Download Infinitives - Belle Vernon Area School District

Phrases – Part Three
Grade Seven
What is an Infinitive?
• An infinitive is a verbal.
• An infinitive begins with the word “to” and
is followed by a verb.
• An infinitive can do many things that
nouns can do in a sentence.
• An infinitive can also work as an adjective
or adverb.
What do Infinitives Look Like?
• The underlined words are infinitives. Note
that they begin with “to” and are followed
by a verb.
-I want to go also.
-My goal is to win.
-To answer is difficult.
-The plan is to hide.
Infinitive Phrases
• An infinitive phrase begins with “to” and is
followed by a verb. These words are then
followed by additional words. Altogether
these words form an infinitive phrase.
What Do Infinitive Phrases Look
Like?
• The underlined words are infinitive
phrases.
-The goal is to win the game.
-I wish to answer the question correctly.
-To relax at the beach is my dream!
-The person to speak with concerning that
problem is the principal.
The Jobs of an Infinitive
• Infinitives have many jobs in a sentence.
• As a noun, infinitives may work as:
–
–
–
–
–
Subjects
Predicate Nouns
Direct Objects
Appositives
Objects of the Preposition
• Infinitives may also work as:
-Adjectives
-Adverbs
Infinitives Used as Subjects
• To find the subject of a sentence, find the actual
verb in the sentence and ask “Who?” or “What?”
before it.
Ex. To tell jokes well is quite a talent.
The verb is “is.” When you ask, “What is a
talent?” you get the answer “To tell jokes well.”
Therefore, “To tell jokes well” is the subject of
the sentence.
**Now the subject does NOT have to be just one
word!
Infinitives Used as Predicate Nouns
• To find a predicate noun, you must have a
linking verb or verb of condition. A predicate
noun comes after a linking verb or verb of
condition and renames the subject.
Ex. My goal is to get my A.R. points.
“Is” is a linking verb. The subject of the
sentence is “goal.” Coming after the linking verb
is “to get my A.R. points” which renames the
goal; therefore, “to get my A.R. points” is the
predicate noun.
*Note that the predicate noun is now NOT just one
word.
Infinitives Used as Direct Objects
• To find a direct object, first you must have an
action verb. Ask “Who?” or “What?” after the
action. If one of those questions is answered,
you have found a direct object.
Ex. I like to swim in my pool.
The action verb is “like.” When asking “like
what?” the answer is “to swim in my pool;”
therefore, “to swim in my pool” is a direct object.
*Notice that the direct object is NOT just one word.
Infinitives Used as Objects of the
Preposition
• To find an object of the preposition, first find a
preposition. Then ask “Who?” or “What?” after
the preposition.
Ex. I forgot everything except to buy milk.
“Except” is a preposition. When the question
“Except what?” is asked, the answer is “to buy
milk.” That means that “to buy milk” is the object
of the preposition.
**Please notice that the object of the preposition is
no longer a single word.
Infinitives Used as Appositives
• An appositive comes after a noun and
renames or explains it. Appositives are
often set off by commas.
Ex. My plans to buy a computer became a
reality.
“Plans” is a noun. It is immediately
renamed by “to buy a computer;”
therefore, “to buy a computer” is an
appositive.
Infinitives Used As Adjectives
• An adjective describes a noun. An infinitive
working as an adjective will then also describe a
noun.
Ex. The puzzle to build has a thousand pieces!
“Puzzle” is a noun. When you ask “Which
puzzle?” the answer is ‘to build.” That means
that “to build” is describing the noun “puzzle”
which makes it an adjective.
*Note that the adjective here is NOT just one word.
Infinitives Used as Adverbs
• An adverb describes a verb, adjective, or
other adverb. Although adverbs are
usually single word modifiers, infinitives
used as adverbs will always be more than
one word.
Ex. It is hard to see during a heavy rainstorm.
“Hard” is an adjective that describes the
subject “it.” “To see” tells how it was hard;
therefore, “to see” describes the adjective
which makes it an adverb.
Infinitives Look Different!
• Before this new verbal was learned,
weren’t subjects always one word?
Weren’t direct objects always one word?
• NOW that has changed! Infinitives will
always be more than one word; therefore,
when they work as subjects, direct objects,
etc., those functions will always be more
than one word!
How to Diagram Infinitives
• An infinitive is diagrammed on a pedestal.
If the infinitive is a noun function (subject,
direct object, predicate noun, object of the
preposition, and appositive) the pedestal
sits in the place of the noun function.
• An infinitive diagrammed as an adjective
or adverb hangs on a tailless hockey stick
underneath what it describes. The
pedestal sits on the tailless hockey stick.
The Pedestal
• The pedestal looks like this:
Diagramming Subjects
To tell jokes well is quite a talent.
is
talent
Diagramming Predicate Nouns
•
My goal is to get my A.R. points.
goal
is
Diagramming Direct Objects
•
I like to swim in my pool.
pool
I
like
Diagramming Objects of the
Preposition
I forgot everything except to buy milk.
I
forgot
everything
Diagramming Appositives
•
My plans to buy a computer became a reality. (Remember, appositives are diagrammed in parenthesis.)
plans
(
)
became
reality
Diagramming Adjectives
The puzzle to build has a thousand pieces! (Remember that adjectives are diagrammed underneath
what they describe.)
puzzle
has
pieces
Diagramming Adverbs
It is hard to see during the rainstorm.
It
is
hard
rainstorm