16/2/22, 16:20 List of verbs that require the infinitive with ‘to’

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requiring the infinitive with ‘to’

List of verbs with to-infinitive

(English verbs that require the use of the
to-infinitive)

Table of contents – verbs with to-infinitive

On this page you will find the following:

1. Use of verbs with infinitive

2. List of verbs with to-infinitive
3. Further explanations and exercises

Which English verbs require the infinitive?

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In English grammar, it is sometimes possible to use a verb (the

first verb in the clause) together with a second verb. If such a
first verb is one of the ones listed in the table below, it usually

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16/2/22, 16:20 List of verbs that require the infinitive with ‘to’

requires the second (following) verb to appear in its infinitive

form with ‘to’.

Some of the verbs that need the to-infinitive:

afford to travel
hope to see

Examples of such verb-infinitive combinations in sentences:

“Peter arranged to meet the Chinese clients next Monday.”
Here, ‘arranged’ is the first verb directly followed by
the infinitive ‘to meet’.

“My friend John promised to give up smoking.”

In this statement, the base form ‘to give’ comes right
after ‘promised’.

Information: If you need more details on the general usage,

have a look at the English infinitive .

List of verbs followed by the to-infinitive

English verbs that are used before the infinitive with ‘to’

English verb Example combination

afford afford to buy
agree agree to talk
aim aim to succeed Go to top
appear appear to be difficult seem to be difficult

arrange arrange to meet

attempt attempt to do

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16/2/22, 16:20 List of verbs that require the infinitive with ‘to’

English verb Example combination

beg beg to tell the truth
care care to have some tea
choose choose to move
claim claim to be the owner
condescend condescend to write
consent consent to use
dare to ask / dare ask

dare
Info: Can also be used without ‘to’.
decide decide to sell
demand demand to know
deserve deserve to be treated well
determined to continue

determine
Info: This verb is mostly used in the passive voice.
endeavour endeavour to carry on
expect expect to receive
fail fail to complete
forget forget to tell
guarantee guarantee to accept
happen happen to know
have have to work
help to finish / help finish

help
Info: Can also be used without ‘to’.
hesitate hesitate to make a decision
hope hope to see Go to top
learn learn to fly
long long to be
manage manage to organise

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16/2/22, 16:20 List of verbs that require the infinitive with ‘to’

English verb Example combination

mean mean to hurt
need need to drink
neglect neglect to have done
offer offer to help
plan plan to travel
prepare prepare to compromise
pretend pretend to be
proceed proceed to change
promise promise to come
refuse refuse to provide money
resolve resolve to review
seem seem to work out
stop stop to talk
swear swear to stay at home
tend tend to eat too much
threaten threaten to fire someone
trouble trouble to help
undertake undertake to meet the cost
volunteer volunteer to assist
vow vow to protect
want want to say
wish wish to study

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Further explanations related to ‘Verbs with to-

infinitive’

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