INFINITIVES: Defining Infinitives And The Basic 5 Uses Of Infinitives
INFINITIVES – In this topic, we will discuss the description of infinitives and the five basic ways of using them in a sentence.
By basic definition, an infinitive is a certain verb form which is composed of the word “to” followed by the basic form of a verb.
Examples:
- to eat
- to walk
- to sing
- to gain
- to live
- to go
- to sleep
- to sit
- to drink
- to watch
An infinitive has 5 common uses. Here are the following:
It can be used as a subject of the sentence
Examples:
- To drink milk in the evening helps making you sleep.
- To eat in the computer lab is prohibited
- To travel in the road with friends is a worthwhile experience.
Direct Object
An infinitive can be used as a receiver of the verb.
Examples:
- I have come to gather my stuff.
- Martha quietly hid to avoid the people following her.
- The lumberjack went to chop some wood in the forest.
Subject Complement
As per the website, subject complements are like direct objects but they are followed after a linking verb(e.g. is,are,was,were).
Examples:
- My objective is to aid the poor
- His dream is to act in movies.
- David’s mission was to scout the base.
It can be used as an adjective to describe the noun.
Examples:
- I have no reason to argue
- She has the audacity to complain about rights.
- The man has the necessary tools to build a motorcycle.
Adverb
Lastly, the infinitive is used to modify the verb.
Examples:
- I had seen enough to say you are nothing but a liar.
- Bob eats meat to gain more weight.
- Abigail loves to watch cartoons.
READ ALSO: SYNONYMS & ANTONYMS – Their Meaning & Examples | English