Understanding Infinitives: A Complete Grammar Guide
What is an Infinitive?
Infinitives are a special form of verbs that can be used as a noun, adjective, or adverb. They are usually made by adding the word 'to' before the base verb.
The Oxford Learner's Dictionary defines an infinitive as "the basic form of a verb, such as be or run". Unlike standard verbs, infinitives are not limited by tense, person, or number.. They are used without any change, regardless of the subject or the tense of the sentence..
Types of Infinitives
Infinitive verbs are divided into two main categories based on how they appear in a sentence.:
1. Bare Infinitives .
Bare infinitives are verbs that are used in their base form and do not function as a verb.. They typically occur after verbs such as 'see', 'watch', 'hear', and 'feel', and also after modal verbs such as 'need', 'can', 'should', 'must', 'may', 'might', 'would', 'could', and 'will'.
- I heard the car arrive before I saw it.
- I can wait for the results.
- Oliver made me share my lunch with him.
2. Full Infinitives
Full infinitives, also known as to-infinitives, are the most common infinitives in writing. You create a full infinitive by taking the base form of a verb and adding 'to' in front of it.
- You can teach me to play.
- We have to wait there.
Note: In the sentence "I want to see you cook," 'want' is the main verb, 'to see' is the full infinitive, and 'cook' is the bare infinitive.
Functions of Infinitives
Functioning as a Noun
An infinitive can act as a noun, appearing as the subject or direct object of a sentence. It can also appear as a subject complement following a linking verb. Tip: You can check if an infinitive acts as a noun by replacing it with the word "something"[cite: 144].
- Subject: To dream requires incredible courage.
- Direct Object: He wanted to cry.
- Subject Complement: Our aim is to improve[cite: 142].
Functioning as an Adjective
Infinitives can be placed after any noun in a sentence, acting as an adjective to describe a subject or an object.
- Describing a Subject: The best person to consult is your counselor.
- Describing an Object: The teacher assigned several exercises to complete.
Functioning as an Adverb
Infinitives can also be adverbial, modifying any verb in a sentence to tell the reader why the action is necessary.
- Before Main Clause: To do well in college, one must study diligently.
- After Main Clause: We tell stories to teach lessons.
- I climbed the mountain to see the view.
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