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An infinitive phrase consists of the word to followed by the base form of a verb. This phrase can act as a noun, adjective, or adverb in a sentence. Infinitive phrases help express purposes or goals, making sentences more clear and detailed.
They are useful for describing actions or intentions, allowing you to communicate more effectively in both writing and speaking.
What is infinitive Phrase?
An infinitive phrase consists of an infinitive verb followed by any words that add detail or complete its meaning.
Examples:
To finish the project on time was our goal.
She wants to travel the world.
They came here to learn English.
Function of infinitive phrase
Infinitive Phrase as a Noun
When an infinitive phrase functions as a noun, it acts as the subject or object of a sentence, answering what or who. It can serve as the main focus of the sentence or as a complement to a verb.
Examples:
- To become a doctor requires years of study.
Here, the infinitive phrase to become a doctor is the subject of the sentence, describing what requires years of study.
- She hopes to win the competition.
in this example, to win the competition is the object of the verb hopes, answering what she hopes.
- His dream is to travel the world.
The phrase to travel the world acts as a noun, complementing is to describe his dream.
Infinitive Phrase as an Adjective
As an adjective, an infinitive phrase describes or gives more detail about a noun, helping to clarify or specify something about that noun.
Examples:
- She has a book to read for class.
Here, to read for class describes the book, specifying its purpose.
- He made a list to organize his tasks.
In this sentence, to organize his tasks adds more detail about the list.
- They found a solution to improve efficiency.
The infinitive phrase to improve efficiency describes the solution, adding information about its function.
Infinitive Phrase as an Adverb
When used as an adverb, an infinitive phrase explains why or how something is done, often indicating purpose.
Examples:
- She went to the library to study quietly.
Here, to study quietly explains why she went to the library.
- They practice daily to improve their skills.
The phrase to improve their skills explains the reason for their practice.
- He saved money to buy a new phone.
In this example, to buy a new phone shows the purpose of his saving.
How to identify
To identify an infinitive phrase, look for the word to followed by a base verb (such as to read, to write, or to learn). An infinitive phrase often includes extra words that give more detail about the action.
For example:
- In the sentence, She wants to learn more about art, to learn more about art is the infinitive phrase.
- In the sentence. He plans to study every evening, to study every evening is the infinitive phrase, adding details about when he studies.
Infinitive Phrases vs Prepositional Phrases
An infinitive phrase begins with to plus a base verb (like to run, to play). These phrases act as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs in a sentence.
A prepositional phrase, however, starts with a preposition (like in, at, on, with) and is followed by a noun or pronoun to show location, time, or direction.
Remember that an infinitive phrase always starts with to and a verb, while a prepositional phrase starts with a preposition and does not contain a verb.
- She hopes to visit Paris. (to visit Paris is the infinitive phrase, describing what she hopes.)
- The book is on the table. (on the table is the prepositional phrase, showing where the book is.
What are Types of infinitives
Here are three main types of infinitives– simple infinitives, perfect infinitives, and continuous infinitives. Each type helps convey different meanings and time frames.
Simple Infinitive: This is the most common form, using to plus the base verb. It expresses general actions or states.
- She wants to learn Spanish.
Perfect Infinitive: This form uses to have plus the past participle of a verb. It shows an action that happened before another action or is completed.
- He seems to have finished his homework already.
Continuous Infinitive: This uses to be plus the -ing form of a verb, describing an action that is ongoing or happening at the same time as another action.
- They appear to be waiting for the bus.
Usages of Full Infinitives
To Express Purpose
We often use the full infinitive to explain why someone does something, indicating the purpose of an action.
- She went to the store to buy milk. (Explains why she went to the store.)
- He called his friend to discuss the project. (Shows the purpose of calling.)
- They saved money to go on vacation. (Indicates the purpose of saving money.)
After Certain Verbs
Some verbs, such as want, hope, plan, decide, and learn, are followed by the full infinitive.
- She wants to learn French. (The verb wants is followed by to learn.)
- He decided to join the club. (The verb decided is followed by to join.)
- They plan to move next month. (The verb plan is followed by to move.)
3. After Adjectives
The full infinitive can follow adjectives to give more information about how someone feels or what they think.
- She is excited to start her new job. (The adjective excited is followed by to start.)
- He was surprised to see his friend. (The adjective surprised is followed by to see.)
- They are happy to help with the project. (The adjective happy is followed by to help.)
4. After Nouns or Pronouns
The full infinitive can follow a noun or pronoun to give more information or clarify purpose.
- I need a book to read. (The full infinitive to read explains what the book is for.)
- She gave him a task to complete. (The full infinitive to complete clarifies the purpose of the task.)
- They had an idea to improve the design. (The infinitive to improve explains the purpose of the idea.)
5. After Question Words (What, Where, How, etc.)
The full infinitive often follows question words like what, where, how, and when to provide details.
- She knows how to cook. (The full infinitive to cook follows the question word how.)
- Do you know what to say? (The full infinitive to say follows the question word what.)
- They’re unsure where to go. (The full infinitive to go follows the question word where.)
Bare infinitive Uses
Bare infinitives are infinitives without “to” (just the base form of the verb). They’re used in specific situations, often after certain verbs and phrases. Here are the main cases where bare infinitives are commonly used:
1. After Modal Verbs
Bare infinitives follow modal verbs like can, should, might, will, etc. The modal verb shows mood or intention, while the bare infinitive is the main action.
Examples:
- She can swim very well.
- You should try harder.
- They might leave early.
2. After Verbs of Perception
After verbs like see, hear, feel, and watch, we use the bare infinitive to describe an action we perceive.
Examples:
- I heard him sing a beautiful song.
- She saw them run across the field.
- We felt the wind blow through the window.
3. After “Let” and “Make”
The verbs let and make take a bare infinitive to express allowing or causing someone to do something.
Examples:
- Let him finish his work before you interrupt.
- The teacher made us write the answer on the board.
- Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
4. After “Had Better” and “Would Rather”
We use the bare infinitive after expressions like had better (for advice or recommendation) and would rather (for preference).
Examples:
- You had better leave before it gets dark.
- I would rather stay home tonight.
- We had better call him now.
5. After “Why” in Questions
When why is used to ask questions, it’s often followed by a bare infinitive to suggest actions or make informal suggestions.
Examples:
- Why wait when you can start now?
- Why not ask for help?
- Why bother going if you don’t want to?
Example Sentences
- She hopes to travel the world someday.
- He promised to complete his work on time.
- They decided to start a new project together.
- The teacher encouraged us to read more books.
- I want to learn how to cook.
- She went to the library to find more information.
- He tried to solve the problem quickly.
- We were excited to meet our favorite author.
- The team worked hard to achieve their goals.
- She offered to help with the decorations.
- They need to practice regularly for the performance.
- He forgot to bring his notebook to class.
- The students are eager to participate in the competition.
- She called me to discuss the event details.
- We planned to visit the museum this weekend.
infinitives vs Gerund
Infinitive phrases and gerunds are both verb forms but used differently.
Infinitive Phrase:
It starts with to plus the base verb (like to eat, to study). It can be used as a noun, adjective, or adverb.
- I want to go to the park
(Here, to go to the park is a noun, telling what I want to do).
- He is ready to help us
(Here, to help us tells what he is ready for, acting as an adjective).
Gerund:
It is the -ing form of a verb (like eating, studying), and it acts as a noun.
- I love swimming in the pool
(Here, swimming is a noun, showing what I love).
- She enjoys reading books
(Here, reading books is a noun, showing what she enjoys).
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