Download Diagramming the Infinitive as a Predicate

To infinitive and Beyond!
Diagramming the Infinitive
To fool Zerg is no
problem.
An infinitive is a verb form (verbal) that is used as a noun, an adjective,
or an adverb. An infinitive is usually preceded by the word to, which is
commonly referred to as the sign of the infinitive.
•
•
•
•
To write is his ambition. (infinitive as subject)
His ambition is to write. (infinitive as predicate noun)
He did nothing except (to) write. (infinitive as object of preposition)
He likes to write. (infinitive as direct object)
An infinitive phrase is an infinitive with any complement or modifiers.
•
•
•
Mr. Kullman’s goal is to help his students. (infinitive has its own direct object)
Mr. Kullman wanted to travel to Paris, but his students wanted to work on grammar
problems. (infinitives with adverbial phrases)
When Tianne started to clean the garage, Perry decided to watch from a distance.
(Infinitive with a direct object and an infinitive with an adverbial phrase)
Diagramming the Infinitive
An infinitive phrase is built up
on a stick man. How cool is
that?
To
write
well
is
ambition
his
•
To write well is his ambition.
Diagramming the Infinitive as a Predicate Adjective
WOW! Are you kidding? The
infinitive is a predicate
adjective!
to
write
ambition
is
His
•
His ambition is to write.
Diagramming the Infinitive as a Direct Object
This is just nuts! The
infinitive is the direct object
of the sentence, and the
infinitive has its own direct
object. Unreal!
to
diagram sentences
He
•
likes
He likes to diagram sentences.
Diagramming the Infinitive with its Direct Object
to
help
students
his
goal
is
Kullman’s
Mr.
•
Mr. Kullman’s goal is to help his students.
Diagramming a Compound Sentence with Infinitives
Mr. Kullman wanted to travel to Paris, but his
students wanted to work on grammar
problems.
•
to
travel
to
Paris
Kullman
wanted
Mr.
to
but
work
on
problems
grammar
students
his
wanted
Diagramming a Complex Sentence with Infinitives
•
When Tianne started to clean the garage, Perry wanted
to watch from a distance.
to
watch
Perry
from
distance
a
wanted
to
When
Tianne
started
clean
garage
the