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Many errors arise from not knowing how to use the infinitive mood. Perhaps the most common fault is to interpose an adverb between the preposition to and the infinitive verb; as, "It is not necessary to accurately relate all that he said." "You must not expect to always find people agreeable." Whether we shall place the adverb before the verb or after it must often be determined by considerations of emphasis and smoothness as well as of clearness and correctness. In the foregoing sentences it is better to place accurately after the verb, and always before the preposition to.
Supply "to"
The preposition to as the sign of the infinitive is often improperly omitted.
"Please write clearly, so that we may understand," "Your efforts will tend to hinder rather than hasten the work," "Strive so to criticise as not to embarrass nor discourage your pupil." These sentences will be corrected by inserting to before the italicized words.
In such expressions as "Please excuse my son's absence," "Please write me a letter," "Please hand me the book," many authorities insist upon the use of to before the verb. The sentences may, however, be regarded as softened forms of the imperative; as, "Hand me the book, if you please." Transposed, "If you please, hand me the book." Contracted, "Please, hand me the book." From this, the comma may have slipped out and left the sentence as first written.
Omit "to"
When a series of infinitives relate to the same object, the word to should be used before the first verb and omitted before the others; as, "He taught me to read, write, and cipher." "The most accomplished way of using books at present is to serve them as some do lords-- learn their titles and then brag of their acquaintance."
The active verbs bid, dare, feel, hear, let, make, need, see, and their participles, usually take the infinitive after them, without the preposition to. Such expressions, as "He bade me to depart," "I dare to say he is a villain," "I had difficulty in making him to see his error," are, therefore, wrong, and are corrected by omitting to.
Incomplete Infinitive
Such incomplete expressions as the following are very common: "He has not gone to Europe, nor is he likely to." "She has not written her essay, nor does she intend to." "Can a man arrive at excellence who has no desire to?" The addition of the word go to the first sentence, and of write it, to the second would make them complete. In the case of the third sentence it would be awkward to say, "Can a man arrive at excellence who has no desire to arrive at excellence." We therefore substitute the more convenient expression "to do so."
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