Episode 48: I Decided to Leave

verb + to-infinitive — Pilgrims on Mayflower, 1620 (B1-B2)

Grammar Box

Meaning: Certain verbs take to-infinitive when we talk about intentions, decisions, plans, desires, or promises — actions pointing toward the future.

Form: decide/want/plan/hope/promise/need/agree/refuse + to + verb

Example 1: They decided to leave England for religious freedom.

Example 2: She promised to write letters home every month.

Common mistake: Wrong: I decided leaving. Better: I decided to leave.

The Challenge

Luna was planning her future. “I want traveling the world. I decided studying abroad. I hope finding a good job.” Every sentence felt awkward. She knew some verbs needed “to,” others needed “-ing,” but which was which? The watch pulsed with steady determination. Professor Wisdom appeared, his expression serious. “Decisions,” he said, “point forward. The infinitive — ‘to do’ — carries that forward motion. Let me show you people who decided to risk everything for an uncertain future.”

The Journey

Plymouth, England, September 1620. William Bradford stood on the dock, staring at the Mayflower. A small, leaky merchant ship. Sixty-five days of ocean storms ahead. No guarantee of survival. His wife Dorothy held their son, crying quietly. They had decided to leave their homeland. They had planned to build a new life in America. But now, facing the actual ship, doubt crept in.

Other Pilgrims gathered, whispering fears. “We need to reconsider,” one said. “The ship is too small. Winter is coming. We could die.” Bradford understood their terror. He felt it too. But he also remembered why they had agreed to make this journey. In England, they couldn’t worship freely. They couldn’t raise their children in their faith. They couldn’t live according to their conscience.

Bradford climbed onto a barrel and spoke: “Friends, we chose to take this risk. We promised to support each other. We hoped to create something better for our children. Yes, we might fail. But we refused to live in fear back home. We won’t refuse to live in courage now.” His voice steadied. “I plan to board this ship. I intend to survive the crossing. I want to build something that lasts. Who else has decided to come?”

One by one, hands rose. They had decided to leave. They had agreed to face the unknown. They needed to believe their decision mattered. That morning, 102 passengers boarded the Mayflower. Sixty-five days later, half-starved and sick, they reached Cape Cod. Half died that first winter. But the others kept their promise. They refused to give up.

Centuries later, we remember them not because the journey was safe, but because they decided to take it anyway. The infinitive — “to leave,” “to build,” “to try” — captures that forward-facing courage. Not the action itself, but the commitment to the action. The decision that changes everything.

The Deep Dive

Verbs taking to-infinitive generally express intentions, desires, decisions, or mental states oriented toward the future. Words like decide, plan, want, hope, promise, agree, refuse, and need all focus on what hasn’t happened yet but might. “I decided to leave” means the leaving is the intention, not yet reality. The infinitive with “to” grammatically points forward.

This contrasts sharply with -ing forms, which focus on activities as experiences or ongoing states. Compare: “I stopped smoking” (quit the activity) versus “I stopped to smoke” (paused in order to smoke). The choice between -ing and to-infinitive can completely change meaning with certain verbs, which we’ll explore further.

Common verbs in this category include: choose, expect, fail, learn, manage, offer, prepare, pretend, seem, tend, threaten. Each carries a sense of futurity or intention. Mastering this pattern is essential for expressing plans, goals, and commitments naturally in English.

More Examples

History: Gandhi chose to resist through nonviolence and refused to use force even when attacked.

Science: The Wright Brothers learned to fly by studying bird movements and agreed to share their findings.

Everyday: I need to finish this project by Friday, and I plan to work late if necessary.

Formal: The board decided to postpone the merger and agreed to reconsider in six months.

Informal: I want to travel more next year, and I hope to save enough money for it.

Contrast: “I decided leaving” (wrong) vs “I decided to leave” (correct) — “decide” requires to-infinitive for future intention.

Practice & Reflection

Exercises:

1. Fill in the blank: The Pilgrims decided _ England and promised _ each other through hardship. (leave / support)

2. Correct the mistake: She hopes finding a better job next year.

3. Choose and explain: “We __ start the meeting at 9 AM.”
   a) agreed to
   b) finished

4. Rewrite: Use “plan” + to-infinitive: “My intention is visiting Japan next spring.” → “__”

5. Compare: What’s the difference between “I want going” and “I want to go”?

6. Your reflection: What’s one important decision you’ve made recently? Write it using a verb + to-infinitive.

Answer Key:

1. to leave / to support — both “decide” and “promise” take to-infinitive
2. She hopes to find — “hope” requires to-infinitive, not -ing
3. a) agreed to — “finish” doesn’t fit future planning context
4. I plan to visit Japan next spring — “plan” + to-infinitive
5. First is wrong; second is correct. “Want” always takes to-infinitive.
6. Check: Did you use decide/want/plan/hope/promise + to + verb?

The Lesson

Luna revised her plans: “I want to travel the world. I decided to study abroad. I hope to find a good job.” Perfect. The watch faded. She thought about those Pilgrims on the dock, choosing the unknown over the familiar. They didn’t decide going — they decided to go. The “to” was the bridge between now and then, between who they were and who they hoped to become. Every big decision starts there. Not in the doing. In the decision to do. The infinitive is the grammar of courage.