Verb + Infinitive |
Examples |
afford |
We can’t afford to buy a new car right now. |
agree |
She agreed to help me after school. |
aim |
What do you aim to do next? |
appear |
Miranda appears to be tired. |
arrange |
The secretary arranged to meet me at the train station. |
ask |
They asked to come with us. |
attempt* |
Mother attempted to be patient. |
beg |
She begged to buy her a new toy. |
begin* |
I began to run when I saw the dog. |
bother* (negative) |
She did not bother to look at the ring. |
(can’t) bear* |
He can’t bear to look at her. |
(can’t) stand* |
I couldn’t stand to look at him. |
care (negative) |
I don’t care to see that show. |
cease* |
She ceased to exist for him. |
choose |
Why did you choose to live in this city? |
claim |
She claims to know a famous singer. |
commence* |
I opened the book and commenced to read. |
condescend |
She condescends to speak to me only when she needs something. |
consent |
Sarah finally consented to marry Henry. |
continue* |
Many people continue to believe this man. |
dare |
Anna didn’t dare to break her mother’s rules. |
decide |
We decided to move to Miami. |
decline |
I respectfully decline to answer. |
demand |
The principle demanded to know who was responsible. |
deserve* |
She deserves to win the prize. |
desire |
This is not something I desire to do. |
be determined |
The boys were determined to fight. |
dread** |
Your punishment is so hard, I dread to speak it. |
endeavour |
The school endeavours to teach students to be good citizens. |
expect |
I expect to pass the driving test. |
fail |
I failed to turn in my term paper on time. |
fear* |
Do you fear to die? |
fight |
He was going to fight to save her life. |
forget** |
I forgot to mail the letter. |
go on* |
Not every student will go on to have a career in music. |
guarantee |
I guarantee to give you the money back. |
happen |
Did you happen to see anyone in the park? |
hate* |
I hate to spoil the surprise. |
help*** |
Older children helped (to) clean the house. |
hesitate |
Don’t hesitate to ask for any help. |
hope |
I hope to see you again soon. |
intend |
I intend to stay here for a month. |
know |
How did you know to find me? |
learn |
He learned to speak Spanish when he was a child. |
like* |
Would you like to join me for lunch? |
long |
Oh, how I long to see someone from my own village. |
love* |
I’ve discovered that I love to drive |
manage |
She managed to finish her work early. |
mean |
Sorry, I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings. |
need |
I need to return this book to the library. |
need (passive)* |
The grass in the front yard needs to be cut. |
neglect* |
Do not neglect to wash your hands thoroughly. |
offer |
Jane offered to help me. |
plan |
We’re planning to get married in summer. |
pledge |
I pledge to protect and lead you. |
prefer* |
I prefer to be an optimist. |
prepare |
We prepared to welcome new employees. |
pretend |
Tom pretends not to understand. |
proceed |
Then she proceeded to tell me about her and Grandpa. |
promise |
She promised to be here by two. |
propose* |
How do you propose to solve this problem? |
prove |
The task proved to be very difficult. |
refuse |
Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a bus. |
regret** |
I regret to tell you that you failed. |
remember** |
I remembered to turn off the gas. |
resolve |
Jack resolved to spend more time outside. |
seem |
That dog doesn’t seem to be friendly. |
start* |
Suddenly, it started to rain. |
stop** |
On the way home, I stopped to chat with my neighbor. |
struggle |
The driver struggled to stay awake. |
swear |
He swore to tell the truth. |
tend |
Kelly tends to blush easily. |
threaten* |
Mr. Green threatened to tell my parents. |
trouble (negative) |
Being polite, I will not trouble to enquire. |
try* (=attempt) |
They didn’t try to stop the robber. |
undertake |
He personally undertook to instruct his daughter in physics. |
volunteer |
She volunteered to water the plants. |
vow |
She vowed to marry only for love. |
wait |
I waited to ask her a question. |
want |
John wanted to tell me something. |
wish |
Rudy wishes to come with us to the show. |
would like |
I would like to say a few words. |
would love |
We would love to show you our new house. |
yearn |
I yearn to publish my first book. |
* Gerunds can also be used after these verbs without change in meaning.
** Gerunds can also be used after these verbs with change in meaning.
*** Verb help can be used with or without to.
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