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As most of these verbs (item la) and b)) denote an attitude to the action expressed by the infinitive, the verb
+ infinitive may be treated syntactically as one whole. Thus the succession of two verbs (... like to help ..., ...
expect to arrive ..., ... plan to do ...) allow of two modes of analysis, as a verb + its object or as a compound
verbal predicate with the first element expressing attitude.
Besides the above-mentioned verbs there are also some rather common phrases used with the infinitive-
object. They are the phrases can afford, can bear in the negative or interrogative and such phrases as to make
sure, to make up one’s mind, to take care, to take the trouble.
Can you afford to buy it yourself?
I can’t bear to hear of it again.
At last he made up his mind to answer Sibyl’s letter.
2. Verbs that take two objects, the first of which is a noun or a pronoun and the second an infinitive. These
are the verbs of inducement; they all have the general meaning to persuade, to cause to do something.
to advise
to allow
to ask
to beg
to cause
to command
to compel
to direct
to encourage
to forbid
to force
to have
to impel
to implore
to induce
to instruct
to invite
to leave
to let
to make
to order
to permit
to persuade
to recommend
to request
to require
to tell
to urge
Tell him to hurry.
He asked her to keep an eye on the clock.
What would you recommend me to do?
With all these verbs, except to have, to let and to make, a “to”- infinitive is used. After the verbs to have, to
let and to make it loses the particle “to”.
She’ll have you do it at once.
Don’t let it bother you.
Soon she made me see where I was wrong.
The object, which is a noun in the common case or a pronoun in the objective case, denotes a person (or,
very seldom, a non-person) who is to perform the required action expressed by the infinitive.
The verb to help can be used either with one or with two objects:
She helped to pack.
She helped me to make up my mind.
In either case a “to”- infinitive or a bare infinitive can be used.
And she actually helped find it.
I’ll help you do it.
With some verbs the function of object may be performed by a conjunctive infinitive phrase. These verbs are
very few in number and fall into two groups:
a) Verbs that can take either an infinitive or a conjunctive infinitive phrase as their object. These are: to
advise, to decide, to forget, to learn, to remember.