Home of English Grammar

Free Guide (Updated for 2023)

  • Home
  • Download Lessons
  • Grammar Rules
  • Online Exercises
  • Online Tools
    • Grammar Checker
    • Word Counter
  • Guides
  • Contact
You are here: Home / Lessons / The infinitive

The infinitive

October 4, 2010 - pdf

The infinitive is the base form of a verb. Examples are: write, run, break, read, walk etc.

The infinitive may be preceded by the marker to. It is then called the to-infinitive.

Examples of to-infinitives are given below:

  • I want to go.
  • Birds love to sing.
  • To err is human.
  • He refused to go.
Uses of the infinitive
The infinitive can be the subject of a verb.
  • To err is human; to forgive divine.
  • To find fault with others is easy.
In sentence 1, the infinitive to err is the subject of the verb is. In sentence 2, the infinitive phrase to find fault with others is the subject of the verb is.
As the object of the verb
The infinitive can be the object of a verb. Study the following examples.
  • He wants to go.
  • She likes to sing.
In sentence 1, the infinitive to go is the object of the verb wants. Similarly in sentence 2, the infinitive to sing is the object of the verb likes.
As subject complements
The infinitive can also be used as the complement of the subject. Study the following sentences:
  • The mistake she made was to get his attention.
  • The best thing to do now is to retreat.
In sentence 1, the infinitive to get is the complement of the subject mistake. In sentence 2, the infinitive to retreat is the complement of the subject thing.

As an adjective qualifying a noun
The infinitive can function like an adjective.
  • That was a place to visit.
  • It is time to go.
Here the infinitives to visit and to go function like adjectives modifying the nouns place and time.

The forms of the infinitive

The infinitive has the following forms:

Simple present

Active: to write; passive: to be written

Present perfect

Active: to have written; passive: to have been writen

Present continuous

Active: to be writing; no passive form

Present perfect continuous

Active: to have been writing; no passive form

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • WhatsApp
1,191,672 
614,588 

Check Your Grammar

GrammarCheck.net - Try online
Hint → Bookmark GrammarCheck for future use.

Latest Exercises

  • Modals Exercise June 6, 2023
  • Verbs Exercise June 3, 2023
  • Present Perfect vs. Present Perfect Continuous Tense Exercise June 2, 2023
  • Conjunctions Quiz May 31, 2023
  • General Grammar Exercise May 30, 2023
  • Phrasal Verbs Quiz May 28, 2023
  • English Vocabulary Exercise May 25, 2023
  • Articles Exercise May 23, 2023
  • Gap Filling Grammar Exercise May 22, 2023

Topics

  • Adjectives
  • Adverbs
  • Business Writing
  • Commas
  • Conjunctions
  • Creative Writing
  • Difference
  • Essay Writing
  • Exercises
  • Learning
  • Lessons
  • Nouns
  • Prepositions
  • Pronouns
  • Proofreading
  • Punctuation
  • Quiz
  • Spelling
  • Style Guide
  • Teaching
  • Terms
  • Verbs
  • Words
  • Writing

Quiz

  • Can you correct these 14 basic grammar mistakes?
  • What kind of writer are you?

Copyright © 2023 · EnglishGrammar.org
Disclaimer · Privacy Policy · Sitemap