THE
INFINITIVE
OTHER
FORMS
The infinitive
can have the following forms:
NOTE: as
with the present infinitive, there are situations where the to
is omitted, e.g. after most modal auxiliaries.
| The
perfect infinitive: |
|
to
have + past participle, e.g. to have broken, to have
seen, to have saved.
This form
is most commonly found in Type 3 conditional sentences, using
the conditional perfect, e.g. If I had known you were coming I
would have baked a cake.
Examples
- Someone
must have broken the window and climbed in.
- I would
like to have seen the Taj Mahal when I was in India.
- He pretended
to have seen the film.
- If I'd
seen the ball I would have caught it.
|
| The
continuous infinitive: |
|
to
be + present participle, e.g.to be swimming, to be
joking, to be waiting
Examples
- I'd really
like to be swimming in a nice cool pool right now.
- You must
be joking!
- I happened
to be waiting for the bus when the accident happened.
|
| The
perfect continuous infinitive: |
|
to
have been + present participle
Examples
- to have
been crying
- to have
been waiting
- to
have been painting
- The woman
seemed to have been crying.
- You must
have been waiting for hours!
- He pretended
to have been painting all day.
|
| The
passive infinitive: |
|
to
be + past participle, e.g. to be given, to be shut, to be
opened
Examples
- I am expecting
to be given a pay-rise next month.
- These
doors should be shut.
- This window
ought to be opened.
|
| 
