Making Use of Infinitives

1. Making Use of Infinitives Lesson 24 By Joseph C. Blumenthal

2. Infinitives are the forms of verbs most commonly listed in the dictionary. If you should look up the words grew and broken, the dictionary would refer you to the words grow and _____.

3. Infinitives are the forms of verbs most commonly listed in the dictionary. If you should look up the words grew and broken, the dictionary would refer you to the words grow and break.

4. An infinitive is the basic form of a verb from which all other forms are derived. The infinitive is usually combined with the preposition to; for example, to walk, to drive, to sleep. • The infinitive from which the verbs flew, flying, and flown are derived is __ __.

5. An infinitive is the basic form of a verb from which all other forms are derived. The infinitive is usually combined with the preposition to; for example, to walk, to drive, to sleep. • The infinitive from which the verbs flew, flying, and flown are derived is tofly.

6. An infinitive—like a gerund—is often used to name an action. It is often interchangeable with a gerund. • GERUND:Walking is good exercise. • INFINITIVE: To walk is good exercise. • Both the gerund and the infinitive are use as nouns. Each is the ______ of the verb is.

7. An infinitive—like a gerund—is often used to name an action. It is often interchangeable with a gerund. • GERUND:Walking is good exercise. • INFINITIVE: To walk is good exercise. • Both the gerund and the infinitive are use as nouns. Each is the subject of the verb is.

8. Fill the blank with the infinitive form of traveling: • GERUND:Traveling broadens the mind. • INFINITVE: _______ broadens the mind.

9. Fill the blank with the infinitive form of traveling: • GERUND:Traveling broadens the mind. • INFINITVE:To travelbroadens the mind.

10. Fill the blank with the infinitive form of traveling: • GERUND: Her favorite sport is swimming. • INFINITVE:Her favorite sport is _______.

11. Fill the blank with the infinitive form of traveling: • GERUND: Her favorite sport is swimming. • INFINITVE:Her favorite sport is to swim.

12. Like participles and gerunds, infinitives can take direct object and subject complements, as no ordinary noun can do. • To waste food is sinful. • Because the noun food receives the action of the infinitive to waste, it is its (direct object, subject complement).

13. Like participles and gerunds, infinitives can take direct object and subject complements, as no ordinary noun can do. • To waste food is sinful. • Because the noun food receives the action of the infinitive to waste, it is its (direct object, subject complement).

14. The adjective healthy completes the meaning of the infinitive To be. • To be healthyis a great advantage. • The adjectivehealthy, therefore, is the (direct object, subject compliment) of the infinitive.

15. The adjective healthy completes the meaning of the infinitive To be. • To be healthyis a great advantage. • The adjectivehealthy, therefore, is the (direct object, subject compliment) of the infinitive.

16. Since an infinitive is a mixture of both a verb and a noun, it may be modified by an adverb. • Test pilots like to live dangerously. • The adverb dangerously modifies the infinitive _____.

17. Since an infinitive is a mixture of both a verb and a noun, it may be modified by an adverb. • Test pilots like to live dangerously. • The adverb dangerously modifies the infinitiveto live.

18. The phrase formed by infinitives with their related words are called infinitive phrases. These phrases can be used in most of the ways that nouns are used. • To teach a dog tricks requires endless patience. • The infinitive phrase is used as the _______ of the verb requires.

19. The phrase formed by infinitives with their related words are called infinitive phrases. These phrases can be used in most of the ways that nouns are used. • To teach a dog tricks requires endless patience. • The infinitive phrase is used as the subjectof the verb requires.

20. Shirley Bluewind’s plan is to save money for law school. • The infinitive phrase completes the meaning of the linking verb is and identifies the subject plan. • The infinitive phrase, therefore, is a (direct object, subject complement).

21. Shirley Bluewind’s plan is to save money for law school. • The infinitive phrase completes the meaning of the linking verb is and identifies the subject plan. • The infinitive phrase, therefore, is a (direct object, subject complement).

22. A good citizen does not refuse to be a witness. • The infinitive phrase is used as a (direct object, subject complement).

23. A good citizen does not refuse to be a witness. • The infinitive phrase is used as a (direct object, subject complement).

