What are Infinitives?
The infinitive is the root form of a word. When speaking English, we usually mean the present infinitive when we talk about the it. They used to talk about actions in general rather than a particular case of the action being performed. When “to” is used with a verb as an adjective, an adverb, or a word, the verb stays in its basic form. Some verbs need to be followed by infinitives to give the full picture of what the sentence is trying to say.
A collection of words known as an infinitive phrase begins with an infinitive verb. Various modifications, such as names, pronouns, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, and conjunctions, then follow it. The infinitive sentence can serve as an expression, an adjective, or a word.
Infinitives – Meaning, Definition, Types, How to Use, Examples
An Infinitive is a word form that can be used as a name, a term, or a phrase. They can help you talk about actions without actually doing them. Most of the time, infinitives are made by putting the phrase before the basic word. Regular and irregular verbs, auxiliary verbs, linking verbs, passive and active verbs, and many other types of verbs are all used in the English language.
Even though an infinitive has a verb, it can’t be used as a verb. Since they can’t show mood independently, words with them must also include a limited main verb. Learn more about the definition, types, and sentence usage of infinitives by reading the article.
Table of Content
- What are Infinitives?
- What are the Types of Infinitives?
- Full Infinitives
- Bare Infinitives
- Infinitives vs. Prepositional Phrases
- Infinitives vs. Gerunds
- What is an Infinitive Phrase?
- How to Use Infinitives in a Sentence?
- Identify the Infinitives in a Sentence
- Examples of Infinitives
- Conclusion on Infinitives
- Practice Questions on Infinitives
- FAQs on Infinitives