GRAMMAR The English Infinitive 1.

INFINITIVE WITH TO`+ VERB

1. Usually the to-infinitive refers to a purpose:

I wish to ask about the admission requirements for foreign students.

Or a future situation:

The Department recognised the need to improve the integration of ...

2. The following verbs are followed by an infinitive. This takes the form to + verb (example: to do) afford agree aim appear* arrange attempt bother care chance* claim condescend consent decide demand determine endeavour expect Fail get (reach stage) Guarantee Intend happen* Hasten have (be obliged) Hesitate Hope learn (how to) Long Manage Offer Plan Prepare Presume Pretend Proceed Profess promise propose prove (turn out) refuse resolve seek seem strive swear threaten tend train trouble try undertake volunteer vow want wish would like

*These verbs may be followed by a that clause only when the subject is it example: It appeared that nobody had taken the problem seriously

The department decided to increase the research outcome. The department pretends to engage on European projects. We hope to achieve an RAE 2000 rating of 3a in at least 3 research areas.
3. As a subject at the beginning of a clause or sentence and taking for granted that the beginning of the sentence could be it is , it has, etc,

To consolidate the existing coherent research groups within the Department.

4. Apart from the previous verbs, those which indicate perception (see, watch, notice, hear, listen to, feel, etc.) will be followed by a bare infinitive if the action was perceived from beginning to end.

We saw the manager sign the cheque for our research funds I heard him give a talk on Energy Engineering and Materials

5. After the following verbs, it is used: noun / pronoun + to infinitive

accustom aid appoint assist cause challenge command * commission advise compel defy direct * drive empower enable encourage entitle Allow force get (cause) impel implore * incite induce inspire instruct * ask invite lead leave order * persuade * press prompt provoke enable remind * require * stimulate summon teach (how to) tell trust * warn * tempt
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Ingls de Comercio y Negocios UNED

Prof. Ismael Arinas Pelln

*These verbs may be followed by a that clause only when the subject is it:

It appeared that nobody had taken the problem seriously The professor invited the Assistants to leave the room The academic staff prompted the students to finish the project soon The PhD students taught the first year students how to connect the system

2. THE -ING`FORM AS INFINITIVE

The ing form refers to an action or state before the action of the first verb:

I have finished using your laptop

or the activity itself; the second verb functions like a noun:

She recommends taking the exam before September.

1. The -ing form of the verb is used as infinitive when the preposition before the infinitive is
different from to":

The research Committee has been useful in establishing the criteria... The criteria which are used for assessing the standing of the sub-areas of activity...

2. It is also used when the context after the preposition to could be a noun:
The students admitted to cheating (admitted to the authorities; admitted to the television). We are looking forward to hearing from you as soon as possible (looking forward to the meeting; looking forward to the holidays). The Research Plan confirms the Departments commitment to maintaining at least the present level of funding.

3. The -ing form is also used to mean infinitive with the following verbs and expressions:
All verbs indicating sensorial perception: see, watch, etc (when the action is not perceived from beginning to end). To admit (to) To anticipate To appreciate To avoid To be fond of To be used to cannot help cannot stand To carry on To confess to to to to to to to to to to to consider contemplate delay deny enjoy fancy feel like finish give up go on to imagine to involve its no good / no use its worth to justify to keep (on) to look forward to to mean to mind to miss to put off to practise to quit resent to resume to risk to suggest theres no point in there is no use what / how about

Its no good trying with that broken spanner. He practised writing with his left hand. Its worth paying the extra cost if you want a quality product. We finished designing that engine three months ago, we are already developing a model. The president enjoys visiting the factories in exotic countries. I miss working at the production department.
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4. Verbs used with an object and a second verb ending in -ing: Catch Describe Discover Feel Find Hear Imagine Keep Leave Like Listen to Notice Observe Prevent (from) Save See Send Set Show Watch

Our previous years results prevented us from obtaining the grant. A reasonable investment in equipment will save you spending money on renovation.

3. VERBS WHICH TAKE EITHER TO INFINITIVE OR -ING FORM WITHOUT CHANGE IN MEANING:
To start To love To dislike to begin to intend to allow / permit 1 to hate to prefer to advise to like to continue to forbid

These verbs are followed by to infinitive when constructed with an indirect object and -ing form in all other cases. The chairman allowed her to present the facts. You are not allowed smoking in this area.

