12 Infinitive and -ing forms of verbs (4) Bare Infinitives

Bare Infinitives

Dialog

You know, this grammar stuff always makes my brain feel like scrambled eggs. I just can't seem to get it.

Oh, stop being such a baby. It's not that hard if you actually pay attention. Especially for someone like you, who probably needs all the help you can get.

Hey! But, okay, what's a bare infinitive anyway? Sounds like it's naked.

Ha! Not quite. A bare infinitive is just the basic form of a verb, like "be," "do," "give," "ask." No "to" in front of it. That's why it's "bare." Get it? It's just the verb itself, not "to be" or "to do."

Oh, like when you say "He made me ask a question"? That "ask" there?

Exactly! See, you're not completely useless. That "ask" is a bare infinitive. We use them in a few specific situations.

First, we use them a lot in questions and negative sentences for present simple and past simple, with words like "do," "does," or "did."

Like, "Do you love me?"

Well, I wouldn't say that to you. But yes, "love" is a bare infinitive there. Or "They didn't like the film." "Like" is bare.

Okay, so it's after those helper verbs. What else?

Also, after those "pure modal verbs" like "can," "should," "will." "He can swim." "Swim" is bare. "Why shouldn't people protest?" "Protest" is bare. Pretty simple, right?

Next, after the verbs "make" and "let," you always use a bare infinitive.

Always?

Yes, always! Don't make me repeat myself. Like, "We made the children clean up the mess." "Clean" is bare. Or "We didn't let them go out of the house." "Go" is bare. It means someone caused something to happen or allowed it.

So, "You make me feel smart"?

Ugh, don't be silly. But grammatically, yes, "feel" would be a bare infinitive there. Good job understanding the concept, I guess.

Now, this one's a bit tricky, but I'm sure even you can get it. After verbs about seeing or hearing, like "hear," "see," "notice." We can use a bare infinitive.

Like what?

"Did you hear a child scream?" "Scream" is bare. It's usually for a quick, sudden action. You just caught the whole thing happen in a flash.

But I thought sometimes we use an "-ing" word too? Like "I heard someone groaning."

Oh, you actually remember something! Good for you. Yes, for an action that goes on for a bit, or is still happening, we use the "-ing" form. "Groaning" shows it was continuous. So, bare infinitive for a quick, complete action you saw or heard, and -ing form for an action in progress or lasting longer.

So "I saw Olivier perform Othello" means you saw the whole play, but "I saw the children leaving school" means you saw them in the middle of it?

Wow, that's surprisingly accurate for you. Don't let it go to your head. And remember, when these verbs are passive, like "The children were made," you have to use the full infinitive. "The children were made to wash the walls." Not just "wash."

Almost done with the bare infinitives! We also use them with "Why...?" or "Why not...?"

Is this like asking why something is happening?

Kinda. "Why tell her the bad news when she doesn't need to know?" "Tell" is bare. It's questioning the reason for doing something. And "Why not try phoning again?" "Try" is bare. That's for making suggestions. Super useful for giving good advice, which you might need sometimes.

And finally for bare infinitives, when you make suggestions with "try," "come," or "go," you often add "and" before the bare infinitive.

"Try and get here early"?

Exactly! Or "Come and sit down." "Go and see who's at the door." In American English, sometimes the "and" is dropped for "come" and "go," so you might hear "Come sit down." But adding "and" is totally fine and correct.

Okay, that makes sense.

One more small thing. When you connect two infinitives with "and," you usually leave out the "to" for the second one.

So, "I want to sit down and have a nap"? Not "to have a nap"?

You got it! You're really picking this up faster than I thought you would. Maybe you're not entirely hopeless after all.

Alright, let's move on to the really fancy stuff, but don't worry, I'll make it easy for you. There are "complex" forms of infinitives and -ing words.

Complex? Like, even more rules?

Just slightly different ways to say things! We have perfect forms, like "to have + past participle" or "having + past participle." These show something happened before something else.

Like what?

