A Comprehensive Guide to English Grammar: The Infinitive

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I. Introduction

The infinitive is a fundamental and versatile part of English grammar. It is a non-finite verb form that typically consists of the word “to” followed by the base form of a verb (e.g., “to run,” “to eat,” “to think”). However, there are also bare infinitives, which do not have the “to” marker. Understanding infinitives is crucial for constructing grammatically correct and meaningful sentences, as they can function in various ways within a sentence.

II. Forms of the Infinitive

  1. Full Infinitive (To + Base Verb)
    • This is the most common form. For example, “to play,” “to study,” “to sleep.” It is used in many contexts, such as after certain verbs like “want,” “decide,” “hope,” etc. For instance, “She wants to travel around the world.”
  2. Bare Infinitive (Base Verb without “to”)
    • The bare infinitive is used after modal verbs (e.g., can, could, will, would, shall, should, may, might, must). For example, “He can swim.” It is also used after the verbs “let,” “make” (in the sense of forcing someone to do something), and “help” (when the meaning is assistance). For instance, “Let him go,” “She made him clean his room,” and “She helped him carry the boxes.”

III. Functions of the Infinitive

  1. As the Subject of a Sentence
    • The infinitive can function as the subject of a sentence, often expressing an action or concept. For example, “To err is human.” Here, “To err” is the subject of the sentence, and the verb “is” has the predicate “human.” Another example is “To learn a new language takes time and effort.”
  2. As the Object of a Verb
    • Many verbs are followed by infinitives as their objects. Some common verbs that take infinitives as objects include “want,” “like,” “love,” “hate,” “begin,” “start,” “continue,” etc. For example, “She likes to read mystery novels.” In this sentence, “to read mystery novels” is the object of the verb “likes.”
  3. As the Complement of a Verb
    • The infinitive can act as a complement to certain verbs, completing the meaning of the verb. Verbs like “seem,” “appear,” “pretend,” etc. are often followed by infinitives as complements. For example, “He seems to be tired.” Here, “to be tired” complements the verb “seems” and gives more information about the subject “he.”
  4. As an Adjective Modifying a Noun
    • Infinitives can function as adjectives and modify nouns. They usually come after the noun they modify. For example, “a book to read,” “a place to live.” In these phrases, “to read” modifies “book” and “to live” modifies “place.”
  5. As an Adverb Modifying a Verb
    • Infinitives can also function as adverbs and modify verbs, indicating purpose or intention. For example, “She went to the store to buy some groceries.” Here, “to buy some groceries” shows the purpose of her going to the store.

IV. Infinitive Phrases

An infinitive phrase consists of the infinitive plus any modifiers or complements. For example, “To run a marathon in under three hours requires a lot of training.” In this infinitive phrase, “To run a marathon in under three hours” has the infinitive “to run” with the object “a marathon” and the modifier “in under three hours.” Infinitive phrases can function in the same ways as single infinitives, such as being the subject, object, complement, adjective, or adverb in a sentence.

V. Split Infinitives

A split infinitive occurs when an adverb or other word is placed between “to” and the base verb. For example, “to quickly run.” While some traditional grammar rules have frowned upon split infinitives, they are now widely accepted in modern English, especially when they make the meaning clearer or the sentence flow better. For instance, “She decided to carefully consider the offer” is a more natural and clear way of expressing the idea than rephrasing it to avoid the split infinitive.

VI. Common Verb Patterns with Infinitives

  1. Verb + Infinitive
    • As mentioned earlier, many verbs are followed directly by the infinitive. Some examples include:
      • “agree to”: “He agreed to help with the project.”
      • “offer to”: “She offered to cook dinner.”
      • “refuse to”: “They refused to accept the deal.”
  2. Verb + Object + Infinitive
    • Some verbs require an object before the infinitive. For example:
      • “ask someone to”: “She asked him to close the window.”
      • “tell someone to”: “The teacher told the students to be quiet.”
      • “want someone to”: “I want you to come with me.”
  3. Verb + Preposition + Infinitive
    • There are also verbs that are followed by a preposition and then an infinitive. For example:
      • “look forward to”: “She is looking forward to meeting her friends.” (Note that here, the “to” is a preposition, not part of the infinitive, so the verb following is in the -ing form, as in “meeting.”)

VII. Comparison with Gerunds

Gerunds are another non-finite verb form, which are formed by adding -ing to the base verb (e.g., running, eating, thinking). While both infinitives and gerunds can function as nouns, there are some differences in their usage. In general, infinitives often express a more specific, one-time action or a future intention, while gerunds are more associated with ongoing or habitual actions. For example, “I like to swim” might imply that you like the activity of swimming in a particular instance or that you have the intention to swim at some point. On the other hand, “I like swimming” suggests a more general enjoyment of the activity as a whole.

VIII. Exercises to Practice Infinitives

  1. Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the infinitive:
    • She wants ____ (go) to the party tonight.
    • He seems ____ (be) very happy.
    • They made him ____ (clean) his room.
  2. Rewrite the sentences using infinitives:
    • She is looking forward to seeing her family. (Use “to meet”)
    • He started running in the park. (Use “to run”)
  3. Identify the function of the infinitive in each sentence:
    • To learn a new language is challenging.
    • She went to the library to study.
    • He bought a book to read on the train.

IX. Conclusion

The infinitive is a powerful and flexible part of English grammar. By understanding its forms, functions, and common patterns, you can improve your ability to construct clear and accurate sentences. Practice using infinitives in different contexts to become more proficient in English and to enhance your communication skills.