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Infinitive implied by its particle.

Many expressions and verbs are followed by complete infinitives ; it is true that very often, these complete infinitives, though perfectly correct and indispensable, are quite heavy...

One of the ways to make these sentences less heavy is to avoid the repetition of the complete infinitives... When should you do that ? and when is it better not to do it? 

1) In order to avoid repeating the infinitive and their possible complements (especially if they are long), in verbs or expressions, a great number of them omit them,  finishing the sentence with the infinitive particle 'to', leaving the verb to be implied and avoiding its repetition.

To be glad to do / to be happy to do something/ to forget to do / to expect to do /

To have a chance to do / to have the occasion to / the opportunity to ; To wish to do / to promise to do/ to prefer to do / to decide to do

To be allowed to do / to refuse to do something / to have the right to do / to mean to do. 

To ask somebody to do something

Ought to (= should) / used to (contrast between the past and the present).

In all these expressions, reducing the infinitive to its particle  is very idiomatic.

2) As a rule, ‘to' can't be omitted. 

ex :Do you want to go to Crawford Mall with me in order to find the little dress I'm craving to wear in that weather? Oh, no, thank you, I don't want to. 

Yet, the verbs want and like are often used  WITHOUT THE PARTICLE  ‘TO' after a conjunction :

ex : Well, you know that you can come when you want, and do what you want when you're here. 

PAY GREAT ATTENTION TO THE NEGATIVE FORM  : NOT ...TO (and NOT the opposite! ) I don't mean to - You're not allowed to - I don't wish to - He doesn't  expect to ...

There you are... Ready for your test ! Good luck ! 

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1) Why can't I go to the pictures with you? 'Simply because you haven't to goyou're not able toyou needn't to goyou're not allowed toI don't know .'


2) You can't go and see the film, but you can have a look at the book when you want're wanting toyou wanted towhen you'll wantI don't know.


3) 'You didn't bring the right book from the library!' 'I meant toI've mean toI meaned to bringI meaning toI don't know, but I forgot!'


4) Why are you wearing a dress and not jeans like everyone' 'Simply because I preferred toI'll prefer wearingI preferred to wearI don't know.'


5) 'Joe! Why didn't you put my car back into the garage after using it?' 'Errr ... very simple, Mom! Dad 's ordering me to notordered me not toordered me to notI don't know!'


6) 'You know, Lucy, you must take more care of your clothes!' 'I know I musn't toI ought to takeshould takingI ought toI don't know!'


7) 'Why didn't you dance with him?' 'Well! He never asked me toasked to me to danceasked dancingI don't know.'


8) 'Well, I'm afraid I can't take you to the pool tomorrow! ' 'What? But you promised me toyou promised to take meyou promised to meI don't know.'


9) 'You didn't say goodbye to me last night!´ 'Well! Sorry! I forgot to say itI've forgot toI forgetting toI forgot toI don't know!´


10) 'The teacher said you have to go on a detention at 4.' 'I suppose I have no choice, I have to goingI have goneI have goingI have toI don't know !'



11) May I borrow your sun hat... It's hot!''Yes, of course, you can take it if you like to doyou likeyou'll likeyou likingyou're liking toI don't know.'