【Grade 9 English】 Advanced Infinitives

Hello everyone! In 8th grade, you studied the three usages of the "infinitive (to + base form of a verb)": noun, adjective, and adverbial. Do you remember them?
If you're thinking, "Hmm, what were those again?", don't worry! The "Advanced Infinitives" you'll learn in 9th grade are like a magical unit—by adding just a little bit to the forms you already know, your ability to express yourself will expand dramatically.

These patterns are essential for asking people to do things or for explaining your opinions in detail. It might feel a bit tricky at first, but once you grasp the patterns, it becomes as fun as solving a puzzle. Let's master them together!

1. "Wanting someone to do something / Telling someone to do something"

tell / ask / want + person + to 〜

We use this structure when we want to "prompt an action" from someone. It might just be the most common way to use these verbs in daily life.

【Basic Structure】
\( \text{Subject} + \text{verb} + \text{person} + \text{to + base form of a verb} \)

  • want A to 〜: to want A to do 〜
  • tell A to 〜: to tell A to do 〜
  • ask A to 〜: to ask A to do 〜

【Visualize with Examples!】
I want you to help me.
(I want you to help.)
*The key point here is that you aren't saying "I want to help," but rather that you want "you" (the person) to perform the action.

My mother told me to clean my room.
(My mother told me to clean my room.)

☆ Key Point!

In these sentences, "the person (A)" and "the action that follows 'to'" form a pair (a relationship similar to a subject and a predicate).
The secret is to spot the relationship: "Who is doing it? (You) = What are they doing? (Help)."

【Common Mistakes】
When the "someone" part is a pronoun, don't forget to use the objective case (me, you, him, her, us, them)!
× I want he to study.
○ I want him to study.

2. The "It is ... (for A) to 〜" Construction

Using a dummy subject "It" to share your opinion

If you want to say "To speak English is difficult," you could say To speak English is difficult. However, English speakers tend to dislike having a long subject at the start of a sentence. So, we start with It and explain what we mean afterward.

【Basic Structure】
\( \text{It is + adjective + (for A) + to + base form of a verb} \)
(It is ... for (A) to do ~)

【Visualize with Examples!】
It is important to practice every day.
(It is important to practice every day.)

It is difficult for me to use this computer.
(It is difficult for me to use this computer.)

☆ Memory Trick: The Present Strategy

Imagine you start by saying It is ..., handing over an empty box that says "It is... (something)." Then, you add to 〜 to say, "Actually, the contents inside are this!"

【Pro Tip】
Because this It doesn't specifically point to anything, it's called a "dummy subject" (or preparatory subject). When translating to Japanese, it's most natural not to translate "It" as "Sore (that)."

3. "Question word + to 〜"

"What / Where / When to do something"

This is a convenient way to group concrete information together, such as "how to do something" or "where to go."

【Common Sets】

  • how to 〜: how to do 〜 (the way to do 〜)
  • what to 〜: what to do
  • where to 〜: where to do
  • when to 〜: when to do

【Visualize with Examples!】
I don't know how to cook this fish.
(I don't know the way to cook (how to cook) this fish.)

Please tell me what to do next.
(Please tell me what I should do next.)

☆ Point: Treat the whole thing as a "noun"

Chunks like "how to 〜" act as a "big noun" within the sentence. They fit perfectly right after words like know or tell.

Summary: Key Points to Remember

1. \( \text{want / tell / ask + A + to 〜} \): Want A to do / Tell A to do / Ask A to do.
2. \( \text{It is ... for A to 〜} \): "It is ... for (A) to do ~." Remember, the "It" is just a placeholder!
3. \( \text{Question word + to 〜} \): "What to do," "how to do," etc. Learn them as a single chunk!

【A Final Message】
When practicing advanced infinitives, you might get confused about where to put the "to" at first. When that happens, try pointing to the words while identifying "who is doing what." Reading aloud over and over to get the rhythm into your ears is the fastest way to learn! I'm rooting for you!