Infinitives

Infinitives

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INFINITIVES

VERBAL

FORMAT

TO + VERB

EXAMPLES

to buy, to get, to run, to see, to decide, to study, etc.

Multiple Choice

What is the infinitive in this sentence?

I need to explain the homework for tonight.

• for tonight

• to explain

• to need

• explain

Multiple Choice

What is the infinitive in this sentence?

What time do you want to leave for school?

• do you

• for school

• to leave

• want

Multiple Choice

What is the infinitive in this sentence?

She is looking for someone to help with the dishes.

• for someone

• with the dishes

• is looking

• to help

BE CAREFUL

Infinitives are not prepositional phrases

Prepositional Phrase

to + a noun

Examples: to the store, to her house, to a hotel

The Difference

Prepositional Phrase- We will go to the game by bus.

Infinitive- I need to finish my homework.

Multiple Choice

Prepositional Phrase or Infinitive?

His house is to the left of mine.

• preposition

• infinitive

Multiple Choice

Prepositional Phrase or Infinitive?

He wants to tell us all about his vacation.

• Preposition

• Infinitive

Multiple Choice

Prepositional Phrases or Infinitive?

I promise to bake you a cake for your birthday.

• Preposition

• Infinitive

Multiple Choice

Prepositional Phrase or Infinitive?

She is glued to her cell phone all day long.

• Preposition

• Infinitive

Open Ended

Write a grade level appropriate sentence with an infinitive.

​TRY NOT SPLIT AN INFINITIVE.

KEEP IT TOGETHER IF POSSIBLE

• NOT- to quickly walk

• DO- to walk quickly

• NOT- to noisily snore

• DO- to snore noisily

Multiple Choice

Is this a split infinitive?

I like to frequently bake cookies for my friends.

• YES

• NO

Multiple Choice

Is this a split infinitive?

She plans to study hard for the exam.

• YES

• NO

Multiple Choice

Is this a split infinitive?

The students continue to constantly interrupt the teacher.

• YES

• NO

Infinitive Phrases

*Add a noun- to walk a mile

Infinitive Phrases

*Add an adverb- to walk quickly

Infinitive Phrases

*Add a preposition- to walk around the block

Infinitive Phrases

*All 3- Noun, adverb, and preposition

-to walk a mile quickly around the block

Examples of an Infinitive Phrase

I decided to repaint my bedroom over the weekend.

To forget your homework is easy to do.

The best phone to buy at the Apple Store is the iPhone XR.

Fun Fact!

You could even add another infinitive.

To begin to study take notes.

Multiple Choice

What is the infinitive phrase?

The best pencils to buy for writing are Ticonderoga.

• to buy

• to buy for

• to buy are Ticonderoga

• to buy for writing

Multiple Choice

What is the infinitive phrase?

His biggest dream is to act on Broadway someday.

• to act

• to act on Broadway

• to act on Broadway someday

• is to act on Broadway

Multiple Choice

What is the infinitive phrase?

All student hate to sit all day in their seats.

• to sit all day

• to sit

• hate to sit

• to sit all day in their seats

Multiple Choice

What is the infinitive phrase?

You will need to read and discuss the book.

• to read

• to read and discuss the book

• to read and discuss

• need to read and discuss the book

Infinitives as Nouns
Answer- What or who

Options for Jobs as Nouns

1. Subject

2. Direct Object

3. Predicate Noun

4. Object of a Preposition

5. Appositive

Subject

Job- To tell what the sentence is about

Location- At the beginning of the sentence

Example

To write an essay is the final goal of the project.

Another Example

To clean your room once a month would be the ideal plan.

Multiple Choice

What is the infinitive phrase that is acting as a subject?

To get up on time for school can sometimes be difficult.

• To get up

• To get up on time

• Can be difficult

• To get up on time for school

Direct Object

Job- To answer what for the verb

Usual Location- After an action verb

Example

He hopes to finish building the house.

Another example

Thomas loves to eat cookies for dessert.

Multiple Choice

What is the infinitive phrase acting as a direct object?

I don't like to watch scary movies in the dark.

• to watch scary movies in the dark

• to watch scary movies

• like to watch

• like to watch scary movies in the dark

Multiple Choice

Subject or direct object?

Peter tries to avoid his chores every day.

• Subject

• Direct Object

Multiple Choice

Subject or Direct Object?

To make a mess in the kitchen is easy when you are cooking.

• Subject

• Direct Object

Multiple Choice

Subject or Direct Object?

My cat loves to beg for treats daily.

• Subject

• Direct Object

Predicate Noun

Job- Tell answer what for the verb

Usual Location- After a linking verb (is, are, was, were, be, been, am, ...)

Example

Harriet's goal is to make the varsity softball team.

Another example

The most stinky job is to be a worker at the waste water treatment plant.

Multiple Choice

What is the infinitive phrase acting as a predicate noun?

His goal is to retire at thirty.

• goal is to retire

• to retire

• to retire at

• to retire at thirty

Multiple Choice

What is the infinitive job?

Subject, Direct Object, or Predicate Noun?

To be a doctor takes a lot of dedication.

• Subject

• Direct Object

• Predicate Noun

Multiple Choice

What is the infinitive job?

Subject, Direct Object, or Predicate Noun?

My grandma loves to knit scarves and hats for everybody.

• Subject

• Direct Object

• Predicate Noun

Multiple Choice

What is the infinitive job?

Subject, Direct Object, or Predicate Noun?

He believes that a teacher's main goal is to torture students with homework.

• Subject

• Direct Object

• Predicate Noun

Multiple Choice

What is the infinitive job?

Subject, Direct Object, or Predicate Noun

Finally, to remember the vocabulary terms make flashcards.

