Welcome to another class, my smart brains! We will master infinitive phrases today in-depth.
Everything that looks like a verb does not work as a verb necessarily. A gerund looks like a verb (V1+ing) but does not work as a verb; it works as a noun. Participles, both present participles and past participles can work as adjectives though they look like a verb. Actually, they are verbs in the purest form, but they don’t act like one.
Infinitive phrases in English are not any different; they don’t function as a verb either. Infinitives are formed using a base form of a verb (V1), but they function as a noun, an adjective, or an adverb in a sentence.
What are infinitive phrases in English?
An infinitive phrase is a group of words that starts with an infinitive (TO + V1) and is followed by the object of the infinitive or its modifier. Infinitive phrases can perform the following functions in a sentence:
- Nouns
- Adjectives
- Adverbs
Infinitives (TO + V1): to eat, to run, to love, to help, to sleep, etc.,
| INFINITIVE PHRASES | INFINITIVES | OBJECTS | MODIFIER/ADVERB |
| To eat food daily | to eat | food | daily |
| To run daily | to run | daily | |
| To love your country | to love | your country | |
| To sleep during the day | to sleep | during the day |
Possible structures of an infinitive phrase:
TO + V1 + object of the verb
TO + V1 + object of the verb + Modifier
TO + V1 + Modifier
Examples:
- To meet M.S. Dhoni was an incredible experience.
Infinitive phrase (subject): to meet M.S. Dhoni
Infinitive: to meet
The object of the infinitive: M.S Dhoni
What was an incredible experience? Answer: Infinitive phrase
- To believe in your craft is essential for success.
Infinitive phrase: to believe in your craft
Infinitive: to believe
Modifier: in your craft
Role: The subject
- You need to learn from your debacles.
Infinitive phrase: to learn from your debacles
Infinitive: to learn
Modifier: from your debacles
Role: The object of the verb NEED
- She likes to dance in the rain.
Infinitive phrase: to dance in the rain
Infinitive: to dance
Modifier: in the rain
Role: The object of the verb LIKES
- One of my talents is to mimic people.
Infinitive phrase: to mimic people
Infinitive: to mimic
Object: people
Role: subject complement, One of my talents = to mimic people
- My dream is to be a doctor.
Infinitive phrase: to be a doctor
Infinitive: To be
Object: a doctor
Role: subject complement, My dream = to be a doctor
Infinitive phrases as a noun
When infinitive phrases work as a noun, they work as the following:
1. The subject of the sentence
2. The object of the verb
3. The subject complement
Examples of infinitive phrases as the subject of a sentence:
- To provide free education is what we want to do.
- To travel the world is my goal.
- To reduce weight requires a lot of hard work and patience.
- To eat thrice a day is still a dream for a lot of people.
Examples of infinitive phrases as the object of a verb:
- We need to listen to our elders.
- My sister wants to open a school for the poor.
- We are hoping to buy a new house.
- She wants me to propose to her.
(me = indirect object, to propose to her = direct object)
Examples of infinitive phrases as the subject complement:
Subject complement: it is a word or a group of words that either renames the subject or modifies it. A noun or a noun phrase renames it, and an adjective or an adjective phrase modifies it. Infinitive phrases rename the subject of a sentence as they also work as a noun.
- Her goal is to be an actress.
(Her goal = to be an actress) - My first priority is to take care of my family.
- All he wanted was to see me happy.
- The objective of our organization is to provide free food to every poor kid.
Infinitive phrases as an adjective
Infinitive phrases can also work as an adjective in a sentence. When it does, it modifies a noun or a pronoun.
Examples of infinitive phrases as an adjective:
- The guy to learn SEO from is Mangesh Kumar Bhardwaj.
(‘To learn SEO from‘ is the infinitive phrase that’s working as an adjective and modifying the noun ‘guy’.)
- We need some people to work on our social media platforms.
(‘To work on our social media platforms‘ is the infinitive phrase that’s giving information about the noun ‘people’.)
- I wish I had someone to stand by me.
(‘To stand by me’ is the infinitive phrase that describes the pronoun ‘someone’.)
- Do you need something to eat on the train?
(‘To eat on the train‘ modifies the pronoun ‘something’.)
NOTE: When an infinitive phrase works as an adjective, it comes right after the noun it modifies.
Check out adjective phrases and adjective clauses in English. Also, check out gerunds and gerund phrases.
Infinitive phrases as an adverb
Just like an adverb, an infinitive phrase also modifies a verb and tells us for what reason or purpose an action happens.
Examples of infinitive phrases as an adverb in a sentence:
- He is working day and night to launch an application.
(‘To launch an application‘ modifies the verb working and tells us why he is working day and night.)
- Most people do things to impress others, not to make them happy.
(‘To impress others’ and ‘to make them happy’ are the infinitive phrases that are working as adverbs, modifying the verb do, and telling us why most people do things.
