152. Infinite means unlimited, without limit as to persons or number. Almost every verb in the language may be used in this way, and since to is generally used before the infinitive, to is often called the sign of the infinitive. For example:
- To be, or not to be, that is the question.
- To have and to hold is the problem.
- He likes to travel.
You note in all of these infinitives to is used with the simple form of the verb.
153. To is generally omitted after verbs like help, hear, bid, feel, let, make, see and have, or words of similar meaning. For example:
- Help me (to) find it.
- He bade me (to) stay.
- Feel it (to) shake.
- Make him (to) come.
- Hear me (to) sing.
- Let us (to) go.
- See him (to) run.
- Have him (to) copy this.
154. To is also omitted after need and dare when not is used.
| They need to work. | They need not work. |
| They dared to come. | They dared not come. |
155. To is sometimes omitted after prepositions:
- He will do anything for his class, except (to) fight for it.
- He would do nothing but (to) go away.
156. We have a number of different forms of the infinitive, both active and passive. Note the following table: