The incorrect use of the word to immediately reveals a foreigner in a person. After all, Russian speakers who are just beginning to comprehend the intricacies of the English language very often skip this particular part of speech or insert it where it does not belong. In many ways, we are confused due to the fact that to in English is also a preposition, which means direction (in Russian “to”), and a particle (infinitive) placed before the initial form of the verb.
How to define an infinitive?
In Russian, an infinitive is a verb in initial form with the ending Т: live, write, watch. In English, a verb in the indefinite form does not change the ending - only the particle to is used before it. Therefore, if the particle to comes before a verb, we can confidently say that it has an indefinite form: to eat, to dance, to read.
I want to make a few purchases today. I want to (do what?) do some shopping today.
I haven’t managed to execute all the tasks. I didn’t have time (what to do?) to complete all the tasks.
I am going to visit a cat exhibition. I'm going (what to do?) to visit a cat show.
It is worth noting that the particle to does not always need to be used before the infinitive, since there is such a thing as a “naked infinitive”. It is used after auxiliary and modal verbs, after let and make, and if in a sentence 2 verbs are combined with the preposition and/or, as well as in some other cases. Below is a list of common situations when the particle to is used before a verb:
A specific purpose is expressed through a verb with an infinitive.
He came back to pack his suitcase in time for tomorrow - He came back in time to pack his suitcase for tomorrow.
The infinitive is preceded by the adverbs too or enough.
My brother is too lazy to take away his toys - My brother is too lazy to take away his toys.
The infinitive stands next to the phrases would like, would prefer or would love.
I would like to go on a trip around the world - I would like to go on a trip around the world.
In a sentence where the word only is present, which expresses dissatisfaction with a particular event or result.
He flew to France on a business trip, only to sign a contract with these thick investors - He flew to France on a business trip, only to sign a contract with these stupid investors.
After something, anyone, somewhere and nothing.
He has something to say about his friend - He has something to say about his friend.
The sentence contains the following phrases: be the first (the second, etc.), be the next, be the last and be the best.
Am I the last to know where we will go on vacation? - Am I the last to know where we’re going on vacation?
To simplify your task, just remember the 4 main rules for using the particle to:
- It is used before verbs in the initial form.
- There are exceptions in which the to particle is not used.
- The particle to and the preposition to are two different words. The first is used with verbs, and the second with nouns.
- To find out whether you need to use the particle to or not, just ask the question “what to do?”, “what to do?”. If the questions are appropriate, then the particle is needed. for example: Read this book. (Do what?) Read this book. I want to read this book. I want (what to do?) read this book.
The most ancient and popular in English language are the prepositions in at on. Over the course of many centuries, due to repeated use, these functional parts of speech have acquired various functions and semantic meanings. There are many nuances in the use of these words, so they should be taken very seriously, since their incorrect use, both in speech and in writing, can create an awkward situation or call into question the speaker’s literacy.
The preposition IN is used with months, with names of seasons, with years, with long periods of time (in the 16th century). Examples:
- I’m going on holiday in August.— I'm going on vacation in August.
- Kate left school in 1998.— Katya graduated from school in 1998
- The garden is magic in winter.— The garden is magical in winter.
- This castle was built in the 13th century.— The fortress was built in the 13th century.
Remember! If a date is indicated, the preposition on is used, not in.
The preposition AT is used to indicate time when talking about the clock (at 2 o'clock, at 6 o'clock), certain moments of the day (at lunch, at midnight, at noon, at night), weekends/holidays (Easter, Christmas). Examples:
- We will meet at 9 o'clock.- We will meet at nine o'clock.
- I'll come back at midday.— I'll be back at noon.
- People gives presents to each other at the New Year.— People give each other gifts on New Year's Day.
- It rains at night.— It rains at night.
Remember! If you mean a specific night, you can also use the preposition of time in:
- Christmas is coming. All the dreams come true in the night.- Christmas is coming. On this night all dreams come true.
Remember! In American English they say on the weekend, not at the weekend.
Also, the preposition AT in English is used in set expressions that need to be memorized:
- at the moment - at the moment
- at present - currently
- at the same time - at the same time
- at that/the time - at that/certain time
- at the age of - at the age of ... years
Example: He is sleeping at the moment. At the moment he is sleeping.
The preposition ON is used before dates (September 5, May 16), days of the week (Wednesday, Saturday, Friday), as well as special dates (birthday, wedding, etc.). Example:
- He was born on March 10.— Born on March 10.
