BARE INFINITIVES in English

This post helps you understand what a bare infinitive is, how and when to use it in a sentence correctly.

What is an infinitive in English?

An infinitive is ‘TO + V1’ of a verb that functions as a noun, adjective, or adverb. It is a non-finite verb, meaning it does not change per and the tense of the sentence.

Examples:

• I need to sleep. (noun)
• All we want is to drink something. (noun)
• The person to meet there is Rahul. (adjective, modifying the noun ‘person’)
• We need something to drink. It’s getting hot in here. (adjective, modifying the noun ‘something’)
• We are going there to meet Jacob. (adverb, giving the reason of the main verb ‘going’)
• It is important to sleep now. (adverb, modifying the adjective ‘important’)

What is a bare infinitive?

A bare infinitive, also known as a zero infinitive, is an infinitive that does not have the particle TO in it. 

Examples:

• I made her take the test.
• We should leave now.
• You had better go home. It’s getting dark.
• I would rather kill myself than marry her.

We use the bare infinitive in the following cases:

1. After certain causative verbs and verbs of perception
2. After modal verbs
3. After ‘had better’ and ‘would rather’
4. After certain prepositions

After certain causative verbs and verbs of perception

We use a bare infinitive after the following verbs: make, let, see, hear, watch, help, etc.

Examples:

• I made him say sorry to her.
• My father does not let me smoke.
• Did anyone watch us steal the money?
• She did not hear us talk about the crime.
• I helped you win the match.
• I saw him play in the park.

Notice that these verbs are followed by an object (a person). The bare infinitive comes after the object, and also note that the object performs the action of the bare infinitive.

After modal verbs

Here are the modal verbs the bare infinitives come right next to: can, could, may, might, should, would, will, shall, must, and needn’t.

Examples:

• You should go now.
• Jon must work on his communication skills.
• I can beat anyone.
• You needn’t come tomorrow. (You are not required to come tomorrow.)
• I can beat anyone.
• She might now join us today.

Verbs used after the modal verbs are called bare infinitives as they don’t change their number or tense in respect to the change in the number or the tense of the subject. So they are actually working as a non-finite verb. By this logic, it is fair to call them non-finite verbs (bare infinitives).

But how can we form a sentence without having the main verb (finite verb)? The modal verb functions as an auxiliary verb. A sentence can’t be formed with a helping verb; it has to have a main verb (finite verb) after it. But that’s not the case here. We do have a verb (action) after the auxiliary verb, but we are calling it a bare infinitive. An infinitive is formed out of a verb, but it does not function as a verb. So, the application of the bare infinitive is a little strange and controversial, at least to me.

After the verbs ‘had better’ and ‘would rather’.

The expressions ‘had better’ and ‘would rather’ are followed a bare infinitive.

Examples:

• You had better take this offer; it will change your life.
• We’d better leave early. We might miss the flight.
• He had better start working on his communication skills.
• I would rather kill myself than marry her.
• She’d rather sit jobless than work with you.
• I’d would rather die than eat this.

HAD BETTER

The phrase “had better” is used to give strong advice, urgent suggestions, or even mild warnings. It is used to refer to an action in the present or the future, that is desirable, or we should do or to avoid a negative consequence. Although it uses the past form “had,” it refers to the present or future and is not past tense in meaning.

‘Had’ sometimes is contracted with the subject.

Structure:

Subject + had better + base verb (bare infinitive)

• I had better go now.
• We’d better tell her the truth.

Contractions:

• I had better → I’d better
• You had better → You’d better
• He had better → He’d better

Tone:

• Stronger than “should”
• Can sound pushy or threatening depending on delivery

Examples:

• You’d better study if you want to pass the exam.
• She had better not forget her passport.
• They’d better leave now or they’ll miss the train.
• I’d better call him before it’s too late.
• He had better not be lying to me.

Negative Form:

Structure: had better not + base verb

• You’d better not lie to her.
• We had better not waste time.

WOULD RATHER

“Would rather” is used to express preference. It shows that one action is preferred over another, either in the present, future, or past (with perfect infinitive).

Structure:

A) Same subject:

Subject + would rather + base verb (bare infinitive)

• I’d rather stay home tonight.
• She would rather sleep than talk.

B) Different subjects:

Subject + would rather + subject + past verb (subjunctive mood)

• I’d rather you stayed here.
• She’d rather he didn’t come with us.

C) Referring to the past:

Subject + would rather + have + past participle (V3)

• I would rather have stayed at home.
• He’d rather have spoken to her in private.

Tone:

• Softer and more polite than “prefer to”
• Used in casual and formal conversation

Examples:

• I’d rather eat at home than at a restaurant.
• We would rather you didn’t smoke here.
• She’d rather not go out tonight.
• They’d rather have arrived early than missed the flight.
• Would you rather travel alone or with friends?

After the words BUT and EXCEPT

To some grammarians, it is strange to use a bare infinitive after these words. But some call it grammatical to use the bare infinitive after them.

Examples:

• I had no option but pay them.
• He does nothing except play games on his PC.

Note that it is more common to use a regular infinitive after ‘but’ and a gerund after ‘except’.

• I had no option but to pay them. (infinitive)
• He does nothing except playing games on his PC. (gerund)

Related posts:

• What is an infinitive in English?
• Forms of an infinitive
• Infinitive phrases
• Gerunds vs infinitives

Practice: Fill in the Blanks

1. You _______ (not / be) late for the meeting. The boss is already upset.
   
2. I _______ (stay) home tonight. I’m too tired to go out.
   
3. We _______ (leave) now if we want to catch the last bus.
   
4. She _______ (have / taken) the job when she had the chance.
   
5. I _______ (you / not / mention) that topic again in front of them.
   
6. He _______ (study) more. That test was tough.
   
7. They _______ (not / argue) with the manager during the presentation.
   
8. We _______ (go) to the beach or watch a movie—what do you prefer?
   
9. I _______ (you / stay) here while I go get help.
   
10. She _______ (not / trust) him so quickly. Now she regrets it.

The answers to the questions are provided at the end of the article.

FAQs

Answer Key:

1. had better not be
   
2. would rather stay
   
3. had better leave
   
4. would rather have taken
   
5. would rather you didn’t mention
   
6. had better have studied (or: had better study — depending on intended meaning)
   
7. had better not argue
   
8. would rather go
   
9. would rather you stayed
   
10. had better not trust