have, having).
I'd rather ___ in a tent than in a dirty hotel (sleep, to sleep, sleeping)
Victor is always the first ___ and is very proud of it (arrive, to arrive, arriving).
They said I didnt run fast enough ___ the track team (join, to join, joining).
Lola used ___ cigars after dinner (smoke, to smoke, smoking).
Please __ the children (look after, to look after, looking after).
Travelling to Africa means ____ a few basic things about life in extreme conditions (learn, to learn, learning).
She asked me ___ her informed of everything (keep, to keep, keeping).
I'll never get used ___ without my cats (live, to live, to living).

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