Welcome to our blog on enhancing your English grammar skills! Today, we delve into the topic of verbs followed by infinitives. An infinitive is the base form of a verb, often preceded by “to” (e.g., to eat, to sleep). Certain verbs in English are typically followed by infinitives, forming important constructions for clear and effective communication. In this post, we’ll explore these verbs, their correct usage, and handy tips to remember them. Whether you’re a student, a professional writer, or just someone passionate about grammar, this guide will help you use these verb-infinitive combinations accurately and with confidence.
Verbs followed by Infinitives only
These verbs are typically followed by infinitives, which are the base form of verbs usually preceded by “to.” The example sentences illustrate how each verb is used with an infinitive.| Agree | She agreed to help with the project. |
|---|---|
| Aim | They aim to complete the task by Friday. |
| Appear | He appears to be tired. |
| Arrange | We arranged to meet at 6 PM. |
| Ask | He asked to leave early. |
| Attempt | She attempted to climb the mountain. |
| Choose | I choose to stay at home tonight. |
| Decide | They decided to go on vacation. |
| Expect | We expect to hear from them soon. |
| Fail | He failed to arrive on time. |
| Happen | She happened to see him at the store. |
| Hope | I hope to visit you soon. |
| Learn | He learned to play the guitar. |
| Manage | They managed to finish the work early. |
| Need | I need to call my doctor. |
| Offer | He offered to help carry the bags. |
| Plan | We plan to travel next month. |
| Prepare | She prepared to give a speech. |
| Pretend | He pretended to be asleep. |
| Promise | They promised to return the money. |
| Refuse | She refused to answer the question. |
| Seem | It seems to be raining. |
| Tend | He tends to forget names. |
| Want | I want to learn a new language. |
| Wish | She wishes to travel the world. |
| Would like | I would like to order a pizza. |
| Afford | We can’t afford to buy a new car. |
| Agree | They agreed to meet at noon. |
| Aim | He aims to become a doctor. |
| Appear | She appears to be happy. |
| Arrange | We arranged to have a meeting. |
| Ask | He asked to join the team. |
| Attempt | She attempted to break the record. |
| Care | I don’t care to participate in the event. |
| Choose | We chose to leave early. |
| Claim | He claims to know the answer. |
| Consent | She consented to marry him. |
| Dare | He dared to speak out. |
| Decline | They declined to comment on the issue. |
| Demand | She demanded to see the manager. |
| Deserve | He deserves to win the prize. |
| Determine | They determined to finish the project. |
| Fail | He failed to catch the bus. |
| Get | She got him to help with the project. |
| Guarantee | We guarantee to deliver on time. |
| Hesitate | He hesitated to ask for help. |
| Hurry | We need to hurry to catch the train. |
| Intend | She intends to study abroad. |
| Leap | He leaped to grab the ball. |
| Long | They long to return home. |
| Offer | He offered to lend me some money. |
| Plan | We plan to launch a new product. |
| Prepare | She prepared to leave for the trip. |
| Pretend | He pretended to be sick. |
| Refuse | She refused to answer the question. |
| Request | They requested to speak with the manager. |
| Struggle | He struggled to understand the concept. |
| Volunteer | She volunteered to help at the event. |
| Yearn | They yearn to travel the world. |
| Attempt | He attempted to solve the problem. |
| Beg | She begged to stay longer. |
| Care | I donโt care to participate in the event. |
| Claim | He claims to have seen the accident. |
| Continue | They continued to work despite the noise. |
| Demand | She demanded to speak to the manager. |
| Deserve | He deserves to win the competition. |
| Determine | They determined to finish the project by Friday. |
| Expect | I expect to receive a response soon. |
| Fail | She failed to meet the deadline. |
| Forget | Donโt forget to lock the door. |
| Hesitate | He hesitated to ask for help. |
| Intend | She intends to study law. |
| Learn | They learned to speak Spanish. |
| Manage | He managed to finish the race. |
| Mean | I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings. |
| Neglect | She neglected to mention the issue. |
| Offer | He offered to drive us home. |
| Plan | We plan to visit them next week. |
| Prepare | She prepared to give a presentation. |
| Pretend | He pretended to be asleep. |
| Promise | They promised to help with the move. |
| Propose | She proposed to build a new school. |
| Refuse | He refused to sign the contract. |
| Seem | She seems to know a lot about the topic. |
| Strive | He strives to be the best in his class. |
| Struggle | She struggled to understand the lesson. |
| Swear | He swore to tell the truth. |
| Threaten | They threatened to leave if things didn’t improve. |
| Try | She tried to fix the issue. |
| Vow | He vowed to return the money. |
| Wait | We waited to see the results. |
| Want | I want to go home. |
| Wish | She wishes to travel more. |
| Would like | I would like to eat now. |
| Yearn | He yearns to find true love. |
| Afford | We can’t afford to lose this opportunity. |
| Arrange | They arranged to meet at 5 PM. |
| Attempt | She attempted to climb the mountain. |
| Beg | He begged to be forgiven. |
| Care | She doesn’t care to participate. |
| Claim | He claims to know the answer. |
| Continue | They continued to play despite the rain. |
| Consent | She consented to marry him. |
| Decide | We decided to leave early. |
| Demand | He demanded to see the manager. |
| Deserve | You deserve to know the truth. |
| Fail | She failed to understand the instructions. |
| Hesitate | Don’t hesitate to ask for assistance. |
| Hope | I hope to visit Italy next year. |
| Learn | They learned to cook Italian food. |
| Manage | He managed to pass the exam. |
| Offer | She offered to help with the cleaning. |
| Plan | They plan to expand their business. |
| Prepare | He prepared to speak at the meeting. |
| Pretend | She pretended to be interested. |
| Promise | He promised to finish the work. |
| Propose | She proposed to meet at a different location. |
| Refuse | They refused to cooperate. |
| Swear | He swore to protect her. |
| Tend | She tends to forget things. |
| Threaten | He threatened to quit his job. |
| Try | I will try to explain it better. |
| Volunteer | She volunteered to lead the project. |
| Wait | We will wait to hear the news. |
| Want | They want to go on vacation. |
| Wish | I wish to see the manager. |
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