Introduction

Constructions with infinitival verb forms are a prominent feature of present-day English syntax. The infinitive without to occurs routinely after modal auxiliaries (e.g. I will/might/could do my homework now) and after verbs of perception and causation (e.g. I saw/heard/made him do his homework), while the infinitive with to occurs after a range of verbs with widely varying properties (I tried to do it; I promised Peter to do it; I ordered Peter to do it; I persuaded Peter to do it; I believe him to be innocent). If we compare the distribution and properties of infinitives in the present-day language with their Old English counterparts, the conclusion must be that some pervasive changes have taken place. Some of these changes seem to be largely quantitative: Manabe (1989) has shown, on the basis of a large collection of data, that infinitival clauses replaced finite ones at a fast rate in Middle English. Thus, in Old English (as in present-day German and Dutch), the usual construction after verbs expressing purpose or intention was a poœ-clause, as in (1):