preposition

[ridvann]

Hello,

-I couldn't find anyone to talk to.

My question is: Do we have to put the preposition after the verb such as 'to, with...etc' as there is an example?

Or

-I couldn't find anyone to talk.

Is there any problem with this one if we don't put 'to' after the verb 'talk' ?

[emsr2d2]

Hello,

-I couldn't find anyone to talk to.

My question is: Do we have to put the preposition after the verb such as 'to, with...etc' as there is an example?

Or

-I couldn't find anyone to talk.

Is there any problem with this one if we don't put 'to' after the verb 'talk' ?

The problem is that they don't mean the same thing.

"I couldn't find anyone to talk to" = I wanted to have a conversation with someone and I couldn't find anyone.

"I couldn't find anyone to talk" = I needed someone to speak (maybe to give a lecture or to read out a message) but I was unable to find anyone to carry out that task.

In the first sentence, two people would have been speaking if the person writing the sentence had been successful.
In the second sentence, only one person would have been speaking.