> Other English exercises on the same topics: Infinitive | Modals [Change theme]
	> Similar tests: - Infinitive clause - Infinitive phrase - Infinitive in sentences - TO + verb base or TO + V + ing - Doing, Do, To do... - Gerunds or Infinitives - Gerund or Infinitve - To try, followed by...
	> Double-click on words you don't understand

Infinitives

* You'll tell me: "Oh, quite easy!"  It is, indeed! Here are three simple infinitives, 

or rather three "present infinitives" in the affirmative form! 

➡️ A little more "difficult",  a negatif infinitive... Be careful! 

The order of the words is extremely important! 

- We hope not to be late.// It's easy not to find your way... // I'd like you never to go away... 

You must be starting to guess that, this time, the "lesson" will be about 

INFINITIVES... ( WHAT?  There are several forms of INFINITIVES!  A real nightmare!  )

1) PERFECT INFINITIVE: (to have + past participle ) 

The perfect infinitive refers to a time before that of the preceding verb:   

- He seems to have started running now! 

- "Look! The rain seems to have stopped!" 

 In English, the perfect infinitive is always built with the auxiliary HAVE.

-   In the negative form, the word order must be:  "NOT+ TO+ HAVE+ Past participle."

"I'm surprised not to have heard her cry..." 

- With modal auxiliaries (modals), the perfect infinitive is used without TO.

He must have been tired after such a journey! 

- The perfect infinitive isn't used after:  after, before, without... 

Before reading her letter, I already knew what she wanted to say...

 Thank you for helping me/ for lending me...

2) THE INFINITIVE in the PASSIVE: the auxiliary used to build a passive form is TO BE:

(To) BE+ past participle. 

The passive infinitives shift the focus of the sentence towards the object

when the speaker decides to put a certain emphasis on it. 

- He wants to be helped for everything. 

- The child is not to be left alone. 

* The 'passive infinitive' is used with modals: 

- This machine must be repaired today. 

3) THE INFINITIVE in - ing: (to) be +V ing.

The regular present perfect in V+ing tense structure follows the “to” and makes it perfect

continuous infinitive - “to+ have + been + Present Participle.”

The sense of continuation is added to the perfect infinitive without the obligation to state

the time frame as in the perfect continuous tense structure. 

- He swore not to be lying during the testinony... 

- Olivia seems to be reading a lot these days... 

Let's be frank.... It's quite easy, isn't it? Now, go for the test!  The FORCE is with you! 

Twitter Share
English exercise "Infinitives" created by here4u with The test builder. [More lessons & exercises from here4u]
Click here to see the current stats of this English test

Please log in to save your progress.

1. Now that I have to do this research, I'm glad to have studiedto have studyingto studyI don't know Latin and Greek at school.



2. When I arrived, the kid seemed to cryto have been criedto have been cryingI don't know for the past hour or so.



3. The letter has got to sendto be sentgot to have been sentI don't know in time, if not, the deal will be lost.



4. I’m relieved not to have metto have metto have been meetingI don't know these boring people again!



5. He ran out of the room without takingwithout having takingwithout being takenI don't know what he was offered… How rude of him!



6. By next week, they'll have finished having been paintingnot finished paintingfinished paintingI don't know the rooms if we all help them.



7. This sonnet have must been writtenmust have been writtenmustn't have been writtenI don't know by Shakespeare. It's about the Dark Lady.



8. I’m very sad not to have metto have not metto haven't metI don't know him before his departure.



9. After hearingAfter have heardAfter being heardI don't know his words, I didn’t know what to think…



10. The window should have been repairedshould repairshould be repairedI don't know before it starts raining…