Omitted “to”

We can join ideas with and, except, but, than, as, like and or. The particle “to” is usually dropped before the second infinitive.

e.g. She wanted to go and *see the film. She didn't know whether to laugh or (to) *cry.

e.g. He wanted to do everything except *study for his exams.

Note: When two infinitives are joined by “and”, the second is almost always a bare infinitive.

When they are joined by “but” or “or”, a to-infinitive is possible, but a bare infinitive is more common.

Reduced Infinitive

Sometimes the whole infinitive needs not to be repeated if it is understood from the context.

A: Can you and Mary come to lunch next Sunday? B: I'd love to.

A: Can I smoke in here? B: No, you aren't allowed to.

A: Why aren't you coming to the film? B: I don't want to.

Model. : She knows what to do. She knows how to do it.

Примечание. Инфинитив часто встречается в сочетании с наречиями (when, where, how, why) или местоимениями (who, what, which). Подобные сочетания могут иметь различные функ­ции в предложении — подлежащего, предикатива, дополнения и определения.

Translate into Russian.

1. I don't know what to answer……………………………………………………………………………………….

2. She can't decide which hat to buy…………………………………………………………………………………

3. Where to find him is a difficult problem…………………………………………………………………………….

4. He answered my question where to get this book………………………………………………………………

5. There is no pen with which to write…………………………………………………………………………………..

6. I don't remember what to do with this exercise…………………………………………………………………………

7. He forgot how to write this word………………………………………………………………………………………

8. We don't understand how to find words in the dictionary.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

9. She can't remember where to put the books…………………………………………………………………….........

10. Go and ask what to do next……………………………………………………………………………………….

Compose sentences using conjunctive adverbs and pro­nouns.

1. He wants to know ……………..(to do this exercise). 2. Have you learnt………………. (to write English letters)? 3. Please tell them ……………..(to come). 4. She can't decide……………. (to go for her holidays). 5. He showed us ………………..(to type). 6. Do you understand ……………………(to solve the problem)? 7. Does she remember ……………….(to buy for breakfast)? 8. Tell me……………… (to sew on a button). 9. Show them ……………..(to hang) their coats. 10. Do you know…………………………. (to go to the station)?