English verbs that “take infinitives”: What are they and how to use them?

We often say that certain English verbs “take infinitives” or that they take “infinitive complements.” This means that the meaning of the verb is somehow “completed” by an infinitive verb or a phrase that contains an infinitive verb. For example:

In this post, we’ll teach you all about how and when to use infinitives after English verbs. We’ll start by looking at verbs that take “full” infinitives (with to) and then we’ll look at verbs that take “bare” infinitives (without to) instead. Along the way, we’ll give you lists of verbs you can use in different situations and different types of sentences.

Are you hoping to learn a thing or two about infinitives? I think I can help you reach your goals!

In English, we use the infinitive with to after some specific verbs. These are mostly verbs of desire, thinking, feeling, planning, and speech. But they can also be linking verbs.

Verbs that come before infinitives can follow three different patterns. Some verbs can be used in more than one way:

• Some verbs are used directly before the infinitive with to:

  verbinfinitive

  I hope to learn English.

• Some verbs use this structure: verb + object + infinitive:

  verbobjectinfinitive

  I told Paul to clean the kitchen.

• And some others use this structure: verb + for + object + infinitive:

  verbobjectinfinitive

  She arranged for Maria to attend college.

There is no real way to predict what pattern a verb will follow. Learning which verb to use in which pattern will take some practice!

Let’s look at each group more closely!

We use bare infinitives (infinitives without to) to complete the meaning of a few types of verbs in English: modal verbs, most verbs of perception, and some causative verbs.

Let’s look at each of these cases!

• After modal verbs

  We use bare infinitive verbs after English modal verbs, like can, could, will, would, shall, should, might, may, and must:

  bare infinitive

  Maria can run.

  Kendra should go to the party.

  He must be our teacher!

  The phrases would rather and had better are not true modal verbs, but they also follow this pattern.

  • I would rather clean my room than do the dishes.
  • You had better do your homework!

• After verbs of perception

  Most verbs of perception take bare infinitive complements, using this structure:

  perception verb

  

  object

  

  bare infinitive

  I saw the prisoner escape!

  Bill heard the car start.

  Andre felt his heart beat.

  Some common verbs of perception that go with bare infinitives:

  • see
  • taste

  • hear
  • watch

  • feel
  • listen to

  • notice
  • sense

  • overhear
  • smell

• After a few verbs of causation

  We use bare infinitives after the English causative verbs let, make, and bid. These follow the structure below:

  causative verb

  

  object

  

  bare infinitive

  I let the fish go.

  Andre made his son attend school.

  We bade the servant serve the food.

  very old-fashioned!

The verb help can be used either with a bare infinitive (more common) or with a full infinitive (more formal).

In all cases, the object of the causative verb is the subject of the bare infinitive.

In this post we’ve covered the main cases where you’ll use infinitives in the complements of English verbs. We saw that…

• Certain English verbs can take infinitive complements, which means that an infinitive verb (or a phrase containing an infinitive verb) completes the meaning of the verb.

• Verbs that take infinitives with to follow three patterns:

  1. main verb + infinitive with to

  2. main verb + object + infinitive with to

  3. main verb + for + object + infinitive with to

  There is no strict rule for which pattern a verb will follow, so it will take some memorization and practice.

• A smaller group of verbs take complements containing bare infinitives (without to) instead:

  • modal verbs (can, might, should, may, ...)

  • verbs of perception (see, hear, feel, ...)

  • three causative verbs (let, make, bid)

Ready to practice? Try out our English verbs that take infinitives activities!