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For...to, too...to, enough to, object + infinitive and other special structures.
English uses several special constructions involving infinitives to express purpose, result, degree, expectation, and relationships between participants.
Important patterns include for + object + infinitive, too + adjective + to-infinitive, enough + to-infinitive, object + infinitive, and infinitive clauses with their own understood subjects.
For + noun or object pronoun + to-infinitive identifies the person or thing understood as the subject of the infinitive.
For example, It is important for students to understand the rule.
Adjectives describing importance, difficulty, suitability, or other qualities can be followed by for + object + to-infinitive.
For example, It is difficult for me to explain and It is important for everyone to arrive on time.
Certain noun constructions can contain for + object + to-infinitive when the object is the understood subject of the infinitive.
For example, There is no reason for you to worry and It is a good idea for us to leave early.
Too + adjective + to-infinitive expresses that something has an excessive degree for an action to be possible or appropriate.
For example, The box is too heavy to carry.
Too + adverb + to-infinitive can express an excessive degree or manner that prevents an action.
For example, He spoke too quickly to understand.
Too can be followed by for + object + to-infinitive when identifying who is unable to perform the action.
For example, The bag is too heavy for me to carry.
Adjective + enough + to-infinitive expresses that a quality is sufficient for an action.
For example, The room is large enough to hold fifty people.
Adverb + enough + to-infinitive expresses that an action is performed with sufficient degree or manner for a result.
For example, She spoke clearly enough to be understood.
Enough can precede a noun followed by a to-infinitive when sufficient quantity is required for an action.
For example, We have enough time to finish the work.
Too much and too many can be followed by a to-infinitive when excessive quantity prevents or makes an action difficult.
For example, There is too much work to finish today and There are too many boxes to carry.
Some verbs are followed by an object and a to-infinitive, with the object functioning as the understood subject of the infinitive.
For example, I want him to stay and She expected us to arrive early.
Some verbs are followed by an object and a bare infinitive without to.
For example, They made him leave and I saw her cross the road.
Some verbs can be followed by an object and an -ing form when the object is associated with an activity in progress.
For example, I found him sleeping and We caught them stealing.
Some constructions contain an object followed by a past participle to describe a resulting state or passive relationship.
For example, I found the door locked and She had her hair cut.
A to-infinitive can indicate the purpose for which an action is performed.
For example, She went to the shop to buy some bread.
In order to and so as to can express purpose more explicitly, especially when the relationship needs to be clear or formal.
For example, He left early in order to avoid traffic and The system was redesigned so as to improve efficiency.
A to-infinitive can sometimes describe an unexpected or consequential result rather than purpose.
For example, He returned home to find that the door was open.
Only to + infinitive can emphasize an unexpected or disappointing result following an earlier action.
For example, She arrived at the station only to discover that the train had left.
Ordinal numbers and superlatives can be followed by a to-infinitive to identify an action associated with a position or ranking.
For example, She was the first person to arrive and He was the last to leave.
A superlative adjective can be followed by a to-infinitive to identify the relevant action or experience.
For example, This is the best way to solve the problem and She was the youngest person to win the award.
Expressions such as first, last, next, and only can be followed by a to-infinitive when identifying a participant in a sequence or unique position.
For example, He was the first to arrive, the next to speak, and the only one to complain.
A split infinitive places an adverb or other element between to and the base verb.
For example, to carefully consider the evidence. Split infinitives are grammatical in standard English when they give the clearest or most natural wording.
Adverbs can occur before the infinitive, between to and the verb, or after the infinitive depending on emphasis, clarity, and style.
For example, She quickly decided to leave and She decided to quickly leave are both possible, although style and rhythm may affect the preferred position.
Negative infinitive structures normally place not before the infinitive clause.
For example, He decided not to go and It is important for us not to make the same mistake.
A non-finite infinitive can have an explicitly expressed subject through for + noun or pronoun + to-infinitive.
For example, It is unusual for him to arrive so early.
Adjectives such as easy, difficult, hard, and impossible can occur in constructions where the logical object of the infinitive corresponds to the subject.
For example, This book is easy to read means that it is easy for someone to read this book.
Some adjective + infinitive constructions have a passive interpretation even though the infinitive itself is formally active.
For example, The problem is difficult to solve has approximately the meaning The problem is difficult to be solved.
Use special infinitive constructions according to their structural pattern and intended meaning.
Common mistakes include omitting for before an explicit infinitive subject, confusing purpose and result, using the wrong position of enough, adding to after a bare infinitive structure, and treating every split infinitive as grammatically incorrect.