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I've recently begun noticing that occasionally I'll see a dictionary form of
the verb followed by the particle に, for example:

> 1.)まだ学校へ行く **には** 早い時間です。 It's still too early to go to school.

I've been kind of confused by it since from my experience normally the
dictionary form of verbs are followed by a nominalizer の or こと before a
particle. For example:

> 2.)まだ学校へ行く **のは** 早い時間です。
>
> 3.)まだ学校へ行く **のに** 早い時間です。

What is the general function of に directly following the dictionary form of a
verb and how is it generally used? How would sentence 1's meaning differ from
sentences 2 and 3?
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2015-09-09T00:05:11.923
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2015-09-10T03:38:52.173
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question
grammar meaning particles particle-に
Dictionary form of verb followed by に
Here, には means "in order to" or "for the purpose of". In sentences that use
this expression, the predicate often expresses the necessity for or importance
of using a specific means. You can use the nominalizer の if you choose to, and
it won't change the meaning: まだ学校へ行く **のには** 早い時間です。

This には can also come after a noun, as in このかばんは長旅には便利だ (This bag is suitable
for long trips).

There are many other expressions involving に that can attach to verbs (or
i-adjectives and other interesting things) including:

> にしては
>
> にちがいない
>
> に当たって
>
> にもかかわらず
>
> に従って
>
> に過ぎない
>
> につれて

Source: A Dictionary of Intermediate Japanese Grammar
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answer