A sentence can also start with an infinitive phrase working as an adverb.
- To make my birthday special, my friends gave me a surprise party.
(The reason they give me a surprise party was ‘to make my birthday special‘.)
- To create something that I can be proud of later in life, we are working tirelessly.
(‘To create something that I can be proud of later in life‘ is the infinitive phrase that’s modifying the verb working, telling us why we are working tirelessly.)
Check out adverb phrases in English.
Bare infinitives and bare infinitive phrases in English
Generally, infinitives start with the participle ‘to‘. When it does not have the particle ‘to‘ in the beginning; it simply starts with the base form of an action verb (V1).
We drop the particle ‘to’ after modal auxiliary verbs (may, might, can, could, should, will, shall, would, and must) and some other verbs: let, see, hear, watch, help, make, bid, let, feel, sense, and had better.
Check out forms of infinitives and bare infinitives.
Examples of bare infinitives using modal auxiliary verbs:
- We should meditate daily.
(Meditate is the bare infinitive, and meditate daily is the bare infinitive phrase.)
- People should stop killing innocent animals.
(Stop is the bare infinitive, and stop killing innocent animals is the bare infinitive phrase.)
- Everyone must read a book daily.
(Read is the bare infinitive, and read a book daily is the bare infinitive phrase.)
- I could not complete the project on time.
(Complete is the bare infinitive, and complete the project on time is the bare infinitive phrase.)
NOTE: When bare infinitives follow other verbs (let, see, hear, watch, help, make, bid, let, feel, sense, and had better), we also have an indirect object before the bare infinitives.
- Please let him do his job without any disturbance.
him = indirect object
do his job without any disturbance = direct object (bare infinitive phrase)
- The company is making me handle the finance department.
me = indirect object
handle the finance department = direct object (bare infinitive phrase)
- My mother saw you hang out with that girl yesterday.
you= indirect object
hang out with that girl yesterday = direct object (bare infinitive phrase)
NOTE: ‘Had better’ take only one object: direct object.
- You had better listen to whatever your parents say. They want you to be happy.
More examples
- Will you help me design the interior of my house?
- Did she hear us talk about the surprise we are planning for her?
- She had better apologize to her family for what she did to them.
- I can watch my friends cry in front of anyone.
How to form an infinitive phrase?
To identify an infinitive phrase, look for the following things in a phrase:
- It starts with an infinitive (to + v1).
- It has an object and/or an adverb.
Examples:
- My sister wants to open a school for the poor.
Infinitive – to open
the object of the infinitive – a school
adverb – for the poor (modifying ‘school’)
- To provide free education is what we want to do.
Infinitive – to provide
the object of the infinitive – free education
- My dream is to be a doctor.
Infinitive – to be
the object of the infinitive – a doctor
- To eat thrice a day is a dream for a lot.
Infinitive – to eat
adverb – thrice a day
You have to be careful when the infinitive comes after certain verbs (modal auxiliary verbs and other verbs: let, see, hear, watch, help, make, bid, let, feel, sense, and had better) as we don’t have the particle ‘to’ in it.
- The company is making me handle the finance department.
me – indirect object
handle the finance department – direct object (bare infinitive phrase)
- My mother saw you hang out with that girl yesterday.
you – indirect object
hang out with that girl yesterday – direct object (bare infinitive phrase)
- You had better listen to whatever your parents say. They want you to be happy.
listen – bare infinitive
to – preposition
whatever your parents say – the object of the preposition ‘to’
Don’t confuse prepositional phrases starting with TO with infinitive phrases!
Look at the following prepositional phrases:
- He is addicted to playing PUBG.
- My father has devoted his life to helping the needy.
- I am looking forward to teaching my students through online classes.
- We strongly object to killing animals.
- Are you committed to changing your bad habits?
- Nurses all over the world are dedicated to treating COVID-19 patients, risking their lives.
- Most people are used to following the orders of their minds.
- I am opposed to leaving your parents and living with your girlfriend.
These might look like infinitive phrases to you, but they are not. They are prepositional phrases.
Reasons why not to consider these infinitive phrases:
- These phrases have a progressive verb in them (V1+ing). Infinitive phrases can’t have progressive verbs in them; they have a base form of a verb (V1).
- ‘To‘ here is not a part of an infinitive (to + v1). It is a preposition. But how to find that out? When ‘to’ is preceded by some specific verbs and adjectives, it works as a preposition.
Verbs: look forward to, confess to, adjust to, object to, and devote to
Adjectives: addicted to, opposed to, dedicated to, committed to, used to, and devoted to
| Phrasal verbs that have ‘to’ in them | adjectives that are followed by ‘to’ |
| look forward to confess to adjust to object to devote to | addicted to opposed to dedicated to committed to used to devoted to |
FAQs
Now, we know what infinitive phrases are in English. Feel free to share your question, doubt, or feedback in the comment section, and also, share the post with the people that need it.
