| Category | Examples |
|---|---|
| Verbs that take ‘to + infinitive’ | want, hope, plan, decide, need, would like → “I want to go“ |
| Verb + object + ‘to + infinitive’ | tell, ask, expect, advise, remind → “They told me to wait“ |
| Adjectives + ‘to + infinitive’ | happy, ready, afraid, easy, difficult → “I’m happy to help“ |
| Nouns + ‘to + infinitive’ | chance, decision, right, ability, need → “She had a chance to speak“ |
| Question words + ‘to + infinitive’ | what, how, where, whether → “I don’t know what to do“ |
| ‘Too/Enough’ + ‘to + infinitive’ | “too heavy to lift” / “old enough to drive“ |
| Purpose (why) | “She went to the shop to buy milk” |
Content summary:
1. After certain verbs
2. After verbs with objects
3. After adjectives
4. After certain nouns
5. After question words (but not after “why”)
6. After too/enough
7. To show purpose
When NOT to use “to”
1. After certain verbs
Some verbs are always followed by to + infinitive (not -ing, not bare infinitive).
- agree, appear, arrange, ask, choose, decide, expect, fail, help (optional), hope, learn, manage, need, offer, plan, pretend, promise, refuse, seem, want, wish, would like, would love, would prefer
Examples:
- She agreed to help.
- They promised to call.
- I hope to see you soon.
- We decided to stay home.
- I would like to go shopping.
2. After verbs with objects
Some verbs take an object + to-infinitive.
- advise, allow, ask, cause, encourage, expect, force, invite, need, persuade, remind, teach, tell, want, warn, would like
Examples:
- They told me to wait.
- She asked him to explain.
- The teacher encouraged us to try.
- I need you to listen.
3. After adjectives
Many adjectives are followed by to + infinitive:
- easy/difficult, happy/unhappy, glad/sorry, important, necessary, ready, willing, afraid, likely/unlikely
Examples:
- It’s easy to understand.
- I’m happy to meet you.
- She’s afraid to fly.
- He’s ready to go.
4. After certain nouns
Certain nouns are followed by to + infinitive when expressing purpose/ability.
- a chance, an attempt, a decision, the right, the ability, the need, the opportunity, the plan, the request
Examples:
- We had a chance to speak.
- It was her decision to leave.
- They made an attempt to solve the problem.
5. After question words (but not after “why”)
what, where, how, who, whether + to + infinitive
Examples:
- I don’t know what to do.
- Can you tell me how to get there?
- They couldn’t decide whether to stay or leave.
*(But we don’t use “why to” — ❌ I don’t know why to go)
6. After too/enough
We use to-infinitive after too and enough structures.
Examples:
- The box is too heavy to lift.
- She’s old enough to drive.
- It’s warm enough to swim today.
7. To show purpose
to + verb expresses why something is done.
Examples:
- She went to the store to buy milk.
- He called me to ask a question.
❌ When NOT to use “to”
This helps learners avoid mistakes.
- After modal verbs:
(can, could, will, would, may, might, must, shall, should) → bare infinitive (no to).
- I can go. / She must leave.
- After let, make, help (sometimes):
- They let me go.
- She made me stay.
- They helped me (to) carry it. (to is optional here).
- With verbs that require -ing (gerund):
- enjoy, avoid, consider, suggest, finish, practice, mind, deny, risk…
- I enjoy shopping. (❌ not to shop)
📝 Quick Recap Rule
👉 The to-infinitive is used after:
- specific verbs & verb + object patterns,
- adjectives,
- certain nouns,
- question words (except why),
- too/enough,
- and to show purpose.