- Call me on Saturday.- Call me on Saturday.
- Who will come on your birthday?- Who will come to your birthday?
All of the above can be summarized in one table, which you can (at first) look into when performing strengthening exercises.
In addition, you need to remember the following rules:
Prepositions of time are never used with the words all, this, one, some, that, each, any, last, next, every!
- He is coming back next Monday.— He'll be back next Monday.
- I went to Greece last year.— I went to Greece last year.
Prepositions of time are never used with the words tomorrow, yesterday, tonight, today.
- Ann saw them yesterday morning.
- Anna saw them yesterday morning.
The use of prepositions IN, AT, ON in the meaning of place
The preposition IN is used in speech to denote the position of an object inside something: a larger object, a building, a territory - in a word, a closed space.
- We will go for a walk in the park. — We'll take a walk in the park.
- My coins are in my purse.— My coins are in my wallet.
The preposition IN is also used to indicate a place of work, but with one amendment.
- He works at Tate. — He works at Tate.
- He works in a shop— He works in a store.
Although the sentences refer to one place, the first case refers to the company itself, while the second case specifically refers to the place of work.
Remember! These phrases need to be memorized:
- work on a farm- work on a farm, BUT work in a factory- work in a factory.
The preposition IN should be used when indicating the location of an object inside a building:
- It was raining, so I decided to shelter in the cafe.— It was raining, so I decided to take refuge in a cafe.
Both the prepositions in and on are used before road names.
- The Petrol Station is on/in Wood Road.— The gas station is on Wood Road.
The preposition IN is used before the names of cities and countries: in Greece, in Russia, in London.
The preposition ON in the meaning of place must be used when denoting an object that is on a flat surface or in contact with it (on the celling - on the ceiling; on the wall - on the wall; on the floor - on the floor, etc.)
- John built the cottage on the lake.— John built a cottage on the lake.
- I saw a big stone on the road.— I saw a big stone on the road.
As for travel by transport, both the preposition in and on are used here, depending on the meaning. Let's look at examples:
- He is going to come on a train.— He's going to come by train.
- Alice was in the train when I've come to meet her.— Alice was on the train when I came to meet her.
In the first case, it means the use of a certain type of transport, and in the second, the fact of being inside the vehicle itself. An exception is the phrase “in a car”. The preposition in is always used here.
The preposition AT is usually used when one means a specific place or point, rather than an area or an unlimited abstract territory.
- There were a lot of directors at a festival.— There were many directors at the festival.
- I met her at Mary's Birthday.— I met her at Mary’s birthday party.
As you can see, in the phrases at a festival and at Mary’s Birthday the preposition indicates a specific place.
The preposition AT is also used before the names of cities, implying institutions located there or large-scale events and activities taking place there.
- There were a lot of well-known people at London Theater Festival.— Many famous people were present at the festival in London.
- Many well-known people live in London. — Many famous people live in London.
The difference is clear even to those who do not yet have a deep knowledge of English or those who know little about the theatrical life of London. London in the first case is part of the name of the event (London Theater Festival), and in the second case the city itself is meant.
The preposition AT is used before the names of educational institutions, abbreviating and hiding their full name.
- I study at Moscow (The University of Moscow).— I study at the University of Moscow.
Compare:
- I study in Moscow.— I study in Moscow (meaning the city itself).
You can use the preposition AT when talking about various organizations:
- She works at L'Oréal.— She works at L'Oreal.
The preposition AT is used before the names of buildings and structures when they act as specific points or landmarks: at school, at the dentist’s, at the supermarket, at the shop etc.
- Tom was at the planetarium yesterday.— Tom was at the planetarium yesterday.
- Robbie eats at McD on Friday.— Robie eats at McDonald's on Fridays.
The preposition AT precedes numbers when indicating an address.
- Their house is at 36 Park Avenue.— Their house is located on 36th Park Avenue.
The preposition AT is placed before the name of the street when any institution located on it is indicated.
- The presidents were meeting today at Downing Street.— Today the presidents met at Downing Street.
In this case, we mean the residence of the Prime Minister of Great Britain, located at this address, and not the street itself.
However, when referring to a financial institution on Wall Street, they say on Wall Street.
And one more nuance when using the preposition AT: according to general rule it always follows the verb "arrive".
- We arrived at the station in time.— We arrived at the station on time.
But if we are talking about arriving in a large city/metropolis, then the preposition IN is used.