EXERCISES
1. Write the two sentences as one, using an infinitive with to. Example: What shall we do when we run out of funds. / I dont know. I dont know what to do when we run out of funds. 1 How can we increase technology transfer between academia and industry. /He doesnt understand. ___________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. How does this system work. / We havent discovered yet. ___________________________________________________________________________________________ 3. Where can I go to learn more German. / Shes wondering. ______________________________________________________________________ 4. What can we improve in the organisation. / She has decided. ______________________________________________________________________ 5. Where are they locating the new lab. / It hasnt been discussed yet. ______________________________________________________________________

Ingls de Comercio y Negocios UNED

Prof. Ismael Arinas Pelln

2. Replace the underlined that clauses for a to infinitive or an -ing clause. Example: The department decided that it would increase the research outcome. The department decided to increase the research outcome. 1. It appeared that the assessment criteria had served their purpose well. ___________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. It happens that this Research Plan is the result of a five year assessment work. ________________________________________________________________________________________ 3. The Assistants denied that they had undertaken the responsibility for the results. ___________________________________________________________________________________________ 4. We expect that the research ambiance will enhance the production of quality articles. ___________________________________________________________________________________________ 5. Our researchers discovered a method that solved the turbine engine deficiencies. ___________________________________________________________________________________________ 6. There is no hope that we will have vacancies for postgraduates before the end of May. ___________________________________________________________________________________________ 7. Our previous experience suggests that Teaching Company Programmes should continue in the future. ___________________________________________________________________________________________ 8. Their attitude confirms that there is a commitment to making the necessary effort. ___________________________________________________________________________________________ 9. We pretend that the research outcomes are in direct relation with market needs. ___________________________________________________________________________________________ 3. Make the two sentences into one, using before, after, in, by, or without + -ing. Example: I studied Automatic Control. I left the University. I studied Automatic Control before leaving the University. 1. I started work in Spain. I spent a year studying in Newcastle. _______________________________________________________________________________________ 2. I paid for my tuition fees. I worked part-time as assistant production engineer. _______________________________________________________________________________________ 3. The Research Committee has been useful. The Research Committee has established the assessment criteria. _______________________________________________________________________________________

Ingls de Comercio y Negocios UNED

Prof. Ismael Arinas Pelln

4. I couldnt have reached this stage alone. I had the help of qualified research technicians. _______________________________________________________________________________________ 5. They hired me as research staff. Then we started with the new projects. _______________________________________________________________________________________

4. Complete the letter below using an infinitive with to or an -ing form. Dear Ms. Spencer, Thank you for your letter of 15 September in which you stated that you are considering __________( study 1) your Masters degree in our department. We can arrange __________ (meet 2) with you as soon as possible. I enclose a detailed brochure which includes information about tuition fees, accommodation costs, and the current programme of study for the Masters. I believe you will find it very useful. If you decide ________ ( go 3) ahead with your application, we will agree __________ (grant 4) you a partial fellowship which would cover your tuition fees. Please note that we guarantee _________ (offer 5) the best team of instructors in your field of engineering. You mentioned also that you wanted __________ (carry out 6) your Masters project within a Dutch company. This will involve _________ (make 7) several legal arrangements. I would suggest __________ (leave 8) the legal work to our Technology Transfer Service (TTS), because it is not worth _________ (spend 9) an extra on outside legal fees. I have contacted our TTS for a quotation and they say that the legal arrangements will be included in the tuition and registration fees already mentioned in the brochure enclosed. I hope ______(be 10) able to send you our answer within two weeks after your confirmation of registration. Please do not hesitate _________ (contact 11) me if you have any further queries. I look forward to __________ (hear 12) from you soon. Yours sincerely, Hans Trompenaar Head of the Mechanical, Manufacturing and Systems Engineering Department.

Netherlands University, Den Haag

5. Correct the grammatical errors in these sentence a) Im looking forward to hear from you soon. b) I intend complaining about the Socrates scholarship conditions c) I feel is necessary to delegate more of the ruling functions. d) Our lecturers made us to work extremely hard to pass exams. e) They know they cannot afford buying the enterprise, so they refuse to cooperate at all.

