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Questions and Answers
What is the primary function of an infinitive in a sentence?
How is an infinitive formed?
What is the function of an infinitive in the sentence 'He worked hard to get promoted.'?
What type of infinitive is expressed in the phrase 'to have written'?
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What is the function of an infinitive in the sentence 'She is a person to trust.'?
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What is the purpose of the infinitive phrase 'to buy milk' in the sentence 'I went to the store to buy milk.'?
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What type of infinitive phrase is 'too tired to walk'?
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What is the primary function of a perfect continuous infinitive?
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Study Notes
Infinitives
Definition An infinitive is a verb form that functions as a noun, adjective, or adverb in a sentence.
Formation
- Formed by combining "to" with the base form of a verb (e.g., to run, to eat, to write)
- Can be active or passive (e.g., to be eaten, to be written)
Functions
- Noun: Subject, complement, or object of a sentence (e.g., To err is human.)
- Adjective: Modifying a noun or pronoun (e.g., the man to save the day)
- Adverb: Modifying a verb, adjective, or another adverb (e.g., He came to help.)
Types
- Perfect infinitive: Expresses completed action (e.g., to have written)
- Continuous infinitive: Expresses ongoing action (e.g., to be writing)
- Perfect continuous infinitive: Expresses ongoing action that started in the past (e.g., to have been writing)
Uses
- Purpose: Expresses the purpose of an action (e.g., I went to the store to buy milk.)
- Result: Expresses the result of an action (e.g., He worked hard to get promoted.)
- Description: Provides more information about a person or thing (e.g., She is a person to trust.)
Common Infinitive Phrases
- Too + infinitive: Expresses excessiveness (e.g., He was too tired to walk.)
- Enough + infinitive: Expresses sufficiency (e.g., She was old enough to vote.)
- So + adjective + infinitive: Expresses a consequence (e.g., He was so tired that he went to bed.)
Infinitives
Definition and Formation
- An infinitive is a verb form that functions as a noun, adjective, or adverb in a sentence.
- Formed by combining "to" with the base form of a verb (e.g., to run, to eat, to write).
- Can be active or passive (e.g., to be eaten, to be written).
Functions
Noun
- Can be a subject, complement, or object of a sentence (e.g., To err is human).
Adjective
- Modifies a noun or pronoun (e.g., the man to save the day).
Adverb
- Modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb (e.g., He came to help).
Types
Perfect Infinitive
- Expresses completed action (e.g., to have written).
Continuous Infinitive
- Expresses ongoing action (e.g., to be writing).
Perfect Continuous Infinitive
- Expresses ongoing action that started in the past (e.g., to have been writing).
Uses
Purpose
- Expresses the purpose of an action (e.g., I went to the store to buy milk).
Result
- Expresses the result of an action (e.g., He worked hard to get promoted).
Description
- Provides more information about a person or thing (e.g., She is a person to trust).
Common Infinitive Phrases
Too + Infinitive
- Expresses excessiveness (e.g., He was too tired to walk).
Enough + Infinitive
- Expresses sufficiency (e.g., She was old enough to vote).
So + Adjective + Infinitive
- Expresses a consequence (e.g., He was so tired that he went to bed).
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Description
Understand the definition, formation, and functions of infinitives in English grammar. Learn how to identify and use infinitives as nouns, adjectives, and adverbs in sentences.
