Editing Infinitive (section)

==English==
{{See also|English verbs}}
The term "infinitive" is traditionally applied to the unmarked form of the verb (the [[English verbs#Base form|"plain form"]]) when it forms a [[non-finite verb]], whether or not introduced by the [[grammatical particle|particle]] ''to''. Hence ''sit'' and ''to sit'', as used in the following sentences, would each be considered an infinitive:
* I can '''sit''' here all day.
* I want '''to sit''' on the other chair.

The form without ''to'' is called the ''bare infinitive''; the form introduced by ''to'' is called the ''full infinitive'' or ''to-infinitive''.

The other non-finite verb forms in English are the [[gerund]] or present [[participle]] (the ''-ing'' form), and the [[past participle]] – these are not considered infinitives. Moreover, the unmarked form of the verb is not considered an infinitive when it forms a [[finite verb]]: like a present [[indicative mood|indicative]] ("I ''sit'' every day"), [[English subjunctive|subjunctive]] ("I suggest that he ''sit''"), or [[imperative mood|imperative]] ("''Sit'' down!"). (For some [[English irregular verbs|irregular verbs]] the form of the infinitive coincides additionally with that of the past tense and/or past participle, like in the case of ''put''.)

Certain [[auxiliary verb]]s are [[English modal verbs|modal verbs]] (such as ''can'', ''must'', etc., which [[defective verb|defective]] verbs lacking an infinitive form or any truly inflected non-finite form) are complemented by a bare infinitive verb. [[Periphrasis|periphrastic]] items, such as (1) [[had better]] or [[ought to]] as substitutes for ''should,'' (2) [[used to]] as a substitute for [[Do-support|did]], and (3) ''(to) be able to'' for ''can'', are similarly complemented by a bare infinitive verb. Infinitives are [[English grammar#Negation|negated]] by simply preceding them with ''not''. Of course the verb ''do'', when complementing a finite verb, occurs as an infinitive. However, the auxiliary verbs ''have'' (used to form the [[perfect (grammar)|perfect]]) and ''be'' (used to form the [[passive voice]] and [[continuous aspect]]) often occur as an  infinitive: "I should '''have''' finished by now"; "It's thought '''to have''' been a burial site"; "Let him '''be''' released"; "I hope '''to be''' working tomorrow."

[[Rodney Huddleston|Huddleston]] and [[Geoffrey Pullum|Pullum]]'s ''Cambridge Grammar of the English Language'' (2002) does not use the notion of the "infinitive" ("there is no form in the English verb paradigm called 'the infinitive'"), only that of the ''infinitival [[clause (grammar)|clause]]'', noting that English uses the same form of the verb, the ''plain form'', in infinitival clauses that it uses in imperative and present-subjunctive clauses.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Huddleston|first1=Rodney|author-link1=Rodney Huddleston|last2=Pullum|first2=Geoffrey K.|author-link2=Geoffrey K. Pullum|title=A Student's Introduction to English Grammar|year=2005|publisher=Cambridge UP|isbn=9780521848374|page=204}}</ref>

A matter of controversy among [[prescriptive grammar]]ians and style writers has been the appropriateness of separating the two words of the ''to''-infinitive (as in "I expect ''to'' happily ''sit'' here"). For details of this, see [[split infinitive]]. Opposing [[linguistics|linguistic]] theories typically do not consider the ''to''-infinitive a distinct [[constituent (linguistics)|constituent]], instead regarding the scope of the particle ''to'' as an entire verb phrase; thus, ''to buy a car'' is parsed like ''<nowiki>to [buy [a car]]</nowiki>'', not like ''<nowiki>[to buy] [a car]</nowiki>''.

===Uses of the infinitive===
The bare infinitive and the ''to''-infinitive have a variety of uses in English. The two forms are mostly in [[complementary distribution]] – certain contexts call for one, and certain contexts for the other; they are not normally interchangeable, except in occasional instances like after the verb ''help'', where either can be used.

The main uses of infinitives (or infinitive phrases) are varied:
*[[complement (grammar)|Complement]]ing the [[do-support|dummy auxiliary]] ''do'', e.g., "I do '''like''' coffee but I don't '''care''' for tea."
*In a bare infinitive form as [[dative case|an object complement]], i.e. {{endash}} 
:# to complement a [[English modal verbs|modal auxiliary verb]], "I can't '''breathe'''" or "I can '''see''' clearly now."
:# to complement a [[direct object]] that {{ndash}}
:::a. follows a verb of perception such as ''see'', ''watch'' or ''hear'', e.g. "We saw it '''fall'''" or "I can hear the birds '''sing'''."
:::b. follows a verb of causation such as ''make'', ''bid'', or ''have'', e.g. "Make it '''stop''' or "We'll have them '''call''' you."
:::c. follows a verb of permission, e.g. "Let me '''ask''' you something."
*As a bare infinitive that comprises a phrase rendered in the vestigial [[permissive mood]], e.g. "Let it '''be'''." 
*As a bare infinitive that comprises a phrase rendered as a [[hortative]] utterance, e.g. "Let's '''leave'''."
*As complements of certain [[fossil word|fossil phrase]]s such as ''[[had better]]'' and ''[[would rather]]'' (with bare infinitive), ''in order to'', ''as if to'', ''[[am to]]/is to/are to''. 
*As a noun phrase, expressing its action or state in an abstract, general way that functions, e.g. as {{ndash}}
:# the [[subject (grammar)|subject]] of a clause: "'''To err''' is human" or "'''To know''' me is to love me." 
:# the [[object (grammar)|object]] of a [[predicative expression]]: "What you should do is '''make''' a list" or "To know me is '''to love me'''".
*[[Adverb]]ially:
:# to express purpose, intent or result, as the ''to''-infinitive can have the meaning of ''in order to'', e.g. "I closed the door [in order] '''to block''' out any noise." 
:# to characterize and adjective, e.g., "keen '''to get''' on" or "nice '''to listen''' to".
*[[Adjective|Adjectivally]], characterizing a noun, e.g. "a request '''to see''' someone" or "the method '''to use'''."
*In [[ellipsis (linguistics)|elliptical]] questions (direct or indirect): "I don't know where '''to go'''." 
*In [[Sentence clause structure#Incomplete sentences|sentence fragment]] that constitutes an [[interrogative]] {{ndash}} 
:# the bare infinitive is used after ''why'', e.g., "Why '''reveal''' it?"
:# the ''to-'' infinitive is used:
:::a. after ''whom'', e.g., "Whom to '''believe'''?"
:::b. after ''what'', e.g., "What to '''do'''?"
:::c. after ''when'', e.g., "When to '''surrender'''?"
:::d. after ''where'', e.g., "Where to '''go'''?"
:::e. after ''how'', e.g., "How to '''know'''?"

The infinitive typically is the [[dictionary form]] or citation form of a verb. The form listed in a dictionary entry is the bare infinitive, but the ''to''-infinitive is often used when defining other verbs, e.g.
:'''<big>amble</big> (verb)'''
:'''ambled; ambling'''
:''intransitive verb''
:#to walk slowly
:#to stroll without a particular aim

For further detail and examples of the uses of infinitives in English, see [[Uses of English verb forms#Bare infinitive|Bare infinitive]] and [[Uses of English verb forms#To-infinitive|''To''-infinitive]] in the article on uses of English verb forms.