9D Advanced uses of the infinitive

1 Complete the second sentence so that it means the same as the first. Write no more than six words and include an
infinitive form and the word in brackets.
1 We want to think of an activity we can do this afternoon. (something)
We’re trying to think this afternoon.
2 You’re foolish if you want to buy that cheap phone – don’t be surprised when it stops working. (as)
If you’re so foolish  , don’t be surprised when it stops working.
3 We can’t walk there in one day. (far)
It’s too in one day.
4 He got home and then he realised that he’d left his keys at the office. (only)
He got home he’d left his keys at the office.
5 I don’t believe that they’d refuse to help us. They aren’t that cruel. (so)
They aren’t to help us.
6 I must finish this project before my exam tomorrow. (to)
I’ve got this project before my exam tomorrow.
7 I was too slow and I didn’t win the race. (enough)
I didn’t run fast the race.
8 She spoke to him and then he died. (last)
She was to him before he died.

2 Complete the text with the phrases below. There are two extra phrases.

books to give  difficult language to learn  enough time to go  last to know  not so confident as to speak 
only to change  second person in my family to study  so bored as to avoid  too busy to help

Dydh da! That’s ‘Hello’ in Cornish. Last year, I decided to learn Cornish. I’m from Cornwall – or ‘Kernow’, as we
say in Cornish, and I’m the 1 it. It’s a 2
because so few people can speak it. There are Cornish language lessons at my local college, but I don’t
have 3 after work. So at the moment, my sister is trying to teach me, but
she’s often 4
me as she is also studying for her exams. I’m
5
it outside the house yet. I’m looking for some 6
me extra practice, but I really need to find a proper teacher. The good news is that the number of Cornish
speakers is growing. UNESCO actually declared Cornish extinct in 2009, 7 its
mind the following year and list it as critically endangered. Now there are about 2,000 fluent speakers of Cornish.

3 SPEAKING   Complete the sentences with your own ideas. Then put your sentences into a bag / container. Can the class
guess who wrote them?

I’m the first person in my family to  .

✂
is too difficult to  .
✂
I never try hard enough to  .
✂
I left the house this morning, only to  .
✂
My teacher is so helpful as to  .
✂
✂

Solutions Third Edition Advanced photocopiable © Oxford University Press

   9D  Advanced uses of the
infinitive
Aims:  To review and practise advanced uses of the
infinitive.
Time:  10–15 minutes
Materials:  One handout for each student

Exercise 1
• Give each student a handout and ask them to complete
the second sentence so that it means the same as
the first.
• Remind them, if necessary, of the four different uses
of the infinitive: after only to express a disappointing
sequel, to replace a relative clause, after too and enough
and after so + adjective + as.
• Check answers with the class.
KEY
1  of something to do   2  as to buy that cheap phone  
3  far to walk there   4  only to realise that  
5  so cruel as to refuse   6  to finish   7  enough to win  
8  the last person / one to speak

Exercise 2
• Ask students to read through the whole text first for
gist. Ask some general comprehension questions if
necessary: Who is the writer’s teacher? (his / her sister)
Is Cornish becoming more or less popular? (more popular)
• Students complete the text with the correct phrases.
Remind them that there are two extra phrases.
• Check answers with the class.
KEY
1  second person in my family to study  
2  difficult language to learn   3  enough time to go  
4  too busy to help   5  not so confident as to speak  
6  books to give   7  only to change

Culture note
Cornwall is a county situated in the south west of
England. The language is from the same family as
Welsh and Breton and it is recognised as a minority
language in the United Kingdom.

Exercise 3
• Students work individually to complete the sentences
with their own ideas. They don’t have to write true
answers about themselves, but they should produce
grammatically correct sentences.
• Students then tear off / cut up each sentence strip, fold
it up and place it in a bag or container at the front of the
class. Invite individual students to come up to the bag /
container, pick out a strip of paper and read it out to
the class. The class guesses who wrote the sentence. If
you have a large class, you could also put students into
groups to play this game.

Solutions
 Third Edition Advanced photocopiable © Oxford University Press