To-infinitive – English Grammar Exercises for A2
You are at a cafe/restaurant with your friends. Read the sentences carefully and choose the best option (A, B, or C) to complete each conversation.
1 “Good morning. I would like ______ a cup of coffee, please.”
(A) ordering
(B) to order
(C) order
2 “Excuse me, we need ______ the menu, please.”
(A) to see
(B) see
(C) seeing
3 “This cake looks big. Do you want ______ a dessert with me?”
(A) share
(B) sharing
(C) to share
4 “My sister is very thirsty. She wants ______ some orange juice.”
(A) to drink
(B) drinks
(C) drinking
5 “We have finished our meal. I would like ______ the bill now.”
(A) paying
(B) pay
(C) to pay
6 “I looked at the menu for a long time and decided ______ the chocolate cake.”
(A) have
(B) to have
(C) having
7 “The restaurant is very busy, but we hope ______ a table near the window.”
(A) to get
(B) getting
(C) got
8 “Can you help me? I need ______ these drinks to our table.”
(A) carrying
(B) to carry
(C) carried
9 “When you go to the counter, please don’t forget ______ some extra napkins.”
(A) bring
(B) bringing
(C) to bring
10 “The waiter was very nice and offered ______ the table for us.”
(A) to clean
(B) cleaning
(C) cleans
11 “Put your wallet away! My friend promised ______ for the lunch today.”
(A) pays
(B) to pay
(C) paying
12 “I don’t like sweet drinks, so I want ______ a large bottle of mineral water.”
(A) to order
(B) order
(C) ordering
13 “The food was great. Now we need ______ the waiter for the check.”
(A) asking
(B) ask
(C) to ask
14 “Did you remember ______ the vegetarian pizza for Sarah? She doesn’t eat meat.”
(A) to order
(B) ordering
(C) ordered
15 “We are ready to order. Would you like me ______ the waiter?”
(A) calling
(B) to call
(C) call
16 “Everything looks so delicious. I don’t know what ______ for the main course.”
(A) choose
(B) choosing
(C) to choose
17 “Excuse me, is it possible ______ my order, please? I changed my mind.”
(A) to change
(B) change
(C) changing
18 “This is the best restaurant in town. I want you ______ this soup; it’s amazing!”
(A) trying
(B) to try
(C) try
19 “We don’t have enough money ______ the expensive steak, so let’s get burgers.”
(A) bought
(B) buying
(C) to buy
20 “Be careful! The coffee is too hot ______ right now. Let’s wait a minute.”
(A) drinking
(B) drink
(C) to drink
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (B) to order
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: The verb phrase “would like” is always followed by a to-infinitive (to + verb) to express a polite request or desire.
- Why others are wrong: Option (A) “ordering” is a common mistake because learners confuse “would like” with the verb “like” (which can take an -ing form). Option (C) “order” is a basic error because two verbs cannot stand together without “to” or an -ing form.
2 (A) to see
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: The verb “need” expressing a necessity for an action that hasn’t happened yet takes a to-infinitive.
- Why others are wrong: Option (C) “seeing” is a common mistake (gerund). Option (B) “see” is a structural error (bare infinitive).
3 (C) to share
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: The verb “want” is followed by a to-infinitive.
- Why others are wrong: Option (B) “sharing” is a common mistake. Option (A) “share” is a basic grammar error (missing “to”).
4 (A) to drink
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: “Wants” must be followed by “to + verb”.
- Why others are wrong: Option (C) “drinking” is a common mistake. Option (B) “drinks” is a basic error (adding an ‘s’ to the second verb is incorrect).
5 (C) to pay
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: Polite requests with “would like” require a to-infinitive.
- Why others are wrong: Option (A) “paying” is a common mistake. Option (B) “pay” is grammatically invalid here.
6 (B) to have
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: The verb “decide” (making a choice for a future action) is followed by a to-infinitive.
- Why others are wrong: Option (C) “having” is a common mistake. Option (A) “have” is a basic structural error.
