Download Infinitives

Infinitives
The final verbal…..
Infinitives
 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.
Infinitives
 act as nouns, adjectives,
and 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
WARNING
 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 Nouns
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
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!
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
We were asked to memorize this poem.
He was eager to experience college.
The person to help you is Doc!
To leave town is relaxing!
Did you get them right?
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We were asked to memorize this poem. DO
He was eager to experience college. Adv.
The person to help you is Doc! Adj.
To leave town is relaxing! Subj.