The infinitive

1. Forms of the infinitive

Perfect	to have signed (to have + Participle II)	to have been signed (to have been + Participle II)
Continuous	to be signing (to be + Participle I)	–
Perfect Continuous	to have been signing (to have been + Participle I)	–

2. Functions of the infinitive

Function	Example
1. Subject 2. Part of the compound predicate 3. Object 4. Attribute 5. Adverbial Modifier	То read aloud is very useful. Our aim is to master English. I told him to go as quickly as possible. Here is the article to be translated. I came to help you.

3. Infinitive constructions

Complex Object

Construction	Example
Complex Object noun (g.c.) + inf. pron. (obj. c.)	We believe her to be in Moscow now. She wanted me to return soon. We expect him to come here.

Complex Object is used after the verbs that express:

1) wish and need: to want – хотеть, нуждаться, to wish, to desire – желать, would like – хотел бы.

Ex.: I want you to help me. Would you like me to translate this text?

2) supposition: to suppose – предполагать, to expect – ожидать, to consider – считать, полагать, to believe – верить, полагать.

Ex.: They consider him to become a good engineer. We believe her to be in Moscow now.

3) physical perception: to watch – наблюдать, to see – видеть, to hear – слышать, to feel – чувствовать (без частицы to).

Ex.: The students heard him play the piano. She felt somebody look at her

4) statement, knowledge: to know – знать, to find – обнаруживать, находить, to think – думать, to declare – заявлять.

Ex.: We know him to have taken part in the conference.

5) compulsion, order, prohibition: to cause – причинять, вызывать, to get, to make – (без частицы to) заставлять, to command, to order – велеть, приказывать.

Ex.: We could not get him go there.

6) request, permission: ask – просить, to allow, to permit – позволять, to enable – давать возможность.

Ex.: I allowed him to come in.

Complex Subject

Construction	Example
Complex Subject noun (g. c.) (+ v.) + inf. pron. (n. c.)	They are said to have travelled lot.

Complex Subject is used in the Passive Voice with the following verbs: to hear – слышать, to see – видеть, to find – находить, обнаруживать, to know – знать, to report – сообщать, to expect – ожидать, полагать, to consider – считать, рассматривать, to believe – полагать, to say – говорить, to suppose – предполагать.

Ex.: The delegation was reported to have already arrived.

The conference is believed to take place in Minsk.

Complex Subject is used in the Active Voice with the following verbs: to seem, to appear – казаться, to prove – оказаться, to happen – случаться, to turn out – оказаться и со словосочетаниями: to be unlikely (likely) – маловероятно, to be sure (unsure) – определенно, безусловно, to be certain (uncertain) – определенно, наверняка.

Ex.: The dinner seems to be ready. The weather is not likely to change. They are sure to come.

Construction «for» + noun (pron.) + inf.

Construction	Example
«for» + noun (pron.) + inf.	Everybody waited for the meeting to start. This is for you to decide.