21-Infinitive and Infinitive Phrase

Infinitive and Infinitive Phrase
An infinitive is a verb form, usually beginning with the word to, that can act as a noun, an
adjective and an adverb.
An infinitive phrase is a group of words that includes an infinitive and other words that
complete its meaning.
Infinitives
Active passive
1- To + v1 To + be + v3
2- To + have + v3 To + have + been + v3
a. I want to eat pizza. (to +v 1) a. Everyone desired to be admired.
b. The drawer needs to be organized. (needs organizing.)
c. To be loved is the greatest happiness in life.
d. The books seem to have been translated.
e. She wants to do well on the test. My mom asked me to wash the dishes.
f. I have no friends to advise me. I am happy to be invited.
g. To have known Lincoln would be remarkable. B. Peter admitted to have been
arrested last year.
h. I’m sorry to have sold you a broken bike. He seems to have enjoyed the food.
i. This guitar needs to be turned. I want my library book to be returned.
j. I am sorry to have kept you waiting so long. He seems to have heard the news.
k. I am happy to be loved by you.
l. He was satisfied to have been picked for the baseball team. (perfect passive infinitive)
m. I’d like to have been sitting around the fire when he walked in. (perfect continuous
infinitive)
n. Monty was happy to have been awarded the prize. (perfect passive infinitive)
o. I’d like to have been sitting around the fire when he walked in. (perfect continuous
infinitive)
1. Infinitive as Nouns
(a) Subject
- To travel in Europe is very expensive. (subject)
It is very expensive to travel in Europe. (preparatory subject ‘it’)
- To study Korean is my goal this semester. (subject)
- To be meeting a famous actor is very exciting.
- It is not easy to find the bank.
- To be elected by my peers is a great honor.
- It is not easy to find happiness in ourselves.
(b)Subject complement
- My goal this semester is to study Korean. (Subject complement)
- Our aim is to help children to reach their best potential in dance and drama.
- Our goal is to win. (Subject complement)
- My hobby is to cook.
- My goal is to be better at math than all the students in Riverside.
- His intention was to make friends. (subject complement)
- Grace’s passion is to ride horses. (subject complement)
(c) Direct Object

