‫الجمهورية الجزائرية الديمقراطية الشعبية‬

Algerian Democratic and Popular Republic

Ministry of Higher Education ‫وزارة التعليم العالي والبحث العلمي‬
and Scientific Research 2 ‫جامعة البليدة‬
University of Blida 2 ‫كلية اآلداب واللغات‬
Faculty of Arts and Languages
‫قسم اللغة االنجليزية‬
Department of English

Module: Grammar
Teacher in Charge: Miss AISSIOU
Level: 2nd Year/ Groups: 05 & 06

Non-Finite Clauses (Infinitives)

Non-Finite Clauses :
A non-finite clause is a type of clause that has a non-finite verb—a verb that does not show
tense, person, or number. Non-finite verbs include:
 Infinitives (e.g., to go, to eat)
 Gerunds (e.g., going, eating)
 Past participles (e.g., gone, eaten)
1. Infinitive clauses:
In Modern English, the infinitive plays a central role in expressing purpose, intention, result,
necessity, and various other semantic functions. The infinitive is the base form of the verb,
typically introduced by the particle “to” (e.g., to read, to write, to go), though in some
constructions it may appear without “to” (bare infinitive).
An infinitive clause contains an infinitive verb (usually with "to") and sometimes its subject
and complements.
Examples:
 To win the match was their goal.
 She wants to leave early.
 They asked him to help them.
 1.1. Forms of the Infinitive:
Form Usage / Function Structure Example

1. Simple (Indefinite) Action simultaneous with the to + base verb He is sure to know that.
Infinitive main verb; can refer to present, He was too tired to speak.
past, or future. He will be too tired to speak tomorrow.
2. Progressive Action is ongoing or in progress to + be + He appeared to be reading.
(Continuous) at a specific time. verb-ing She seemed to be walking quickly.
Infinitive
3. Perfect Infinitive Describes an action completed to + have + He was happy to have spoken to her.
before the action of the main past He is glad to have finished the project.
verb. participle
4. Perfect Progressive Describes an ongoing action that to + have He admitted to have been looking
Infinitive started before and may continue been + verb- through the program.
after the main verb. ing She claimed to have been working all
day.
5. Simple Passive Emphasizes the action done to to + be + past The book is to be read by tomorrow.
Infinitive the subject in the present or participle The letter is to be written today.
future context. Also, expresses
an action simultaneous with the
action expressed by the finite
verb.
6. Perfect Passive Describes a passive action to + have The contract was to have been signed
Infinitive completed before the action of been + past yesterday.
the main verb. participle The documents are to have been delivered
by noon.
7. Progressive Passive Rare form, describing an to + be being The report is to be being written at the
Infinitive ongoing passive action at a + past moment.
specific point in time. participle The letter was to be being written at the
time.

