We use the to-infinitive:
• to express purpose (to answer "Why...?"):
Sometimes the to-infinitive gives a reason for the adjective:
• to express purpose (to answer "Why...?"):
He bought some flowers to give to his wife.
He locked the door to keep everyone out.
We sometimes say in order to or in order not to:He locked the door to keep everyone out.
We set off early in order to avoid the traffic.
They spoke quietly in order not to wake the children
… or we can say so as to or so as not to:They spoke quietly in order not to wake the children
We set off early so as to avoid the traffic.
They spoke quietly so as not to wake the children.
• after certain verbs (see verbs followed by infinitive), particularly verbs of thinking and feeling:They spoke quietly so as not to wake the children.
choose, decide, expect, forget, hate, hope, intend, learn, like,
love, mean, plan, prefer, remember, want, would like, would love
… and verbs of saying:love, mean, plan, prefer, remember, want, would like, would love
agree, promise, refuse
They decided to start a business together.
Remember to turn the lights out.
Some verbs are followed by a direct object and the infinitive(see verbs followed by infinitive):Remember to turn the lights out.
advise, ask, encourage, invite, order, persuade, remind, tell, warn,
expect, intend, would prefer, want, would like
expect, intend, would prefer, want, would like
She reminded me to turn the lights out.
He encouraged his friends to vote for him.
• after certain adjectives.He encouraged his friends to vote for him.
Sometimes the to-infinitive gives a reason for the adjective:
- disappointed
- glad
- sad
- happy
- anxious
- pleased
- surprised
- proud
- unhappy
We were happy to come to the end of our journey
= We were happy because we had come to the end of our journey
John was surprised to see me
= He was surprised because he saw me
Other adjectives with the to-infinitive are:= We were happy because we had come to the end of our journey
John was surprised to see me
= He was surprised because he saw me
- able
- unable
- due
- eager
- keen
- likely
- unlikely
- ready
- prepared
- unwilling
- willing
Unfortunately I was unable to work for over a week.
I am really tired. I’m ready to go to bed.
We often use the to-infinitive with these adjectives after it to give opinions:I am really tired. I’m ready to go to bed.
- difficult
- easy
- possible
- impossible
- hard
- right
- wrong
- kind
- nice
- clever
- silly
- foolish
It’s easy to play the piano, but it’s very difficult to play well.
He spoke so quickly it was impossible to understand him.
He spoke so quickly it was impossible to understand him.
We use the preposition for to show who these adjectives refer to:
- difficult
- easy
- possible
- impossible
- hard
It was difficult for us to hear what she was saying.
It is easy for you to criticise other people.
We use the preposition of with other adjectives:It is easy for you to criticise other people.
It’s kind of you to help.
It would be silly of him to spend all his money.
• As a postmodifier (see noun phrases) after abstract nouns like:It would be silly of him to spend all his money.
- ability
- desire
- need
- wish
- attempt
- failure
- opportunity
- chance
- intention
I have no desire to be rich.
They gave him an opportunity to escape.
She was annoyed by her failure to answer the question correctly.
• We often use a to-infinitive as a postmodifier after an indefinite pronoun (See indefinite pronouns):They gave him an opportunity to escape.
She was annoyed by her failure to answer the question correctly.
When I am travelling I always take something to read.
I was all alone. I had no one to talk to.
There is hardly anything to do in most of these small towns.
I was all alone. I had no one to talk to.
There is hardly anything to do in most of these small towns.
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