7 (A) to get
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: The verb “hope” (wishing for a future outcome) takes a to-infinitive.
- Why others are wrong: Option (B) “getting” is a common mistake. Option (C) “got” is a tense error (using past tense after another verb).
8 (B) to carry
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: “Need” + to-infinitive shows an action you must do.
- Why others are wrong: Option (A) “carrying” is a common mistake. Option (C) “carried” is grammatically incorrect (past participle).
9 (C) to bring
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: “Forget to do something” means forgetting a task you are supposed to do in the future.
- Why others are wrong: Option (B) “bringing” is a common mistake; “forget + V-ing” means forgetting a memory of something you did in the past, which does not fit this context. Option (A) is missing “to”.
10 (A) to clean
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: The verb “offer” (volunteering to do something) is followed by a to-infinitive.
- Why others are wrong: Option (B) “cleaning” is a common mistake. Option (C) “cleans” is a basic grammar error.
11 (B) to pay
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: The verb “promise” (committing to a future action) takes a to-infinitive.
- Why others are wrong: Option (C) “paying” is a common mistake. Option (A) “pays” is grammatically incorrect.
12 (A) to order
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: Expressing a desire with “want” requires a to-infinitive.
- Why others are wrong: Option (C) “ordering” is a common mistake. Option (B) “order” is a basic error.
13 (C) to ask
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: “Need” requires a to-infinitive to express a required future action.
- Why others are wrong: Option (A) “asking” is a common mistake. Option (B) “ask” is missing “to”.
14 (A) to order
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: “Remember to do something” means remembering a task you needed to do.
- Why others are wrong: Option (B) “ordering” means having a memory of the past action of ordering, which does not fit the meaning of checking if a task was completed. Option (C) is a tense error.
15 (B) to call
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: The structure is “would like + Object + to-infinitive” (asking if someone wants you to do something).
- Why others are wrong: Option (C) “call” is a basic error (missing “to”). Option (A) “calling” is a common mistake.
16 (C) to choose
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: We use a “Wh- word (what, where, how) + to-infinitive” to express indirect questions or uncertainty about an action.
- Why others are wrong: Option (B) “choosing” is grammatically incorrect after a Wh- word in this structure. Option (A) “choose” lacks “to”.
17 (A) to change
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: The structure “It is + Adjective (possible) + to-infinitive” is used to ask about or describe an action.
- Why others are wrong: Option (C) “changing” is a common mistake. Option (B) “change” is a basic error.
18 (B) to try
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: The structure is “want + Object + to-infinitive” (expressing a desire for someone else to do an action).
- Why others are wrong: Option (A) “trying” is a common mistake. Option (C) “try” is grammatically incorrect.
19 (C) to buy
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: We use “enough + noun + to-infinitive” to show sufficiency for a purpose.
- Why others are wrong: Option (B) “buying” is a common mistake. Option (A) “bought” is a tense error.
20 (C) to drink
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: The structure “too + adjective + to-infinitive” means something is more than acceptable, making an action impossible (too hot to drink = so hot that we cannot drink it).
- Why others are wrong: Option (A) “drinking” is a common mistake. Option (B) “drink” is missing “to”.
GRAMMAR POINTS TO REMEMBER
- Verbs of Desire and Necessity: Always use “to + Verb” (to-infinitive) after verbs that point to a future action or desire.
- Common verbs: want, would like, need, hope, decide, promise, offer.
- Example: “I want to order.” (NOT “I want ordering”).
- “Would like” vs. “Like”: – “I like drinking coffee” (General habit).
- “I would like to drink coffee” (Polite request right now).
- Remember / Forget + To Verb:
- Use this when talking about a task you must do.
- Example: “Don’t forget to bring napkins.” (It is your task).
- Special Structures with To-Infinitive:
- Verb + Object + to V: I want you to try this.
- Wh-word + to V: I don’t know what to choose.
- Adjective + to V: It is possible to change.
- Too / Enough + to V: It is too hot to drink.