1.2. Full vs. Bare Infinitive:

 Full infinitive includes "to": He was happy to see her.
 Elliptical form: The infinitive is omitted but "to" remains (when meaning is clear): I
preferred not to [go].
 Bare infinitive: Used without "to," in specific contexts:
When do we use the bare infinitive:
Context / Rule Example Explanation
1. After do (as auxiliary) I did not say that. The bare infinitive ("say") follows
do/does/did in questions or negatives.
2. After modal verbs You must go now. Bare infinitive follows modal verbs:
She can swim very well. can, could, may, might, shall, should,
will, would, must.
3. After dare (in How dare you speak to me like that? Rare in modern English; mostly
neg/interrog. without He dare not say a word. British/formal.
auxiliary) Dare behaves like a modal here (no to).
4. After need (in Need she go now? Common in British/formal English.
neg/interrog. without You need not worry. Bare infinitive used when need is
auxiliary) modal.
5. After help (both bare She helped him carry the boxes. Both bare and full infinitives are
and full forms correct) She helped him to carry the boxes. acceptable after help.
6. After know (in Present I have never known him say such a In Present Perfect, "to" is optional.
Perfect; optional "to") thing. Both forms are used.
I have never known him to say such a
thing.
7. After let Let him go immediately. Always followed by a bare infinitive.
Let me help you. In passive: He was let go.
8. After make She made me do it. Active voice: bare infinitive.
I was made to do it. Passive voice: full infinitive (to do).
9. After have (meaning I'll have him call you tomorrow. Have + object + bare infinitive means
"order/persuade") cause/command someone to do
something.
10. After verbs of I saw her leave the room. Active voice: Bare infinitive
perception (see, hear, He was seen to leave the room. Passive voice: full infinitive, applies to
feel, etc.) hear, feel, watch, notice, observe.
11. In why not Why not go out for dinner tonight? Informal suggestions.
suggestions Always use bare infinitive after “why
not.”
12. After would rather / I'd rather stay here. Use bare infinitive for present/future
had better / would I'd rather have stayed at home. actions.
sooner You had better leave now. Use perfect infinitive (have + past
He would sooner die than apologize. participle) for past actions.
13. After but (meaning There was nothing to do but wait. Formal/literary style.
“except”) She did nothing but cry all day. Bare infinitive follows "but" when it
means except.
14. In fixed expressions I couldn’t help but laugh. These are idiomatic.
like cannot but / can’t Always use bare infinitive after but in
help but these expressions.
15. After all/only + do All we do is wait. "To" is optional.
All we do is to wait. Bare infinitive is more common, but
full infinitive also correct.
16. After rather than Rather than walk, he took a taxi. Prefer the bare infinitive after “rather
He called a plumber rather than fix it than.” It shows an alternative action.
himself.
 1.2. Infinitive Constructions:
An infinitive can stand alone (e.g., a book to read), or appear in a phrase (e.g., a book to read
on the train), or even exist in a predicate relationship to a noun/pronoun = means it describes
or completes the meaning of the noun or pronoun it follows (e.g., a book for you to read →
a book you can read).
Infinitive constructions are classified into the following types:

Type Definition Common Verbs / Structure Example Notes

Usage
1. Objective The infinitive is in a - Perception: see, Verb + object I heard her sing. Use bare infinitive
Infinitive predicate relation to a hear, watch, feel + [to] They believed him to be after perception
Construction noun/pronoun - Opinion: believe, infinitive innocent. verbs.
(OIC) functioning as a consider, think, Use to-infinitive
complex object of expect after
the main verb. - Declaration: cognitive/volitional
declare, report verbs.
- Wish: want,
intend
- Emotion: like,
hate
2. Subjective The infinitive is in a - Perception Subject + He was seen to leave the Used to shift focus
Infinitive predicate relation to (passive): be seen, passive room. to the subject or
Construction the subject. be heard verb/linking She seems to be tired. make statements
(SIC) Common in passive - Opinion verb + to- more formal or
voice or with linking (passive): be infinitive indirect.
verbs. believed, be thought
- Linking: seem,
appear, happen,
prove
- Modality: be
likely, be sure
3. For-to- The infinitive is in a N/A (not verb- for + - As a subject: For him Used to introduce
Infinitive predicate relation to a based; structure- noun/pronoun to leave now would be a the doer (subject)
Construction noun/pronoun based) + to-infinitive mistake. of the infinitive,
introduced by - As an object: She especially when
“for”. It can function arranged for them to that subject is
as subject, object, meet at noon. different from the
predicative, or - As a predicate: The main subject of the
adverbial modifier. plan is for us to finish sentence.
early.
- As an adverbial
modifier: It’s important
for you to be on time.
4. Split Occurs when an Common adverbs: to + adverb + She decided to boldly go Once considered
Infinitive adverb is inserted really, only, base verb where no one had gone incorrect, but now
between "to" and completely, clearly, before. accepted—
the verb in a to- seriously, even He promised to really especially when it
infinitive. Often used try. avoids ambiguity
for emphasis or or sounds more
rhythm. natural.

