Chapter 10

The Infinitive

Many errors arise from not knowing how to use the infinitive mood. Perhaps the most common fault is to interpose an adverb between the preposition _to_ and the infinitive verb; as, “It is not necessary _to accurately relate_ all that he said.” “You must not expect _to always find_ people agreeable.” Whether we shall place the adverb before the verb or after it must often be determined by considerations of emphasis and smoothness as well as of clearness and correctness. In the foregoing sentences it is better to place _accurately_ after the verb, and _always_ before the preposition _to._

Supply “to”

The preposition _to_ as the sign of the infinitive is often improperly omitted.

“Please _write_ clearly, so that we may understand,” “Your efforts will tend to hinder rather than _hasten_ the work,” “Strive so to criticise as not to embarrass nor _discourage_ your pupil.” These sentences will be corrected by inserting _to_ before the italicized words.

In such expressions as “Please _excuse_ my son’s absence,” “Please _write_ me a letter,” “Please _hand_ me the book,” many authorities insist upon the use of _to_ before the verb. The sentences may, however, be regarded as softened forms of the imperative; as, _“Hand_ me the book, if you please.” Transposed, “If you please, hand me the book.” Contracted, “Please, hand me the book.” From this, the comma may have slipped out and left the sentence as first written.

Omit “to”

When a series of infinitives relate to the same object, the word _to_ should be used before the first verb and omitted before the others; as, “He taught me _to read, write,_ and _cipher.”_ “The most accomplished way of using books at present is to serve them as some do lords—_learn_ their titles and then _brag_ of their acquaintance.”

The active verbs _bid, dare, feel, hear, let, make, need, see,_ and their participles, usually take the infinitive after them, without the preposition _to._ Such expressions, as “He bade me _to depart,” “_I dare _to say_ he is a villain,” “I had difficulty in making him _to see_ his error,” are, therefore, wrong, and are corrected by omitting _to._

Incomplete Infinitive

Such incomplete expressions as the following are very common: “He has not gone to Europe, nor is he likely _to.” “_She has not written her essay, nor does she intend _to.” “_Can a man arrive at excellence who has no desire _to?”_ The addition of the word _go_ to the first sentence, and of _write it,_ to the second would make them complete. In the case of the third sentence it would be awkward to say, “Can a man arrive at excellence who has no desire _to arrive at excellence.”_ We therefore substitute the more convenient expression “_to do so.”_