Infinitiv
es
The final
verbal…..
Infinitiv
es
are verbals which means they are
verbs that act as other parts of
speech.
Remember the other verbals?
– Participles act as ADJECTIVES.
– Gerunds act as NOUNS, which in turn act
as subjects, direct objects, indirect
objects, predicate nominatives, objects
of prepositions, and appositives.
Infinitiv
act as nouns,
adjectives, andes
adverbs
An infinitive is the TO
form of a verb
The infinitive of run… is
TO RUN
The infinitive of
scream… is TO SCREAM
The infinitive of eat… is
TO EAT
WARNIN
G
Please note the difference between the
following!
TO THE MALL AND TO
SWIM
One is an infinitive, and the other is a
prepositional phrase. Do NOT get these
confused.
If “to” is followed by a noun or pronoun,
then it is a prepositional phrase.
VERBALS ARE ABOUT VERBS!
Infinitives as
Just likeNouns
gerunds, they act as
subjects, direct objects, and
predicate nominatives. NOTE: They
do not act as objects of the
preposition or indirect objects….
This IS different!
Look at the following!First, find the
infinitive that is being used as a noun,
and then determine which role it is
playing!
To err is human.
To err is human. Subject
Riff always wanted to act.
Riff always wanted to act. Direct
object
Maria’s dream is to marry Tony.
Infinitives as
Adjectives
Like all adjectives, infinitives
acting as adjectives modify
NOUNS or PRONOUNS!
The candidate to trust is Tony.
Note that the infinitive is to trust
and that it is modifying or
describing candidate.
More adjective
examples….
Those are the easiest dogs to train.
Those are the easiest dogs to train.
(note that to train modifies DOGS.
He has a great ability to paint.
He has a great ability to paint. (To
paint
modifies ability, which is a noun.)
Infinitives as
Adverbs
Infinitives also act as adverbs; they
must modify VERBS, ADJECTIVES,
or other ADVERBS.
They act like adverb prepositional
phrases.
Infinitives as
Adverbs
Consider these examples….
The team was slow to score.
To score modifies the word “slow.”
Slow is an adjective.
My grandmother has come to stay.
To stay modifies the verb, come.
Now…. YOU TRY!!!
First, find the infinitive and then
determine how it is
functioning in the sentence!
Our assignment was to read that
book.
Our assignment was to read that
book. PN
We were asked to memorize this
poem.
We were asked to memorize this
poem. DO
He was eager to experience college.
He was eager to experience college.
Adv.
The person to help you is Doc!
The person to help you is Doc! Adj.
To leave town is relaxing!
To leave town is relaxing! Subj.
A final
Sometimes,point….
an infinitive
has an elliptical “to.”
Elliptical means silent or
understood. This word is
used throughout English
grammar!
The “to” may be left
out completely.
He will help us
paddle to shore.
He will help us TO
paddle to shore.
Watch out for these!