"I am sorry to have kept you waiting." Means I kept you waiting, and then I felt sorry. Or "She can't remember having traveled in Europe." She traveled first, then she can't remember it now. The perfect form emphasizes that past action.

So it's about the order of events?

Yes, exactly! You're actually quite insightful sometimes, you know? Then there are negative forms: just put "not" before the infinitive or "-ing form." "It is quite common not to understand everything." Or "Not understanding all the details is normal." Simple, right?

That part does seem easy.

Good. And passive forms: "to be + past participle" or "being + past participle." "I want to be treated with more consideration." "I like being treated with respect." It means something is done to the subject.

Oh, like someone else is doing the treating?

Bingo! You're on fire today! And lastly, continuous forms: "to be + -ing form." "I seem to be getting more headaches recently." This just emphasizes that something is temporary or ongoing right now.

So, "He could have been working outside" would be like, perfect and continuous combined?

Wow. You just summarized a complex form like it was nothing. You impress me sometimes, even if I don't always show it. Yes, you can combine them for even more specific meanings.

Key Points

• Bare infinitives: These are the base form of a verb (e.g., be, do, give, ask) without "to" in front of them.
• Bare infinitives in questions and negatives: Used after auxiliary verbs like do, does, did in simple present and past tense questions and negative sentences. Example: Do you love me? They didn't like the film.
• Bare infinitives after modal verbs: Used after pure modal verbs such as can, should, will. Example: He can swim. Why shouldn't people protest?
• Bare infinitives after 'make' and 'let': Used when 'make' or 'let' is followed by an object, indicating causation or permission. Example: We made the children clean up the mess. We didn't let them go out of the house.
• Bare infinitives after 'inert perception' verbs (momentary/completed): Used after verbs like hear, see, notice when describing a quick, momentary, or completed action. Example: Did you hear a child scream? I saw Olivier perform Othello.
• -ing forms after 'inert perception' verbs (extended/in progress): Used after verbs like hear, see, notice when describing an extended action or one in progress. Example: I heard someone groaning. I saw the children leaving school.
• Passive forms for perception verbs: When perception verbs are in passive constructions, a full infinitive (with 'to') is required. Example: The children were made to wash the walls.
• Bare infinitives after 'Why...' and 'Why not...': Used with 'Why...?' to question intentions or suggestions, and with 'Why not...?' to make suggestions. Example: Why tell her the bad news? Why not try phoning again?
• Bare infinitives with 'try/come/go and': Used with 'try and,' 'come and,' 'go and' for suggestions, orders, requests, or invitations. 'And' can sometimes be omitted in American English after 'come' and 'go.' Example: Why don't you try and get here early? Come and sit down.
• Bare infinitives in pairs connected by 'and': The 'to' is often omitted from the second infinitive when two infinitives are connected by 'and.' Example: I want to sit down and have a nap.
• Perfect infinitive forms: Formed as (to) have + past participle; they emphasize that an action happened before another. Example: I am sorry to have kept you waiting.
• Perfect -ing forms: Formed as having + past participle; they also emphasize that an action happened before another. Example: She can't remember having travelled in Europe at all.
• Negative infinitive forms: Formed by placing 'not' before the infinitive. Example: It is quite common not to understand everything in lectures.
• Negative -ing forms: Formed by placing 'not' before the -ing form. Example: Not understanding all the details is quite normal in the beginning.
• Passive infinitive forms: Formed as (to) be + past participle; they show that the subject receives the action. Example: I want to be treated with more consideration.
• Passive -ing forms: Formed as being + past participle; they show that the subject receives the action. Example: I like being treated with respect.
• Continuous infinitive forms: Formed as (to) be + -ing form; they emphasize the temporariness or ongoing nature of an action. Example: I seem to be getting more headaches recently.
• Combined complex forms: Perfect, negative, passive, and continuous forms can be combined to create more specific meanings. Example: He could have been working outside (perfect continuous).

Reference: Martin Parrott, "Grammar for English Language Teachers 2ed" p179 - p182