Korean Job Discussion Forums

rnrpaulsen · Joined: 20 Jun 2005 Location: Cheongju, South Korea

So does anyone have any ideas for explaining the uses of infinitives in English, other than just rhyming off the verbs that take the infinitive, and the tenses, etc? Any way to simply put it?

cruisemonkey · Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2005 7:28 pm Post subject:

I think this is about as simple as it gets -
Infinitives are verb-forms not predicated on any subject (e.g. ask, to ask).

some waygug-in · Joined: 25 Jan 2003

I don't think there is an easy way to explain this. I am confused by it sometimes, so I can imagine how students feel.

Some verbs are followed by both the infinitive and the gerund, some by only one and there doesn't seem to be any kind of rule that makes any sense to explain why. It's just one of those wonderful "usage" things that drive students of English crazy.

cruisemonkey · Posted: Sat Sep 24, 2005 7:50 pm Post subject:

Yes, it's a wonderful language... isn't it? Some things are completely illogical and almost impossible to explain to those who are not native speakers of English.

deessell · Joined: 08 Jun 2005

Infinitives are the base form of the verb.