The Infinitive
Many errors arise from not knowing how to use the infinitive mood.
Perhaps the most common fault is to interpose an adverb between the
preposition _to_ and the infinitive verb; as, “It is not necessary _to
accurately relate_ all that he said.” “You must not expect _to always
find_ people agreeable.” Whether we shall place the adverb before the
verb or after it must often be determined by considerations of emphasis
and smoothness as well as of clearness and correctness. In the
foregoing sentences it is better to place _accurately_ after the verb,
and _always_ before the preposition _to._
Supply “to”
The preposition _to_ as the sign of the infinitive is often improperly
omitted.
“Please _write_ clearly, so that we may understand,” “Your efforts will
tend to hinder rather than _hasten_ the work,” “Strive so to criticise
as not to embarrass
nor _discourage_ your pupil.” These sentences will be corrected by
inserting _to_ before the italicized words.
In such expressions as “Please _excuse_ my son’s absence,” “Please
_write_ me a letter,” “Please _hand_ me the book,” many authorities
insist upon the use of _to_ before the verb. The sentences may,
however, be regarded as softened forms of the imperative; as, _“Hand_
me the book, if you please.” Transposed, “If you please, hand me the
book.” Contracted, “Please, hand me the book.” From this, the comma may
have slipped out and left the sentence as first written.
Omit “to”
When a series of infinitives relate to the same object, the word _to_
should be used before the first verb and omitted before the others; as,
“He taught me _to read, write,_ and _cipher.”_ “The most accomplished
way of using books at present is to serve them as some do lords—_learn_
their titles and then _brag_ of their acquaintance.”
The active verbs _bid, dare, feel, hear, let, make, need, see,_ and
their participles, usually take the infinitive after them, without the
preposition _to._ Such expressions, as “He bade me _to depart,” “_I
dare _to say_ he is a villain,” “I had difficulty in making him _to
see_ his error,” are, therefore, wrong, and are corrected by omitting
_to._
Incomplete Infinitive
Such incomplete expressions as the following are very common: “He has
not gone to Europe, nor is he likely _to.” “_She has not written her
essay, nor does she intend _to.” “_Can a man arrive at excellence who
has no desire _to?”_ The addition of the word _go_ to the first
sentence, and of _write it,_ to the second would make them complete. In
the case of the third sentence it would be awkward to say, “Can a man
arrive at excellence who has no desire _to arrive at excellence.”_ We
therefore substitute the more convenient expression “_to do so.”_