English

Practical English Grammar


the infinitive and infinitive phrase


➲The third type of verbal, in addition to the participle and the gerund,
is the infinitive. An infinitive is composed of the word to plus a verb.
Examples of the infinitive include to remember, to cuddle, to pacify,
and to yodel.
Infinitives can function as nouns, adjectives, and adverbs.

To succeed is Ted’s goal. (noun—subject of the sentence)
Franklin’s goal was to succeed. (noun—predicate nominative)
Melissa wanted to succeed. (noun—direct object)
Kelly has the drive to succeed. (adjective—Which drive? the drive
to succeed)
Kelly will endeavor to succeed. (adverb—How will Kelly endeavor?
to succeed)

➲ An infinitive phrase is composed of the infinitive, its modifiers (or
describers), and all the other words that are needed to complete the idea
begun by the infinitive.

To stay up later was the child’s wish. (noun—subject)
Lorene desired to be a doctor. (noun—direct object)
My cousin’s goal was to make the New York Yankees. (noun—
predicate nominative)
Henry’s ultimate goal was to make other people happy. (noun—
predicate nominative)
The musical to see is Oklahoma! (adjective—Which musical?
Oklahoma!)
The strong lifeguard swam out to save the struggling swimmer.
(adverb—Why did the lifeguard swim out? to save the struggling
swimmer)

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Notes


Practical English Grammar - Notes
1. Italics Hyphens and Brackets
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2. Quotation Marks Part Three
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3. compound subjects part two
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4. Sound a like words Part Four
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5. Second Capitalization List
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6. Confusing usage words part six
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7. Regular Comparison of Adjectives and Adverbs
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8. the noun
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9. complete and simple subjects
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10. the adverb
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11. the object of the preposition
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12. Confusing usage words part three
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13. More Apostrophe Situations
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14. the indirect object
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15. irregular verbs part two
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16. the noun clause
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17. Irregular Comparison of Adjectives and Adverbs
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18. agreement involving prepositional phrases
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19. the prepositional phrase
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20. The possessive case
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21. Confusing usage words part two
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22. Quotation Marks Part Two
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23. complex sentences
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24. the adjective phrase
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25. the verb
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26. the subordinating conjunction
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27. The Colon
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28. The possessive case
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29. agreement between indefinite pronouns and their antecedents
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30. subject verb agreement situations
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31. types of sentences by purpose
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32. the preposition
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33. complete and simple predicates
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34. The nominative case
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35. the adverb clause
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36. Confusing usage words part seven
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37. Active and passive voices
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38. Using Capital Letters
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39. The verb be
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40. subject and verb agreement
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41. the direct object
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42. Confusing usage words part three
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43. Periods Question Marks and Exclamation Marks
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44. The Semicolon
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45. More subject verb agreement situations
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46. regular verb tenses
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47. the correlative conjunction
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48. compound subject and compound predicate
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49. reflexive demonstrative and interrogative pronouns
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50. the adjective
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