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use of "to"

English translation: In this case, you only need the first \"to\"

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
English term or phrase:use of \"to\"
Selected answer:In this case, you only need the first \"to\"
Entered by: Patsy Florit

18:56 May 25, 2010
English language (monolingual) [PRO]
General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
English term or phrase: use of "to"
I need to know if it´s necessary or not to include "to...." here. Is there a rule for this?
We´re planning to play a game, to sing a song, to describe a toy and to write a poem.
Patsy Florit
Local time: 03:23
In this case, you only need the first "to"
Explanation:
Though if you include them all, it is not grammatically wrong, but just not strictly necessary.
On the other hand in a more formal case, it could be better to keep them all. E.g.:
Queen's speech: It is my Government's intention to bring in bills to hold a referendum on the voting system, to grant more independence to local schools, to abolish plans for the introduction of identity cards and to increase capital gains tax in certain categories.
Selected response from:

Jack Doughty
United Kingdom
Local time: 07:23
Grading comment
This will do, thanks a lot!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
4 +11In this case, you only need the first "to"
Jack Doughty
4only the first
Christine Andersen


  

Answers


9 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +11
In this case, you only need the first "to"


Explanation:
Though if you include them all, it is not grammatically wrong, but just not strictly necessary.
On the other hand in a more formal case, it could be better to keep them all. E.g.:
Queen's speech: It is my Government's intention to bring in bills to hold a referendum on the voting system, to grant more independence to local schools, to abolish plans for the introduction of identity cards and to increase capital gains tax in certain categories.

Jack Doughty
United Kingdom
Local time: 07:23
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 370
Grading comment
This will do, thanks a lot!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Nicole Y. Adams, M.A.
2 mins
  -> Thank you.
agree  Shera Lyn Parpia
4 mins
  -> Thank you.
agree  Stephanie Ezrol
8 mins
  -> Thank you.
agree  Tony M: Yes; it's perhaps worth emphasizing that (at least) the first 'to' is vital, to establish the fact that the following verb(s) is/are infinitives; if you didn't use 'to', then the list would have to be nouns: "We're planning a game / a picnic / etc."
10 mins
  -> Thank you. Yes, the first "to" is indeed vital.
agree  Sheila Wilson: Nice example of formal usage. Mind you, I can't imagine ERII being anything less than formal, even when addressing the corgies
18 mins
  -> Thank you. I doubt if she's that formal off duty. There is an apocryphal story that once when "God Save the Queen" was played, she said to the Duke of Edinburgh: "Oh, Philip! They're playing our tune!"
agree  Luiza Modesto
18 mins
  -> Thank you.
agree  Jenny G
20 mins
  -> Thank you.
agree  Donna Stevens
1 hr
  -> Thank you.
agree  Gary D: I would also include the last "to" but it would be my personal choise..
2 hrs
  -> Thank you.
agree  Arabic & More
2 hrs
  -> Thank you.
agree  British Diana: in your Queen's Speech the clauses are much longer, that's why keeping the "to" there is necessary
18 hrs
  -> Thank you.
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15 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
only the first


Explanation:
I would only include the first:

We´re planning to play a game, sing a song, describe a toy and write a poem.

Just my humble opinion. The other version is not strictly wrong, just unnecessary.
I might try to rephrase to break up the long list, but in context it might not be possible or advisable.

We´re planning to play a game and sing a song, then we´ll describe a toy and write a poem.

You need ´to´ at the beginning of your series of actions, and it is definitely best to leave it out with ´and´.


Christine Andersen
Denmark
Local time: 08:23
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4
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