INFINITIVES ESL 11 B INFINITIVES OVERVIEW Use to

INFINITIVES ESL 11 B

INFINITIVES OVERVIEW Use “to” + the simple form of the verb An infinitive can be a single verb or a verb phrase I don’t want to move out of Santa Monica.

INFINITIVES OVERVIEW Affirmative Infinitive Negative Infinitive I expect to move soon. I expect not to move before fall.

GIVE IT A TRY! With your partner(s), do Exercise 1.

VERB + INFINITIVE Choice Questions with Infinitives Yes/No Questions Do you want to sweep or to vacuum? Will you be ready soon? Do you want to sweep or vacuum? Yes, I expect to be ready soon. Is Wesley coming with you? Yes, he hopes to come with me. *”to” may be omitted in the second alternative.

LET’S PRACTICE! With your partner(s), do Exercise 2 and try your best to fill in the chart.

ATTITUDES, OPINIONS, FEELINGS Often express attitudes, opinions, and feelings following verbs such as want, would like, hope, expect, and seem: I would like to travel, but I don’t have enough money. Infinitives are not used with verbs and phrases that end with prepositions. I look forward to swimming I look forward to swim I am not accustomed to staying up late I am not accustomed to stay up late

NOW YOU TRY! With your partner(s), do Exercise 3 of the handout.

SAME OR DIFFERENT? After begin, start, and continue, the infinitive and the gerund have the same meaning: Infinitive: It began to rain after dinner. Gerund: It began raining after dinner.

SAME OR DIFFERENT? LIKE, LOVE, HATE, PREFER Specific Occasion In General Do you prefer to play tennis or to swim in the afternoon? Do you prefer playing tennis or swimming? *one specific occasion, especially in the future *an activity in general, without referring to a specific time

SAME OR DIFFERENT? REMEMBER, FORGET, STOP, REGRET Infinitive: an action that happens later than the main verb Gerund: an action that happens earlier

SAME OR DIFFERENT? 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 will never forget going there. (First, I forgot. So, I didn’t go. ) (First, I went there. Now I will never forget it. )

SAME OR DIFFERENT? 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 regret telling you that… (First, I regretted it. Then I told you that…) (First, I told you something. Then I regretted it. )

SAME OR DIFFERENT? Unsuccessful Attempt Experiment I tried to take some aspirin for the pain, but I couldn’t open the bottle. I tried taking some aspirin for the pain, but it didn’t help.

NOW YOU TRY! With your partner(s), do Exercises 4 and 5.

IT… + INFINITIVE It Subject Infinitive BE+Adjective It Subject Verb Infinitive It is difficult to drive home in bad weather. It takes an hour to drive home in bad weather.

LET’S PRACTICE Do Exercise 6 with your partner(s)

MEANING & USE: REPLACING SUBJECTS WITH ‘IT’ IT has the same meaning as the infinitive it replaces: IT is difficult to learn Chinese. (IT = to learn Chinese) IT…+ INFINITIVE have the same meaning as similar sentence with subject GERUNDS: IT takes an hour TO DRIVE HOME. DRIVING HOME takes an hour. Some groups of verbs and phrases can follow IT…+ INFINITIVE: IT is too heavy to lift IT looks too heavy to lift. IT costs lot to fly to Asia. IT takes twelve hours to get there.

MORE PRACTICE Do Exercises 7 & 8 with your partner(s)

IN ORDER TO + INFINITIVE Affirmative Negative In order to open, twist gently. In order not to miss the bus, she left early. *Purpose infinitive *In order + not + infinitive

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT Do Exercise 9 with your partner(s).

IN ORDER TO + INFINITIVE Express the reason/purpose for doing something I pressed the button (in order) to start the machine. I pressed the button to start the machine.

THE HOME STRETCH With your partner(s), do Exercises 10 and 11.