3.193 verbs followed by a 'to'-infinitive

Other verbs are used with a 'to'-infinitive clause.

• Mrs Babcock had always longed to go to Ireland.
• She forgot to bring a suitcase.
• She wishes to ask a favour of you.

Here is a list of verbs which are used with a 'to'-infinitive, but not a present participle:

• ache, afford, agree, aim, appear, arrange, ask, attempt, care, choose, claim, consent, dare, decide, demand, deserve, desire, disdain, endeavour, expect, fail, fight, forget, grow, happen, help, hesitate, hope, intend, learn, live, long, manage, mean, need, neglect, offer, opt, pay, plan, pledge, prepare, pretend, promise, prove, reckon, refuse, resolve, scorn, seek, seem, survive, swear, tend, threaten, venture, volunteer, vote, vow, wait, want, wish

Most of these verbs can be used with a passive infinitive.

• She refused to be photographed.
• He deserves to be shot.

The following verbs from the above list are not usually used with a passive infinitive, because of their meanings:

• claim, dare, forget, intend, learn, manage, mean, neglect, pretend, threaten, trouble, venture

'Appear', 'claim', 'happen', 'pretend', 'prove', 'seem', and 'tend' are quite often used with a perfect infinitive.

• They seemed to have disappeared.

Note that 'help' is also followed by the infinitive without 'to'.

• Coffee helped keep him alert.