Extra Notes:
 Split Infinitives are often a matter of style. They are common in spoken English and
increasingly accepted in formal writing.
 Each construction helps convey nuanced meaning—especially around agency (who is
doing what), tone (formal vs. informal), and emphasis.
1.3. Syntactic Functions of the Infinitive:
1. Subject:
The infinitive may act as the subject of a sentence, as in:
 To speak to him about it was something none of them dared do.
However, this usage is considered formal in modern English. More commonly, the infinitive
appears as an extraposed subject introduced by it, followed by a noun or adjective expressing
an opinion, feeling, or recommendation.
Examples of adjectives commonly used in this structure include:
advisable, careless (of someone), characteristic (of someone), convenient, curious,
dangerous, decent (of someone), desirable, difficult, easy, fair, foolish (of someone),
funny, hard, important, impossible, interesting, kind/nice (of someone), necessary,
pleasant, possible, reasonable, right, safe, surprising, stupid (of someone), typical (of
someone), useful, useless, wrong, worthwhile, etc.
Examples:
 It was decent of her to drive me home.
 It would be worthwhile to start an investigation.
 It would be curious to know the results.
Nouns semantically related to the above adjectives may also appear, such as: mistake, crime,
offence, a good idea, pity, etc.
Example:
 It is an offence to drop litter in the street.
 It would be a pity to miss such an opportunity.
Sometimes, the perfect infinitive is used to indicate an action in the past:
  It was clever of him to have acted that way.
The extraposed infinitive subject may also follow verbs describing emotional or psychological
impact, such as: amaze, annoy, please, shock, upset, delight, interest, etc.
Examples:
 It pleased him to think of his beloved.
 It shocked me to realize that.
Additionally, the same pattern is used with verbs like take, cost, and pay:
 It took me an hour to get there.
 Does it pay to be nice to them?
2. Predicative:
The infinitive often follows the linking verb be, especially when the subject is abstract:
 His dream was to buy a car.
 The challenge was where to cross the river.
Occasionally, mean replaces be:
 To act like that meant to end our friendship.
An infinitive may also complete the meaning of certain adjectives used predicatively:
 Granny was hard to please.
If the infinitive requires a preposition, it must follow the verb, and the subject is not repeated:
 The bridge is dangerous to walk over. (Not: The bridge is dangerous to walk over it.)
In sentences like He is a brave man to do that, the infinitive expresses the reason for a
judgment, functioning as an adverbial modifier of reason.
When the infinitive follows modal verbs or verbs expressing beginning, repetition,
duration, or stopping, it becomes part of a compound verbal predicate.
 She can speak five languages.→ "can speak" is the compound predicate.
 He began to cry when he heard the news. → "began to cry" = compound predicate.
 She continued to read despite the noise. → "continued to read" = compound predicate.
 The baby stopped to cry suddenly. → "stopped crying" = compound predicate.
3. Object:
The infinitive often functions as an object in several patterns:
 Directly after a verb, such as: agree, aim, arrange, attempt, beg, care, claim, consent,
dare, decide, deserve, desire, expect, fail, forget, grow, hesitate, hope, intend, learn,
manage, need, offer, plan, pretend, refuse, remember, struggle, swear, tend, threaten,
want, wish, etc.
 Example:
 He chose to ignore her.
 This never failed to upset her.
The passive and perfect infinitives are also used:
 She refused to be paid less.
 He pretended to have heard nothing.
 After a verb + object + infinitive, as in: advise, allow, ask, beg, cause, compel,
encourage, enable, expect, forbid, force, help, instruct, invite, order, persuade, remind,
teach, tell, urge, etc.
Examples:
 We asked them to come.
 She reminded me to lock the door.
 After predicative adjectives expressing feelings or attitudes: glad, happy, afraid, sorry,
curious, surprised, etc.
Examples:
 I’m curious to know the news.
 She was happy to have been invited.
 After wh-words: decide, know, ask, guess, wonder, etc.
Examples:
 I don't know how to open the door.
 He asked me which bus to take.
 With the pronoun “it” + adjective or noun + infinitive:
Examples:
 He thought it his duty to help.
 I find it hard to believe.
 Some verbs accept either a gerund or an infinitive, but with a difference in meaning:
begin, start, remember, forget, like, love, regret, etc.
 Gerund: I remember locking the door. Meaning: You recall an action that you
did in the past.
 Infinitive: I remembered to lock the door. Meaning: You did not forget to perform
the action, i.e., you intended to lock it.
 With verbs like come, go, and find, the infinitive or participle may be used depending on
the meaning. Here, the infinitive does not function as an object.
 Examples:
 He came running down the stairs. = Used to describe physical movement
involving an activity.