- The airplane arrives in Chicago at 14.20.— The plane arrived in Chicago at 14.20.
Prepositions IN, AT, ON in fixed expressions
Word combinations and phrases that were formed during a certain period of history and did not change for a long time are called stable expressions. There are no clear rules for the use of prepositions in such constructions, so they need to be learned by heart. Here are the most common ones:
- in somebody’s opinion - in someone’s opinion;
- in fact - essentially, in fact, in fact;
- in case - in case;
- on the radio/television - on radio/television;
- on holiday/business/a trip/an cruise, etc. - on vacation/on a business trip/on a trip/on an excursion/on a cruise, etc.;
- at last - finally.
- Cafe is closed. The stuff is on holiday.— The cafe is closed. The staff is on vacation.
- In my opinion he is very clever boy.- In my opinion, he is a very smart boy.
- The sky was cloudy and I took my umbrella just in case.— The sky was cloudy, and I decided to take my umbrella just in case.
- I’ll hear her speech on the radio tomorrow.— I'll listen to her speech on the radio tomorrow.
- At last, I read this book till the end.— Finally, I read this book to the end.
Strengthening exercises
Insert suitable prepositions of time.
- I'm busy... the moment. 2. He will come back ... an hour. 3. We will go to New York... next week. 4. They got married… June. 5. Do you work... Saturdays. 6. Let’s meet… 7 pm tomorrow. 7. I call parents... every Sunday. 8. The bus leaves... ten minutes. 9. I’ll get my money… the end of the month. 10. I go to the gym… Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
Answers: 1. at, 2. in 3. sentence is complete 4. in 5. on 6. at 7. sentence is complete 8. in 9. at 10. On Translate the following sentences into English.
- He will go to work on Saturday. 2. We will arrive at 8 o'clock. 3. She was born in July. 4. The store was opened in 2003. 5. They got married on September 12. 6. We will go skiing this winter.
Complete the sentences with suitable prepositions.
- Do you sometimes watch TV ____ the mornings? 2. Are you usually at home ____ 7 o’clock ____ the evenings? 3. Do you sometimes work ___night? 4. What do you usually do ____ weekends? 5. Do you usually go shopping ____ Saturdays? 6. Do you go skiing ____ the winter? 7. Do you have a holiday ____ December? 8. Is there a holiday in your country ____ 6, January?
Answers: 1 in, 2 at/ in, 3 at, 4 at (Br. E) or on (Am. E), 5 on, 6 in, 7 in, 8 on.
The infinitive in English is one of the most important verb forms that can serve many different functions. In Russian there is only one form for the infinitive, while in English there are six of them: four in the active voice, two in the passive voice. Beginners, as a rule, make do with the simplest of them, while professionals and simply advanced students happily master the more complex ones, using them in sentences with more intricate meanings.
This article, starting with the simplest and ending with the most difficult, will examine all six infinitives in the English language, the functions and structure of their use.
General definition of the infinitive
The infinitive in English corresponds to the infinitive form of the verb in Russian. He denotes an action without naming a number or a person, and answers the questions “What should I do?” and/or “What should I do?” The infinitive is also called the initial or dictionary form of the verb, since if you look up the meaning or translation of the word in the dictionary, it will give exactly this form.
Distinctive feature All verbs in the infinitive form have the particle to.
- I like to read. - I enjoy reading.
- We want to help. - We want to help.
The use of an infinitive in English without this particle is possible, but in very rare cases. For example, after some modal verbs, or if the infinitive functions as a complex object.
- You must do your homework! - You must do your homework!
- I saw him open the window. - I saw him open the window.
As examples show, when translating into Russian, the presence or absence of the particle to does not matter.
Simple infinitive in active voice
It is used when it is necessary to show that the subject is performing an action at the same time as that action is reported, or will perform it later. To form a simple infinitive in the active voice, just add the particle to to the verb. In an example in sentences, this indefinite form looks like this:
- They want to invite us to John's birthday party, but we won't be able to come. - They want to invite us to John's birthday party, but we won't be able to come.
- I wish to travel to California, because it is warm and beautiful there. - I dream of going on a trip to California because it is warm and beautiful there.
In both cases, the actions described by the infinitive will occur after they have been announced: no one has been invited to the birthday party yet, but they only want to. And no one travels to California yet, but only dreams.
