The infinitive placement test

Using the verbs in brackets, supply the appropriate form of the infinitive.

1. I don’t know what Mark is doing. He may (study) _____ in his room.

2. I heard someone (enter) ___ the house and I was too frightened (move) ___.

3. I’d rather (go) _____ for a walk in the rain than (do) _____ nothing at all.

4. That T-shirt makes you (look) _____ much younger.

5. She’s a slow worker! I could (do) _____ the job twice in the time she’s taken.

6. Why were you waiting here? You should (wait) _____ round the corner.

7. I was made (wait) ___ two hours for an appointment.

8. I promise your order will (send) ______ today.

9. Don’t let the children (annoy) ___ you. Let them (play) ____ outside in the garden.

10. That box is too heavy for Bob (lift) _______. He needs somebody (help) ___him.

Task 1. Comment on the form and function of the infinitive in the sentences below.

1. To forget and forgive her was something he couldn’t do.

2. No one has ever seen Mary cry.

3. You seem to have been waiting for a long time.

4. He found the film to be rather boring.

5. They were seen to leave the room in a hurry.

6. To be praised by our teacher was something incredible.

7. I’m sorry to have kept you waiting so long.

8. Why not discuss our problem right now?

9. She seems to have been shocked by the news.

10. I don’t want you to speak to the child so rudely.

11. He happened to be looking in the same direction and saw a man run out of the house.

12. Let me help you with your luggage.

Task 2. Decide if the following statements about the infinitive are true or false. Correct false statements. Use examples from Task 1 to illustrate your answer.

1. The Infinitive has no special markers. / F (particle to)

2. Like a finite verb, the infinitive can take objects./ T

3. The infinitive has three morphological categories: voice, correlation, aspect./T

4. Like a finite verb, the infinitive can be modified by adverbial modifiers./T

5. The Infinitive is always used with particle to./F

6. In the infinitive construction “Complex Object” the infinitive is always used with particle to./F

7. In the infinitive construction “Complex Subject” both passive and active forms of the infinitive are used./T

8. After the question word “why” in negative and negative-interrogative sentences bare infinitive is used./T

9. The Infinitive can’t be used as a subject of the sentence. /F

Task 3. Read each numbered statement. Then choose the sentence (a or b) that best describes the situation.

1. My teacher made me rewrite the report.

1. I wrote the report again.

2. I didn’t write the report again.

2. Ms. Brown let us use our dictionaries during the test.

1. We were allowed to use our dictionaries.

2. We had to use our dictionaries.

3. Mr. Gold had us translate a short story.

1. Mr. Gold translated a short story for us.

2. We translated a short story.

4. Paul helped Mary do her homework.

1. Paul did Mary’s homework for her.

2. Both Paul and Mary worked on her homework.

5. Ms. Bates got the headmaster to arrange a class trip.

1. Ms. Bates arranged a class trip.

2. The headmaster arranged a class trip.

6. Professor Walls let us choose our own topic for our term paper.

1. We chose our own topic.

2. We didn’t choose our own topic.