1B2 – Touchstone unit 7 lesson A (infinitives for reasons) By Lilian Marchesoni

Infinitives for reasons can be used with verbs in all tenses, as well as with modal verbs. It can be used to give a reason / purpose or to answer the question why.

Puerto Rico to visit their relatives. They’re going to Puerto Rico to visit their relatives. This sentence has two parts. The first part is the main clause. A main clause has a subject and a verb. It can be a sentence on its own.

Puerto Rico to visit their relatives. They’re going to Puerto Rico to visit their relatives. Now look at the second part of the sentence. It begins with an infinitive. This infinitive explains the reason for the action in the main clause.

YOUR TURN

He needs to go to the ATM to get some money. go online / get a flight He needs to go online to get a flight. go to the ATM / get some money He needs to go to the ATM to get some money.

Infinitives for reasons can be used with adjectives, too. In sentences like these, it is sometimes called an “empty” subject.

It’s not nice to wake up many times during the night. It’s hard to take care of babies. It’s not nice to wake up many times during the night. Is it important to breastfeed the baby?

YOUR TURN

important / do the homework It’s important to do the homework. It’s fun to go to the movies. fun / go to the movies