Simple infinitive in passive voice
The time relations in this case are the same, only the action is performed not by the object itself, but on it. To form this form of the infinitive, you need to add to be the past participle of the verb you are looking for. For example:
- I want this project to be finished. - I want to finish this project.
- We all like to be told compliments and given presents. - We all love it when people give us compliments and gifts.
In both cases, the subject does not perform the action expressed by the infinitive: the project is not completed, compliments are not given, and gifts are not given themselves. This is why the voice is called passive or passive.
Continuous infinitive in active voice
The rule of infinitives in English states that the continuous infinitive is used almost on the same principle as the simple one, with the only difference being that it requires an indication of duration. With its help, actions are expressed that began earlier, but have not ended yet, or those that will begin and will continue for some time in the future.
To form a continuous infinitive in the active voice, you need to add to be the desired verb ending in -ing. For example:
- She have to be working now, but she will finish her work soon. - Right now she most likely has to work, but she will finish her work soon.
- My best wish is to be sleeping for more then six hours per day, but I"m too busy and have no time to rest for so much time. - My deepest desire is to sleep more than six hours a day, but I'm too busy and don't have time to rest for that long.
In the first case, the action occurs simultaneously with how it is reported: it works while someone talks about it. In the second case, the action will probably happen in the future.
Perfect infinitive in active voice
This grammatical construction is used when we need to talk about an action that was completed before it was reported. To form it, use to have, adding to it the past participle of the desired verb. In an example it looks like this:
I wish to have read this book till the end by now, but I haven't finished it yet. - I would like to read this book all the way by this time, but I haven't finished it yet.
Perfect infinitive in passive voice
To form this form, you need to use to have been, adding to it the desired verb in the past participle form. Like the previous one, it refers to the past tense, but implies that the action was performed not by the object itself, but on it:
I hope the room has been cleared up! - I hope the room is cleaned!
The room mentioned in this sentence must be cleaned before the author of the statement reports it, and not in the future or at the moment. And it does not remove itself - the action is performed on the object.
Perfect continuous infinitive in active voice
This version of the infinitive in English is used much less frequently than others due to some of its cumbersomeness and abundance auxiliary verbs. To form it, you need to add the present participle of the desired verb to the construction to have been.
The perfect continuous infinitive is used to describe an action that has already been completed and has been going on for some time:
I know him to have been working as the headmaster of the school for five years until he was fired. - I know that he worked as a school principal for five years before he was fired.
This sentence contains an indication of duration (for five years) and elapsed time (before he was fired).
Summing up
There are many ways to master this topic. Exercises on infinitives in English are far from the only way. You can search for and write down examples of the use of the indefinite form of the verb from fiction, compose sentences yourself, translate from English into Russian and vice versa.
For those preparing to take the exam, it will be very useful to know all six described variants of the infinitive in English. For those who are trying to master it at an intermediate level, for example, to go on holiday abroad, it will be enough to master at least the first three of them, because the functions of the infinitive in English are difficult, and sometimes impossible, to replace with other grammatical constructions.
In what cases is it necessary to putto before verbs in English? The question is quite sensitive, but you can figure it out. I remember the rule from my school days“between two verbs there must always be to”. Over time, it turned out that this formula is not so universal, and there are some exceptions. But first things first…
When do you put to before verbs in English?
First, it is important to learn to distinguish between prepositions to and a particle to. As an excuse to used to express the direction of some movement. That is why very often to as a preposition used after verbs of motion.
For example:
I went to Europe last summer. – Last summer I went V Europe.
Regarding the particle to, it usually just shows that the verb is not in any tense. Please note the following suggestions.
Linda wants TO SELL her house. Linda wants to SELL her house.
We don’t understand what TO DO. – We don’t understand what to DO.
They decided TO WRITE one more letter. – They decided to WRITE another letter.
It turns out that the universal rule for using particles to before verbs in English sounds like this: “use the particle to if the verb is not in any tense or person, but simply answers the question “what to do / do?”. You can just remember here that the Russian ending "-th" in English it turns into a particle "to".
When not to put to before verbs in English?
According to the rule, you cannot use to before modal verbs in English. We're talking about c an, may, must, should, need. These words do not express an action, but a person’s ability to do something, probability, advice, obligation.
Examples:
Everyone must be careful at work. - Everyone should be careful at work.
The children may come back at noon. - The children will probably be back at noon.
You shouldn't say anything. -You shouldn't say anything.
Also, there is no need to use the particle to after verbs such as make And let.
Examples:
Let me do this myself. - Let me do it myself.