Infinitive without Particle to (Bare Infinitive)

Rules

Examples

After auxiliaries and modal verbs except ought, have, be.

Do you know what time is it now?

You must come and see us one day.

You ought to have come earlier.

After the verbs denoting sense perception such as to hear, to see, to feel, to watch, to observe, to notice, etc in the active voice.

I saw him enter the shop.

But:

He was seen to enter the shop.

After the verbs to let, to make, to have (in the meaning to get), to know (in the meaning to see / to observe) in the active voice.

Don’t let the children annoy you.

She made me do this test again.

I’ll have an electrician repair it.

But:

I was made to stand in the corner.

After modal expressions had better, cannot but, would rather, nothing but, would sooner, cannot choose but.

I’d rather be told the truth.

You’d better not make a mistake next time.

He couldn’t but go there.

In infinitive sentences beginning with why (not).

Why not cook fish tonight?

You look tired. Why not take a holiday?

We use both bare infinitive and to-infinitive forms after the verbs need, dare, do and help.

(Bare infinitive is preferable after positive forms and needn’t.

To-infinitive after doesn’t / don’t need, dare not and help not).

You needn’t do this washing up.

You don’t need to clean the floor.

Does she dare (to) refuse you?

All I did was (to) give him the information.

How can I help my children not to worry about their exams?

We can join ideas with and, except, but and or. The particle “to” is usually dropped before the second infinitive.

She wanted to go and see the film.

He wanted to do everything except study.

Note:

When two infinitives are joined by and, the second is almost always a bare infinitive. When they are joined by but or or, a to-infinitive is possible, but a bare infinitive is more common.

Sometimes the whole infinitive needs not to be repeated if it is understood from the context:

A: Can you and Mary come to lunch next Sunday?

B: I’d love to.

A: Can I smoke in here?

B: No, you aren’t allowed to.

A: Why aren’t you coming to the film?

B: I don’t want to.