Use of bare infinitive.

A bare infinitive is a base form of a verb.

Once we dive in English grammar, there are varieties of elements. Hence, to master it one needs to learn it. But the bare infinitive is nothing but the base form of a verb.

Bare infinitive by Alok Pandey
https://learntospeakenglishfluently.com/

As we already have discussed the infinitive verb or full infinitive verb. The verb that is always followed by “to” like to go, to help. For some examples:

  • I am going to market to buy a pen
  • They were looking to meet you.
  • We are planning to go to the movie.

Therefor the sentence as mentioned above are comprising with the full infinitive verb (to go, to meet, to buy). Hence, these are called the full infinitive verb.

Many English learners know this form of the infinitive that is comprising with “to” only.

But bare infinitive exist

What is a bare infinite verb?

A form of the verb that remains in its base form is called the bare infinitive verb. In other words, the infinitive without ‘to’ is called the bare infinitive.

Its usage.

As we know that the all model auxiliary verb takes the verb base form.

  • I shall go there.
  • They will come today.
  • You should follow the rules.
  • She would call you.
  • You may try it.
  • She might come today.
  • John must attend this meeting.
  • You ought to respect elders.
  • She can resolve it.

Certainly here we can say the all verb in the above sentences marked bold are in the base form. Hence, we can say that the bare infinitive verbs are used with model auxiliary verbs.

We use bare infinitive with causative verbs.

  • I made him clean my room.
  • Let him go.
  • I have my son complete a math exercise.
  • I’m going to have my haircut tomorrow.
  • He helped me receive my certificate.
  • I help him reach here.
  • I help the teacher speak English.
  • Teachers help students aggregate good marks.
  • She helps her child solve the math question.

We use the bare infinitive after the phrasal verb better had.

  • We had better take something to eat, or we will be hungry later.
  • It’s getting late. You’d better leave now, or you will miss your bus.
  • I had better go to bed, I have to be up early tomorrow.
  • You’d better shut up! (warning)
  • My team had a better win tonight. (hope)
  • You’d better take an umbrella, or you will get wet.
  • He’d better remember to wear a neck-tie, or they won’t let him in the restaurant.
  • I think I had better take them, or they will get lost.

Similarly, in all the sentences as listed above comprises with a bare infinitive those all are in bold.

Hence, the bottom line is, all the verb that remains in its base form, it is a bare infinitive.

Must learn these important topics.