- We hope to win the game.
- I really want to dance well to impress my friends.
- We should make it a habit to eat healthy food.
- The actress wanted to be famous.
- Small farmers found it difficult to complete with the large estates run by the labor of
enslaved people.
- He cannot afford to own a car.
- You need to arrive at the hospital within 60 minutes.
- He endeavored to remain calm.
- I pretended to be surprised.
- She has just chosen to quit talking to me.
- I managed to get there by six.
- They decided to attend the meeting.
- The actress wanted to be famous.
- They decided to attend the meeting.
- Everyone desires to be admired.
- The scientists decided to investigate the bilingual brain. (Direct Object)
- Grant hopes to see Blaire before her show. (D.O)
- I decided never to give up so easily.
- I make it a rule never to watch television on Saturdays.
- I found it interesting to learn English. (preparatory object ‘it’) (D.O)
- Seattle School Board has decided to build a brandnew school.
- We should make it a habit to exercise every day.
- My mother wanted me to come here.
- Many teachers do not allow students to talk in class.
Note: To-infinitive cannot be the object of a preposition.
- She is pretty good at dancing. (not … at to dance.)
Verbs followed by a to-infinitive
Want/ decide/ need/ manage/ fail/ expect/ hope/ wish/ promise/ agree/ refuse/ swear/
vow / plan/determine/ prepare/ endeavor/ seek/ afford/ pretend/ choose
(d)Object complements
- I want you to be happy. (O.C)
- My doctor told me to stop smoking. (O.C)
- Many schools do not allow students to use cell phones in school.
- I can’t allow you to behave like that.
- My mom forced me to tell the truth.
- My parents allow me to spend time with my friends.
- A college degree enables you to get a good job.
- Amanda encouraged me to join the running team.
- Coach martin told me to work harder.
- The news has caused me to change my mind about Emily.
Note: Verbs followed by an object and a to-infinitive (object complement)
Want/ need/ expect/ allow/ force/ advise/ ask/ require/ permit/ forbid/ enable/ encourage/
persuade/ tell/ urge/ cause/ warm/ remind.
(e) Appositive
- His intention, to explain the law, is reasonable.
- This project to investigate the bilingual brain was funded by their university.
Note: You can often replace them with gerunds without changing the meaning of the
sentence.
To quit now would be a mistake. Quitting now would be a mistake.
He likes to run. He likes running.
But,this test won’t work in every instance.
To know her is to trust her. (Not Knowing her is trusting her)
Note: It can never be the object of a preposition.
2. Infinitive as Adjectives (which)
- I need a book to read.
- Harriet has the ability to read quickly.
- I bought some candy to eat at the movies.
- I need a chair to sit on. (Adj)
- An opportunity to succeed is a wonderful thing.
- Kanzi had a desire to communicate.
- She knew the question to ask about research funding.
Be to +V1
- Plans/ arrangements (is going to): I am to see her at Stella’s tonight.
He is to meet her at the restaurant tomorrow.
Intentions (intend to) (showing pre-conditions in the main clause of a conditional):
If you are to go to Canada, you should be able to speak a little English.
If you are to achieve your goals, do your best.
- Be + passive infinitive (can): Their house is to be seen from afar.
No one was to be seen in the park.
- Orders (should, ought to): Every student is to be in the auditorium at 1:00 P.M.
- Orders (must, have to): Every student is to be respectful in school.
- Fates (be doomed to); They were never to meet again.
3. Infinitives as Adverbs
(a). Adverb Infinitives modifying Verbs (why)
- The students sat behind a screen in the language lab to observe.
- To observe, the students sat behind a screen in the language lab.
- They came to help us. (adv)
- Purposes (so as to-v, in order to-v); All plants need water to grow.
- The researchers tested the language learners to understand their anxiety levels.
- To understand their anxiety levels, the researchers tested them.
Note: When used as introduction phrases, you must set them off with a comma.
They are modifying the verb if they answer the question “why”.
(b) Adverb Infinitives modifying Adjective
- The child was happy to cooperate.
- I am very happy to meet you.
It is important not to worry about what will happen in the future.
- The child was happy to cooperate with the researcher.
- Many linguists were ready to question the evidence of bonobos learning language.
- Some were ready to accuse the research of being unscientific.
- It is sometimes difficult for some linguists to accept the finding of the studies.
- Her baby is fun to talk to.
- The girl went quickly to settle the baby.
Note: Adverb infinitives is immediately following the predicate adjectives that they are
modifying. They are not movable like infinitives modifying verbs.
In a few cases, infinitives are used without the to particle.
(e) I want him to win the race.
(f) I saw him win the race.
(g) I allowed him to win the race.
(h) I let him win the race.
(i) I’ll ask him to go.
(j) I’ll have him go.
(k) I’ll force him to leave.
(l) I’ll make him leave.
Infinitives can even have subjects, which perform the action of the infinitive:
(m) I like my children to read every day.
(My children is the subject of the infinitive, they do the reading. Every day is an
adverbial phrase.)
(n) I like Kelly to enjoy these nightly reading.
(Kelly is the subject of the infinitive verb; she does the enjoying. These nightly reading is
the direct object of to enjoy.)
(o) I need you to go to the store today.
(You is the suject; to the store and today are adverbial, modifying the infinitive.)
(p) I want her to enjoy reading.
(Her is the subject of the infinitive; reading, a gerund, is the direct object of the infinitive.)
Bare infinitives (without ‘to’)
Dangling infinitives
(q) To get to the market today, your chores should be done early. (dangling)
To get to the market today, you should do your chores early.
(r) To be heard in this large room, the microphone must be adjusted. (dangling)
To be heard in this large room, we must adjust the microphone.

21-Infinitive and Infinitive Phrase

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Infinitive and Infinitive Phrase

(c) Direct Object

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