Infinitive without to
The Infinitive without to – Examples
After the following we use the infinitive without to:
1. after auxiliaries/modals
can
I can help you.
could
We could do this together.
may
I may be better at the weekend.
might
I might be better at the weekend.
must
I must go now.
mustn’t
You mustn’t park there.
needn’t
You needn’t stay at work any longer.
shall
We shall overcome the obstacles.
should
You should see a doctor.
will
She will meet me at the station.
would
She would wait for me everyday at the gate.
2. after the auxiliary do
do
All I did was for nothing.
3. after the following structures
had better
You had better tidy up that mess.
would rather
I would rather talk about it later.
would sooner
I would sooner visit the dentist than talk to him.
why not
Why not buy her flowers for her birthday?
why should we
Why should we wait any longer?
why should we not
Why should we not go now?
4. after verbs of perception + object + infinitive (action has finished)
feel
She felt the hot sun burn her skin.
hear
I heard the doorbell ring.
notice
Susan noticed the boy jump over the wall.
see
She saw him climb onto the roof.
watch
I watched the police arrest the criminals.
5. after let
let + object + infinitive without to
Sandy lets her children stay up very late.
let’s
Let’s go for a walk.
6. after make + object + infinitive without to
make
She made him give the money back.