 She came to help us. = Used more for purpose or intention, often formal or less
common in casual speech.
 I came here only to find out it was an illusion. = Used the infinitive (to find out)
to express purpose or result.
 I found him sleeping on the couch. = Used to show the discovery of someone or
something in the middle of doing something.
 I found the book to be very interesting. = Used more in formal or evaluative
statements. It describes your evaluation or judgment about something.
4. Attribute:
 The infinitive may modify nouns, pronouns, or ordinal numbers, often expressing
purpose, arrangement, possibility, or necessity.
Examples:
 They have a plan to help the poor. = The purpose of the plan is to help the poor.
 She went to find something to eat. = She went in order to find something to eat.
 He was the last to arrive. = ordinal numbers (first, second, last...) He arrived
after everyone else.
 The infinitive can also take a passive form, especially when expressing arrangement or
necessity:
 He is a man to rely on.= He is a man you can rely on (possibility, reliability).
 There are many things to be repaired.
 The conference to be held in September.
5. Adverbial Modifier:
 Purpose: An infinitive can act as an adverbial modifier indicating purpose, especially
when the subject of the sentence is expected to carry out the action expressed by the
infinitive:
 We are getting up at 7 o’clock tomorrow to catch the 8 o’clock train.
 She went to the airport to meet her sister.
The infinitive of purpose can also be introduced by so as (not) to or in order (not) to:
 She walked quietly so as not to wake the child.
 She turned off the phone in order not to be disturbed.
 Result: Infinitives can express result, often seen with the words too and enough.
Examples with too:
 She is too happy to say a word.
 He is too sensible a driver to take risks.
 Joan is too much of a bore to ignore.
 The bag is far/much too heavy for her to lift.
Note: We can add far or much for emphasis. Also, remember the structure “too +
adjective + noun” as in too sensible a driver.
If the main verb requires a preposition, it appears with the infinitive:
 The room is too cold to stay in.
Examples with enough:
 He is a careful enough driver not to take risks.
 She was foolish enough to refuse.
 The eggs are not good enough to make an omelette with.
 There isn’t enough proof yet for us to draw broad conclusions.
Another, less common form:
 He is enough of an optimist not to take it seriously. This can also be expressed
more naturally as:
 He is too much of an optimist to take it seriously.
In questions, such/so... as + to-infinitive can be used to show result:
 Was he such a fool (or so foolish) as to refuse?
A common polite request:
 Would you be so kind as to help me?
 Comparison: Infinitives can also function as adverbial modifiers of comparison,
introduced by as if or as though:
 She replied sharply, as if to challenge him.
 As though to remind him, the clock began to chime.
 Attendant Circumstances: This use indicates an event that follows immediately after
another, often with an element of surprise or irony. Two types exist:
a) With "only" (emphasizes an unexpected or disappointing result):
 I finally found my watch, only to discover it had stopped.
 They reached the shore, only to realize all their belongings had been stolen.
b) Without "only" (simply shows the next event):
  She went to the hospital to be told her husband was recovering.
This usage is mostly limited to verbs like find, hear, learn, see, be told, etc., to avoid
confusion between purpose and sequence.
For example:
 She went to London to stay there for a year. This could mean in order to stay
(purpose) or and stayed there (sequence).
6. Parenthesis:
Certain infinitive phrases function parenthetically and usually appear at the beginning or
end of a sentence. Common examples include:
 to start with
 to tell you the truth
 so to speak
 to be honest
 to be frank/fair
 to put it mildly/simply/briefly
 needless to say
 to say nothing (the least) of
 to cut a long story short
Examples:
 Needless to say, it made him furious.
 Her remarks were inappropriate, to say the least.
Practice:
Exercise 01: Underline the infinitive phrases and identify their form and function in the
sentence (subject, object, predicative, etc.).
Example:
 To err is human. → Infinitive: "To err" → Form: Simple infinitive → Function: Subject
1. She seemed to be working on the project.
2. It was careless of him to leave the door open.
3. He promised to have finished it by Monday.
4. I watched her paint the picture.
5. To read books late at night is his favorite habit.
Exercise 02: Identify and correct the mistakes related to infinitive use.
1. She helped me to carried the bags.
2. They asked that she to leave.
3. I have never known him to said that.
4. The book is to be readed by Monday.
5. He is too weak for lift the box.
Exercise 03: Write your own sentence for each of the following:
1. An infinitive used as a subject
2. An infinitive after a modal verb
3. An infinitive of result (with “too...to”)
4. A for-to-infinitive construction
5. A sentence using a split infinitive (acceptable style)