Infinitive With to and Without to

Infinitive With to

after :
a. the first
Gagarin was the first to fly in a spaceship.
b. the last
Peter was the last to watch the film.
c. the next
He is the next to get his passport.

after :
- adjective
I'm happy to be here
It's better not to smoke

after :
- certain verbs (agree, choose, forget, hope, learn, promise, regret, want, …)
I learn to drive a car.

after :
- question words
I don"t know what to say
Can you tell me how to get to the bus stop?

after :
- want/would like
I want you to help me.


verb + object + to-infinitive
I helped my dad to clean the car.


Infinitive Without to

after auxiliaries/modals
- can : He can run very fast
- could : As a boy he could run very fast
- may : I may fly to Africa this summer
- might : I might fly to Africa this summer
- must : I must go now
- mustn't : You mustn't smoke here
- needn't : You needn't go
- shall : We shall sing a song
- should : We should sing a song
- will : She will cook a meal for his birthday
- would : She would cook a meal for his birthday

after to do
- do : I don't know

after the following expressions
- had better : You had better clean up your room
- would rather : Susan would rather study for her exam tomorrow
- would sooner : I would sooner read a book than watch this film
- why not : Why not ask your neighbour for help?
- why should we : Why should we go by car?
- why should we not : Why should we not go by car?

after verb of perception + object (action has finished)
- feel : She feels the rain fall on her face
- hear : I heard Peter sing a song
- notice : Mandy noticed the boy climb the tree
- see : They saw him climb up the roof
- watch : He watched the thieves steal a car

after let + object
- let : Sandy let her child go out alone
Mother let her daughter decide on her own
- let's : Let's go for a walk through the park

after make + object
- make : She made Peggy and Samantha clean the room