KEY TO EXERCISES
1. Write the two sentences as one, using an infinitive with to. 1. How can we increase technology transfer between academia and industry. /He doesnt understand. He doesnt understand how to increase technology transfer between academia and 2. How does this system work. / We havent discovered yet.
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We havent discovered yet how to make this system work__________________ 3. Where can I go to learn more German. / Shes wondering. Shes wondering where to go to learn more German_____________________ 4. What can we improve in the organisation. / She has decided. She has decided what to improve in the organisation_________________ 5. Where are they locating the new lab. / It hasnt been discussed yet. It hasnt been discussed yet where to locate the new lab______________ 2. Replace the underlined that clauses for a to infinitive or an -ing clause. Example: 1. It appeared that the assessment criteria had served their purpose well. The assessment criteria appeared to have served well their purpose____ 2. It happens that this Research Plan is the result of a five year assessment work. The research plan happens to be the result of a 5-year assessment work 3. The Assistants denied that they had undertaken the responsibility for the results. The Assistants denied having undertaken..___________________ 4. We expect that the research ambiance will enhance the production of quality articles We expect the research ambiance to enhance the production 5. Our researchers discovered a method that solved the turbine engine deficiencies. Our researchers discovered a method for solving____________________ 6. There is no hope that we will have vacancies for postgraduates before the end of May. There is no hope of finding vacancies ._________________________. 7. Our previous experience suggests that Teaching Company Programmes should continue in the future. Our previous experience suggests continuing in the future__________________________ 8. Their attitude confirms that there is a commitment to making the necessary effort. Their attitude confirms a commitment to making the necessary effort__ 9. We pretend that the research outcomes are in direct relation with market needs. We pretend to produce research outcomes in direct relation________ 3. Make the two sentences into one, using before, after, in, by, or without + -ing. 1. I started work in Spain. I spent a year studying in Newcastle. _____________________after spending a year_____________________ 2. I paid for my tuition fees. I worked part-time as assistant production engineer. ______________________by working part-time.________________________________ 3. The Research Committee has been useful. The Research Committee has established the assessment criteria. _____________________in establishing_____________________________________ 4. I couldnt have reached this stage alone. I had the help of qualified research technicians. _____________________________without the help of qualified ___________________ 5. They hired me as research staff. Then we started with the new projects. ___________________________before starting with .______________________

Ingls de Comercio y Negocios UNED

Prof. Ismael Arinas Pelln

4. Complete the letter below using an infinitive with to or an -ing form. Dear Ms. Spencer, Thank you for your letter of 15 September in which you stated that you are considering studying__(study 1) your Masters degree in our department. We can arrange _to meet___ (meet 2) with you as soon as possible. I enclose a detailed brochure which includes information about tuition fees, accommodation costs, and the current programme of study for the Masters. I believe you will find it very useful. If you decide _to go (go 3) ahead with your application, we will agree to grant (grant 4) you a partial fellowship which would cover your tuition fees. Please note that we guarantee __to offer (offer 5) the best team of instructors in your field of engineering.

You mentioned also that you wanted _to carry out (carry out 6) your Masters project within a Dutch company. This will involve making (make 7) several legal arrangements. I would suggest leaving (leave 8) the legal work to our Technology Transfer Service (TTS), because it is not worth spending (spend 9) an extra on outside legal fees. I have contacted our TTS for a quotation and they say that the legal arrangements will be included in the tuition and registration fees already mentioned in the brochure enclosed. I hope to be (be 10) able to send you our answer within two weeks after your confirmation of registration.

Please do not hesitate _to contact (contact 11) me if you have any further queries. I look forward to hearing (hear 12) from you soon. Yours sincerely, Hans Trompenaar Head of the Mechanical, Manufacturing and Systems Engineering Department.

Netherlands University, Den Haag

5. Correct the grammatical errors in these sentences

a) Im looking forward to hear from you soon. b) I intend complaining about the Socrates scholarship conditions c) I feel is necessary to delegate more of the ruling functions. d) Our lecturers made us to work extremely hard to pass exams.

To hearing To complain It is/feel necessary work

e) They know they cannot afford buying the enterprise, so they refuse to To buy cooperate at all.

Ingls de Comercio y Negocios UNED

Prof. Ismael Arinas Pelln