The document provides an overview of infinitives in English. It defines infinitives as "to + simple form of the verb" and notes they can act as nouns. Examples are given of single verb and verb phrase infinitives. Infinitives can be used after certain verbs and as the object of verbs. The differences between using gerunds and infinitives after certain verbs like begin, prefer, try, remember and regret are explored with examples. Infinitives of purpose and structures like "be + adjective + infinitive" are also covered.

1. Infinitives
ESL 53B

2. Infinitives Overview
 Maria tries to kick the ball.
 She wants to score five goals.
 She hopes to win the game!

3. Infinitives Overview
 To form an infinitive, use ‘to’ + simple form of the verb
Jennifer hopes to get an ‘A’.
to win the game.
to graduate college in 2017.

4. Infinitives Overview
 Like gerunds, infinitives act like nouns, not verbs.
It is often the object of a verb.
I want pizza.
I want it.
I want to eat.
Infinitives are
like nouns!

5. Infinitives Overview
 Infinitives can be a single verb or a verb phrase:
I want to eat.
I want to eat out tonight.

6. Infinitives Overview
 Put a ‘not’ before an infinitive to make it negative.
I expect to move soon.
I expect not to move soon.

7. Let’s try it!
 With your partner, do Exercise 1.

8. Verb + Infinitive
More than one Infinitive in a sentence:
 Do you want to sweep or to vacuum?
 Do you want to sweep or vacuum? You may omit the
second ‘to’.

9. Let’s try it!
 With your partner, do Exercise 2.

10. Let’s try it!
 With your partner, complete the chart in Exercise 3.

11. Verb + Object + Infinitive
 Some verbs are followed by an object + infinitive. The object can be a noun
or pronoun.
Sue taught Max to sit.
She told Max to sit.

12. Verb + Object + Infinitive
 With want, need, and would like and some other verbs, the meaning can
change if we add an object.
I want to go swimming.
I want Sammy to go swimming.
She needs to cook lunch.
She needs you to cook lunch.
He would like to have dessert.
He would like you to have dessert.

13. Let’s try it!
 With your partner, do Exercise 4.

14. Gerund or Infinitive
after begin, start, and continue
have same meaning
I began to cry during the movie.
I began crying during the movie.
I started to eat my sandwich.
I started eating my sandwich.
She continued to do well in her classes.
She continued doing well in her classes.
same meaning
same meaning
same meaning

15. Gerund or Infinitive
after like, love, hate, prefer
can have same or different meaning
I prefer eating hotdogs over hamburgers.
I prefer to eat hotdogs over hamburgers.
I prefer playing tennis.
(gerunds often for general activities)
I prefer to play tennis at 6 o’clock tomorrow.
(infinitives often for one specific occasion, especially
in the future)
same meaning
different meaning

16. Gerund or Infinitive?
A trick that sometimes works :)
 Gerunds: The gerund happens first, then the verb happens second.
I appreciate living by the beach.
(First you live, then you appreciate.)
I finished watering the garden.
(First you water, then you finish.)

17. Gerund or Infinitive?
A trick that sometimes works :)
 Infinitives: The verb happens first, then the infinitive happens second.
He wants to come skating with us.
(First you want, then you come.)
He asked me to marry him.
(First you asked, then she married.)

18. Gerund or Infinitive
after try may have same or
different meanings
He made the call:
I tried to call you, but you weren’t home.
I tried calling you but you weren’t home.
Unsuccessful attempt:
I tried to take some aspirin for the pain, but I couldn’t open the bottle.
Experiment:
I tried taking some aspirin for the pain, but it didn’t help.
same meaning
different meaning

19. Give it a try!
 With your partner, do Exercise 5.

20. Gerund or Infinitive
after remember, forget, stop, and regret
have different meanings
Infinitive Gerund
I remembered to mail the letter. I remembered mailing the letter.
(First I remembered. Then I mailed the letter.) (First I mailed the letter. Then I remembered it.)
I forgot* to go there. I’ll never* forget going there.
(First I forgot, so I didn’t go there.) (First I went there. Now I’ll never forget it.)
* ‘Forget’ is most common with infinitives. * ‘Never + forget’ is often used with the gerund.

21. Gerund or Infinitive
after remember, forget, stop, and regret
have different meanings
Infinitive Gerund
I stopped to smoke. I stopped smoking.
(First I stopped what I was doing. Then I smoked.) (First I was a smoker. Then I stopped.)
I regret to tell you that... I’ll regret telling you that…
(First I regretted it. Then I told you that…) (First I told you something. Then I regretted it.)

22. Give it a try!
 With your partner, do Exercise 6.

23. Infinitives of Purpose
 Used to say WHY we do something.
Verb + infinitive
I went to the store to buy milk.
 Use ‘in order’ before the infinitive to add variety and formality.
I went to the store in order to buy milk.
 Aways include “in order” when the purpose is negative.
We were speaking quietly in order not to wake up Mr. Smith

24. Infinitives of Purpose
 Use an infinitive to give a short answer to a WHY question:
Question: Short answer:
Why did you go to the store? To buy milk.
To get to the other side.

25. Try it out!
 With your partner, do Exercises 7 and 8.

26. ‘Be’ Adjective + Infinitive
Subject Be + Adjective Infinitive
It is difficult to drive home in bad weather.
(It = to drive home in bad weather)
I am happy to help you.
They were surprised to hear they had gotten married.

27. End 