For one-on-one classes, contact me at [email protected].
What is an infinitive phrase in grammar?
An infinitive phrase is a group of words that starts with an infinitive (TO + V1) and is followed by the object of the infinitive or its modifier. Infinitive phrases can perform the following functions in a sentence: 1)Nouns, 2) Adjectives 3) Adverbs
How do you classify an infinitive?
An infinitive phrase is formed out of a verb but does not function as one. It functions as a noun, adjective, or adverb.
What are the 3 types of infinitives?
The three types of infinitives are the following:
1) Noun
2) Adjective
3) Adverb
Where do we use infinitive?
An infinitive can be used in place of the subject, object of a verb, subject complement, adjective complement, adjective, and adverb.
Do infinitive phrases always begin with to?
Infinitive phrases or infinitives often begin with the particle ‘to’ but it can be formed without it either. The participle is dropped when an infinitive comes after certain verbs (let, make, help, force, ask, see, watch, hear), modal verbs, and some other verbs (had better and would rather).
How do you identify an infinitive phrase?
To identify an infinitive phrase, look for the following things in a phrase:
1. It starts with TO + the base form of a verb (V1).
2. It has an object and/or a modifier.
What is the purpose of infinitive phrases?
Infinitive phrases can function as a noun, adjective, or adverb. As a noun, they can work as the subject, object, and subject complement. When they are used as an adjective, they come right after a noun and modify it, and when they function as an adverb, they work as a reason/cause of a action/situation.
Can an infinitive phrase be a noun phrase?
Yes, an infinitive phrase can function as a noun. Since it’s a phrase that works as a noun, we call it a noun phrase. As a noun, it can function as the subject, object, or subject complement.
What’s an infinitive phrase example?
Here are some examples of infinitive phrases:
1. Everyone loves to be appreciated.
2. I want to get this job badly.
3. To go there alone can be a bad decision.
4. The right thing to do here would be to leave him alone.
5. I went there to check on you.
Can an infinitive phrase be an adverb?
Yes, an infinitive phrase can be used an adverb in a sentence. When to works as a adverb, it either modifies a verb and work as a cause/reason of the action or modifies an an adjective and gives information about it .When it modifies an adjective, it sits right next to me.
Examples:
1. Some people came to my house to check on me. (modifying the verb)
2. I work day and night to earn more money. (modifying the verb)
3. Alok is scared to go there. (modifying the adjective ‘scared’)
4. We are delighted to see you here. (modifying the adjective ‘delighted’)
What is infinitive phrase as an adjective?
When an infinitive phrase works as an adjective, it modifies a noun/pronoun and comes right after it.
Examples:
1. The right thing to do right now is leave this place.
2. Do you have a place to throw a party?
How do you use an infinitive phrase in a sentence?
An infinitive phrase is used as the following in a sentence:
1. As a noun
2. As an adjective
3. As an adverb
Examples:
1. We want to eat Chinese food. (noun)
2. I don’t know anyone to get this done from.
3. We are laying off some workers to cut down the total cost. (adverb)
What is the difference between infinitive and infinitive phrase?
The difference between an infinitive and an infinitive phrase is that an infinitive is formed using ‘To + V1’ and an infinitive phrase has an object or modifier or both after the verb in the infinitive (‘To + V1 + Object/modifier’).
Examples:
1. I want to go. (infinitive = to + v1)
2. I want to go there. (infinitive phrase = to + v1 + modifier/adverb)
3. She likes to sleep.(infinitive = to + v1)
4. She likes to sleep on my couch. (infinitive phrase = to + v1 + modifier/adverb)
5. Ashish loves to teach. (infinitive = to + v1)
6. Ashish loves to teach English. (infinitive = to + v1 + object)
Do infinitive phrases always begin with to?
Mostly yes, but not all infinitive phrases start with the particle ‘to’. Infinitives or infinitive phrases that do not start with the participle ‘to’ are called bare infinitive phrases. These infinitive phrases come after certain verbs, some of those are as following: make, let, see, hear, watch, help. Infinitive phrases without ‘to’ come after modal verbs too.
Examples:
1. He let me use his car.
2. I can’t watch you fight him.
3. We could go out and watch a movie.
What are infinitive phrases in English?
These are phrases that are formed using a participle ‘TO’, a verb form of a verb ‘V1’, and the ‘OBJECT/MODIFIER’ of the verb and function as a noun, adjective, or adverb in a sentence.
Check out Yourdictionary and Grammarmonster for more examples (though unnecessary).
Here’s a video summary of the lesson:
I am sure infinitive phrases are no longer a problem for us. Feel free to empower others by sharing this post with others. See you in the next class, smart brains!
For one-on-one classes, contact me at [email protected].
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