24. In addition to being used as nouns, infinitives are also used as modifiers—both as adjectives and as adverbs. • I want a chanceto work. • I want a chance to rest. • I want a chance to play. • I want a chance to travel. • Each sentence means a different kind of chance because the _______ is different in each sentence.

25. In addition to being used as nouns, infinitives are also used as modifiers—both as adjectives and as adverbs. • I want a chanceto work. • I want a chance to rest. • I want a chance to play. • I want a chance to travel. • Each sentence means a different kind of chance because the infinitiveis different in each sentence.

26. I want a chanceto work. • I want a chance to rest. • I want a chance to play. • I want a chance to travel. • Each infinitive in the above sentences modifies the noun ________.

27. I want a chanceto work. • I want a chance to rest. • I want a chance to play. • I want a chance to travel. • Each infinitive in the above sentences modifies the noun chance.

28. I learned a new way to play checkers. • The infinitive phrase to play checkers modifies the noun ____.

29. I learned a new way to play checkers. • The infinitive phrase to play checkers modifies the noun way.

30. I learned a new way to play checkers. • Because the infinitive phrase modifies the noun way, it is used as an _________.

31. I learned a new way to play checkers. • Because the infinitive phrase modifies the noun way, it is used as an adjective.

32. I learned a new way to play checkers. • We have seen that the infinitive to play, like an ordinary adjective, modifies the noun way. • The fact that the infinitive to play can at the same time take the direct object checkers shows that an infinitive can also do the job of a _____.

33. I learned a new way to play checkers. • We have seen that the infinitive to play, like an ordinary adjective, modifies the noun way. • The fact that the infinitive to play can at the same time take the direct object checkers shows that an infinitive can also do the job of a verb.

34. I learned a new way to play checkers. • I learned a new way of playing checkers. • One sentence contains a gerund phrase; the other an infinitive phrase. • Which sentence contains an infinitive phrase? (a, b)

35. I learned a new way to play checkers. • I learned a new way of playing checkers. • One sentence contains a gerund phrase; the other an infinitive phrase. • Which sentence contains an infinitive phrase? (a, b)

36. Lyle ran to catch the bus. • The infinitive phrase to catchthe bus explains why about the verb ____.

37. Lyle ranto catch the bus. • The infinitive phrase to catchthe bus explains why about the verb ran.

38. Lyle ran to catch the bus. • Because the infinitive phrase modifies the verb ran, it is used as an _______.

39. Lyle ran to catch the bus. • Because the infinitive phrase modifies the verb ran, it is used as an adverb.

40. We can sometimes combine two sentences by changing one sentence to an infinitive phrase. • Larry gave a cough. This was to prove that he was sick. • Larry gave a cough to prove that he was sick. • To change the italicized sentence to an infinitive phrase, we drop the words before the ________.

41. We can sometimes combine two sentences by changing one sentence to an infinitive phrase. • Larry gave a cough. (This was) to prove that he was sick. • Larry gave a cough to prove that he was sick. • To change the italicized sentence to an infinitive phrase, we drop the words before the infinitive.

42. Change the italicized sentence to an infinitive phrase: • SAMPLE • Wendy touched the flowers. She wanted to see if they were real.

43. Change the italicized sentence to an infinitive phrase: • SAMPLE • Wendy touched the flowers. She wanted to see if they were real. • Wendy touched the flowers to see if they were real.

44. Write the following answers on your own sheet of paper.

45. Change the italicized sentence to an infinitive phrase: • 1.Vic’s dad set the clock ahead. This was to prevent Vic from being late.

46. Change the italicized sentence to an infinitive phrase. After changing the italicized sentence to an infinitive phrase, insert it in the sentence next to the noun it modifies. • 2. Johnny’s ambition was typical of a child. It was to become a firefighter.

47. Jerry pounded the table once again. This showed that he was his own boss. • Jerry pounded the table once again to show that he was his own boss. • 3. We changed the italicized sentence to an infinitive phrase by changing the verb showed to the infinitive ___________.

48. Change the italicized sentence to an infinitive phrase. • 4. We boiled our drinking water. This killed all the bacteria.

49. Change the italicized sentence to an infinitive phrase. • 5. Always keep receipts. They will prove that you have paid your bills.

50. Don’t nag a child to practice. It does no good. • To nag a child to practice does no good. • 6. Here we have replace the words Don’t nag with the infinitive ________.