The infinitive phrase functions as the direct object of the verb wanted. Prepositional Phrases: to him, to the committee, to my house, to the mountains, to us, to this addressĪn Infinitive Phrase is a group of words consisting of an infinitive and the modifier(s) and/or (pro)noun(s) or noun phrase(s) that function as the actor(s), direct object(s), or complement(s) of the action or state expressed in the infinitive, such as:Įveryone wanted Carol to be the captain of the team.Infinitives: to fly, to draw, to become, to enter, to stand, to catch, to belong.(adjective)īe sure not to confuse an infinitive-a verbal consisting of to plus a verb-with a prepositional phrase beginning with to, which consists of to plus a noun or pronoun and any modifiers. To wait seemed foolish when decisive action was required.Although an infinitive is easy to locate because of the to + verb form, deciding what function it has in a sentence can sometimes be confusing. However, the infinitive may function as a subject, direct object, subject complement, adjective, or adverb in a sentence. The term verbal indicates that an infinitive, like the other two kinds of verbals, is based on a verb and therefore expresses action or a state of being.

This handout provides a detailed overview (including descriptions and examples) of gerunds, participles, and infinitives.Īn infinitive is a verbal consisting of the word to plus a verb (in its simplest 'stem' form) and functioning as a noun, adjective, or adverb.

Writing Letters of Recommendation for Students.

What is an infinitive