What is Infinitive ?
Infinitive is a type of verb that can also be used as a noun, an adjective or an adverb and basically formed by adding ‘ to ‘ before the base verb. Sometimes the base verb can also be used alone as an infinitive .
It is also one of the three types of Verbals .
Types of Infinitives –
1 . Full Infinitives -These are the most common type of Infinitives and these are formed by adding ‘ to ‘ before the base verbs .
Example – He is trying to solve the problem.
There are different types of Full Infinitives –
i . As a Noun subject –
To plan properly is necessary.
Here ‘ To plan ‘ is acting as a noun.
ii . As a Noun object –
I like to draw . (Here to draw is acting as an object )
iii. As an adjective –
He might have an idea to offer . ( Modifying the noun – ‘ idea ‘ )
iv . As an adverb –
He works to help his father. ( Modifying the verb – ‘ work ‘ )
I am happy to help you . ( Modifying the adjective – ‘ happy ‘ )
v . To show purpose or intention –
These are used to indicate the reason for which someone is doing something.
Examples– He walks to stay healthy .
I went there to join the meeting.
vi . Phrases with Relative Pronouns – These are used in phrases that start with one of the relative pronouns and sit after the relative pronouns – who, what, whom, where, when, how , but not why .
Examples – I know how to handle the situation.
I am sending you the address where to go for the purpose.
vii . With the adverbs enough or too –
We use Full Infinitives with these words to explain the reason or to provide additional information.
Examples – You have enough time to solve the problem.
He was too late to attend the meeting.
viii . There are some verbs after which we use full infinitives, if these are followed by another verb form . But these verbs can be used without infinitives also .
Some of these are – agree, ask , act, aim, appear, afford, arrange, attempt, beg, build, care, claim, choose, consent, condensed, control, confined, come,demand, decide, deserve, determined, delay, decline ,expect, endeavor, explore, fail, forget, guarantee, get, hurry , happen, have ( as a main verb ) , hope , hesitate, learn, listen, manage, mean, need, neglect, offer, plan , prepare, pretend, promise, proceed, resolve, refuse, stop, seem, sweat, tend, trouble, threaten, used, undertake, volunteer, vow, want, wish
Examples – He always acts to control the situation.
I want to give you the pen .
2 . Bare Infinitives – Bare Infinitives are formed without ‘ to ‘ before the base verb and the base verbs are used alone. These are also called Zero Infinitives .
Some types of Bare Infinitives –
i . After Perception Verbs – Perception verbs are used to indicate perception. These are – see, taste, hear, feel , watch , etc. Bare Infinitives are used after these verbs .
Examples – They saw the tiger walk inside the cage .
He feels comfort exists in his office.
She watched the dog bark when anyone arrived .
ii . After Modal Verbs – To use Infinitives after modal verbs, we don’t need to use ‘ to ‘ before the base verb . Some modal verbs are – can, could, should, will, would, might, may, must, etc.
Examples – We might late tomorrow.
You must express your talent.
He can do the job.
iii . With Relative Pronoun ‘ why ‘ –
Examples – Why waste your time when the exam is coming ?
Why suggest wrong things?
iv . With Verbs like let, do and make – These are the verbs that always use Bare Infinitives.
Examples – Let him do the job .
I do take tea in the morning.
He always makes me happy.
3 . Split Infinitive – This is a type of full Infinitive , containing an adverb or adverbial phrase between ‘ to ‘ and the base verb.
Examples – The book helps to perfectly translate any document.
I request you to smartly handle the situation.
4 . Passive Infinitive – These are Infinitives use to shift the focus of the sentence towards the object and speaker used to give emphasis on it . To form Passive Infinitives , we use to + be + past participle form .
Examples –
The job has to be performed by you .
There is a question to be asked .
Tense based Infinitive–
There three types of Tense based Infinitives –
5 . Continuous Infinitive – These are Infinitives to indicate an action that is continuing or will be continuing or was continuing .
The form is – to + be + Present Participle
Examples – He wants to be competing in different events .
It seems to be raining today .
6 . Perfect Infinitive – It indicates an action just finished prior to the time the statement is being made . It follows the structure of regular Present Perfect Tense with a ‘ to ‘ .
The structure is – to + have + Past Participle
Examples – I am happy to have taken the special lunch .
He is delighted to have visited the place again .
7. Perfect Continuous Infinitive – The structure of the sentence is the same as the Present Perfect Continuous Tense except using a ‘ to ‘ before the ‘ have ‘ .
The structure is – to + have + been+ Present Participle
Examples– The team seemed to have been practicing for a few hours .
They were convinced to have been watching the newly released movie .
8 . Anaphoric ‘ to ‘ – Here ‘ to ‘ is used repeatedly in a sentence or in the next part of a sentence to avoid the repeated use of verbs in the sentence .
Examples – I don’t like to talk louder but this time I have to .
They don’t want to lose but this time they have to .
9. Infinitive Phrase – Infinitives can be used with other words to form Infinitive Phrase . Some additional words are used to modify the main infinitive .
In this case the doer of the action is known as the actor .
Examples –
The team planned to win matches .
Here ‘ the team ‘ is an actor.
Sometimes an actor can be a Pronoun and used as an object, though there can be a direct object included in the Infinitive Phrase.
They told him to attend the meeting .
Here ‘ him ‘ is a pronoun and an object . ‘ the meeting ‘ is the direct object and included in the Infinitive Phrase.
Some verbs use actors sometime but not other times , like – need, ask, expect, want, like
Example– I expect you to do the job perfectly.
I expect the job to be done perfectly.
Here in first sentence ‘ you ‘ is an actor but in second sentence there is no actor .
