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Perfect infinitive

The traditional label for the structure to + have + past participle of a verb.

In the sentence I would like to have met him, the perfect infinitive is to have met.

Perfect infinitives can have the same kind of meaning as perfect tenses or past tenses.

• It is nice to have finished work. (= It is nice that I have finished work.)

We often use perfect infinitives to talk about unreal past events: things that did not happen, or that may not have happened.

• I meant to have telephoned, but I forgot.