Page 286 - Practical English Usage 3ed - Michael Swan, Oxford

The Managing Director began his address to tile shareholders by summarising the results for the year. Profits on the whole had been high, though one or two areas had been disappointing. It was, however, important to maintain a high level ofinvestment, and he was sure that the shareholders would appreciate . ..
In literary narrative, similar structures are common. The reported speech may be made more vivid by using direct question structures and 'here and now' words.
At breakfast, Peter refused to go to school. Why should he spend all his time sitting listening to idiots? What use was all that stuffanyway? If he stayed at home he could read books. He might even learn something useful. His father, as usual, was unsympathetic. Peter had to go to school, by damn, alld he had better get moving now, or there'd be trouble.
279 infinitives (1): introduction 1 forms
Infinitives are forms like (to) write, (to) stand. Unlike verb tenses (e.g. writes, stood), infinitives do not usually show the actual times of actions or events. They usually refer to actions and events in a more general way, rather like -ing forms. (See 293-300).
Infinitives are generally used with to; for infinitives without to, see 28I. Besides simple infinitives like (to) write, there are also progressive infinitives (e.g. (to) be writing), pedect infinitives (e.g. (to) have written) and passive infinitives (e.g. (to) be written). For details of the various forms, see 280.
2 use
Infinitives have many functions. An infinitive can be used, for example, after do or a modal auxiliary verb as part of a verb phrase.
Do you think she's ready?
We must get some more light bulbs.
An infinitive can also be used, alone or with other words:
• as the subject or complement of a clause (see 290)
To watch him eating really gets on my nerves.
The main thing is to relax. It's nice to talk to you.
• as the object or complement of a verb, adjective or noun (see 282-285)
I don't want to talk. I'm anxious to contact your brother.
You have the right to remain silent.
• to express a person's purpose (see 289)
He came to London to look for work.
For full details of the uses of infinitives. see the following sections.
infinitives (1) : introduction 279
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