Infinitive with or without "to"

Question

What you should do is (to) invest all your money in telecoms companies.

Why "to" is not necessary in this sentence? If the subordinate "to invest all your money in telecoms companies" is the subject of the main sentence, shouldn't the use of the to infinitive be obligatory?

Thanks.

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

I'm not sure if this answer will satisfy you, but it seems like "to" is unnecessary in this context because you are giving a command.

What should you do?

What you should do is..[This:]...Invest all your money in telecom companies! [Go do it.]

That's how we do it in English-~~no pleasantries or formalities~~-command away!

The proper procedure may be to invest your money in telecom companies, but what you should do is save all of your money and give it to me.

I take cash only.

(Also, I wouldn't use an "s" at the end of telecom either because telecom is an adjective describing the companies, and in English there's no need for the noun and the adjective to agree. For example, we have two black dogs or we have one black dog. You don't say we have two blacks dogs or one black dog. In contrast, in Spanish or Italian, agreement with the gender and plurality of the noun may be required. )

Tarirotari · Answer

Thanks a lot Anonymous,

but I don't think that the to infinitive isn't required because it is a command, because then would could we explain another sentence like the following?:

What she does is (to) write all her novels on a type writer.

There's no trace of command in this sentence and the "to" is optional too.

Thanks again

Tarirotari · Answer

tarirotaribecause then would could we explain another sentence like the following?

I meant : "how could we explain..."

Infinitive with or without "to"

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

Related Questions