Grammar Guidelines— Part I
Let’s all forget the fundamentals and start with somewhat difficult grammar guidelines that everyone is eager to master. In the beginning, everyone struggles when writing. Not because they cannot write. But because they are not sure about that one thing, which is ‘did I correctly use grammar in all my sentences?’
One way to make sure if you got all sentences grammatically correct is to re-read. While re-reading, understand grammar usage. Trust me! Some grammar guidelines may end up giving you headaches if you don’t follow the standards. Today, let’s focus on Infinitives.
What is an infinitive?
An infinitive is formed combining to + simple tense of the verb.
Examples:
- I promise to take my sister to her school every day.
- I prefer not to tell my secrets to anyone.
- My mother never allows us to go to the river alone.
Well, that’s the definition for an infinitive. But what really matters are the standards that we need to follow when working with infinitives. Sometimes, we happen to write sentences effortlessly not adhering to these standards. But after forming a couple of sentences with the guidelines in your mind, you can easily master them.
1. Verbs followed by infinitives
There are some use cases for you to remember to place another verb after the infinitive:
afford, agree, ask, attempt, claim, consent, decide, demand, expect, fail, hope, intend, learn, need, plan, prepare, promise, refuse, seem, struggle, wait, tend, want, wish
Examples:
- I cannot afford to buy that house.
- I wish to become a pilot.
- They learnt to pass the examinations.
2. Verb + Noun + Infinitive
In some cases, you have to place a noun or a pronoun between the verb and the infinitive:
advise, cause, command, instruct, order, persuade, require, tell, warn
Examples:
- I advised my sister to follow the course thoroughly.
- Officer commanded the soldier to fire the gun.
- I persuaded her to tell the truth.
3. Verbs that do not need ‘to’ with the infinitive
In some instances, there are verbs that do not need ‘to’ with the infinitive when followed by a noun or a pronoun:
have, let, make
- She let her children wash their own clothes.
- I have my mom taking care of my kids.
- I made the students count to 100 before dismissing the class.
Today, we only focused on infinitives. I must say by using them correctly, you can improve your style of writing. It does not cost you to sit for long hours and listen to lectures on mastering these tips. What costs you is to practise them with correct understanding. I hope you find my blog useful and it helps you to write with understanding…
