NFINITIVE 1.THE ZERO INFINITIVE WITH "WHY" The question word why is followed by the zero infinitive when making suggestions. EXAMPLES Why wait until tomorrow? Why not ask him now? Why leave before the end of the game? Why walk when we can go in the car? Why not buy a new bed? Examples with 'to' The elephant decided to marry the mouse The mouse agreed to marry the elephant You will have to ask her You are to leave immediately He ought to relax She has to go to Berlin next week It's easy to speak English It is hard to change jobs after twenty years It's stupid to believe everything you hear without 'to' I would rather visit Rome. She would rather live in Italy. Would you rather eat steak or fish? He would rather work in a bank. I'd rather be a forest than a tree. THE ZERO INFINITIVE The zero infinitive is used: after most auxiliaries (e.g. must, can, should, may, might) after verbs of perception, (e.g. see, hear, feel) with the pattern verb + object + zero infinitive after the verbs 'make' and 'let', with the pattern make/let + object + zero infinitive after the expression 'had better' after the expression 'would rather' when referring to the speaker's own actions Examples After auxiliaries: She can't speak to you. He should give her some money. Shall I talk to him? Would you like a cup of coffee? I might stay another night in the hotel. They must leave before 10.00 a.m. After verbs of perception: He saw her fall from the cliff. We heard them close the door. They saw us walk toward the lake. She felt the spider crawl up her leg. After the verbs "make" and "let": Her parents let her stay out late.e.g. want, wish, agree, fail, mean, decide, learn After the auxiliaries to be to, to have to, & ought to In the pattern 'it is + adjective + to-infinitive' FUNCTIONS OF THE ZERO INFINITIVE THE ZERO INFINITIVE AFTER AUXILIARIES EXAMPLES She can't speak to you.THE ZERO INFINITIVE AFTER THE VERBS 'MAKE' AND 'LET' EXAMPLES Her parents let her stay out late.2.Shall I talk to him?