• Subject

• Direct Object

• Predicate Noun

Appositive

Job- Renames the noun before it

Location- Within commas

Example

The hardest job, to build a skyscraper, is also the most dangerous.

Another example

The most difficult problem, to decide who to marry, can cause a lot of anxiety.

Multiple Choice

Identify the appositive infinitive phrase?

My biggest fear, to be abducted by aliens, causes me nightmares.

• causes me nightmares

• to be abducted

• to be abducted cause me nightmares

• to be abducted by aliens

Multiple Choice

What is the infinitive's job?

Subject, Direct Object, Predicate Noun, and Appositive

His least favorite chore, to take out the stinky trash, is at least only once a week.

• Subject

• Direct Object

• Predicate Noun

• Appositive

Multiple Choice

What is the infinitive's job?

Subject, Direct Object, Predicate Noun, and Appositive

To be a good artist takes a great deal of time and practice.

• Subject

• Direct Object

• Predicate Noun

• Appositive

Multiple Choice

What is the infinitive's job?

Subject, Direct Object, Predicate Noun, or Appositive

He has always wanted to live in the country.

• Subject

• Direct Object

• Predicate Noun

• Appositive

Multiple Choice

What is the infinitive's job?

Subject, Direct Object, Predicate Noun, or Appositive

Henry's most important job is to proofread the author's work.

• Subject

• Direct Object

• Predicate Noun

• Appositive

Object of a Preposition

Job- to end the prepositional phrase

Location- after a preposition
Typical prepositions to follow- except, about, but

Example

Don't raise your hand except to ask a question.

Another Example

I heard that he is about to quit the team.

Multiple Choice

Identify the infinitive phrase as the object of a preposition.

I have no choice except to get an F on the test.

• to get an F

• to get an F on the test

• no choice except

• except to get an F on the test

Multiple Choice

What is the job of the infinitive phrase?

Subject, Direct Object, Predicate Noun, Appositive, or Object of a Preposition

The boat was about to hit a rock and sink.

• Subject

• Direct object

• Appositive

• Object of a preposition

Multiple Choice

What is the job of the infinitive phrase?

Subject, Direct Object, Predicate Noun, Appositive, or Object of a Preposition

To leave the stove on can cause a house fire.

• Subject

• Direct object

• Appositive

• Object of a preposition

Multiple Choice

What is the job of the infinitive phrase?

Subject, Direct Object, Predicate Noun, Appositive, or Object of a Preposition

His boss likes to give bonuses to hardworking employees.

• Subject

• Direct object

• Predicate noun

• Object of a preposition

Multiple Choice

What is the job of the infinitive phrase?

Subject, Direct Object, Predicate Noun, Appositive, or Object of a Preposition

They are to deliver the package in the morning.

• Subject

• Direct object

• Predicate noun

• Object of a preposition

Multiple Choice

What is the job of the infinitive phrase?

Subject, Direct Object, Predicate Noun, Appositive, or Object of a Preposition

The most difficult situation, to decide on one's vocation, can take years.

• Subject

• Direct object

• Predicate noun

• Appositive

Multiple Choice

What is the job of the infinitive phrase?

Subject, Direct Object, Predicate Noun, Appositive, or Object of a Preposition

We were shocked to hear the news about the actor.

• Subject

• Direct object

• Predicate noun

• Appositive

Infinitives as Adjectives

Modify (describe) a noun or pronoun

Answer- which one, what kind, how many

Example

Kevin is the person to talk to about the party.

Location?

After a noun

Example

The dog to adopt at Pet Refugee is a black lab.

Example

The teacher to talk to about math is Mrs. O.

How is an adjective phrase different from an appositive?

-The adjective phrase helps give details to the vague noun before it.

-No commas

Example

Appositive- The most important step, to listen to the directions, will also be the most helpful.

Adjective- Mrs. Smith is the adult to contact if you have a complaint.

Multiple Choice

Identify the adjective infinitive phrase?

The person to answer first will win the game.

• the person to answer

• to answer first

• to answer first will win

• to answer

Multiple Choice

Identify the adjective infinitive phrase?

Timmy is the team member to help with the plays.

• to help with the plays

• to help

• the team member to help

• to help with

Multiple Choice

What is the adjective infinitive phrase?

The paper to sign is on the kitchen table.

• to sign is on the kitchen table

• to sign is

• the paper to sign

• to sign

Multiple Choice

What is the adjective infinitive phrase?

The best way to draw the picture is by tracing it.

• to draw the picture

• to draw the picture is

• to draw

• the best way to draw

Open Ended

Write a sentence with an adjective infinitive phrase.

Infinitives as Adverbs

Modify a verb, adjective, or adverb

Answer- when, where, why, how, how much (extent)

Location

After an adjective or adverb

At the beginning of a sentence with a comma

Example

He shook his backpack to find a pencil.

It answers- why

More Examples

1. I am super disappointed to tell you about my job.

It answers why.

2. To go on vacation, Thomas will save up for a year.

It answers how.

3. The cheerleader yelled to get the crowd excited.

It answers how.

Multiple Choice

What is the adverb infinitive phrase?

That box is too heavy to lift alone.

• too heavy to lift

• to lift

• to lift alone

• too heavy

Multiple Choice

What is the adverb infinitive phrase?

Please drive carefully to avoid an accident.

• to avoid an accident

• to avoid

• carefully to avoid

• drive carefully

Multiple Choice

What is the adverb infinitive phrase?

His job is difficult to do without the help of a robot.

• to do without the help

• to do

• difficult to do

• to do without the help of a robot

Multiple Choice

What is the adverb infinitive phrase?

The police arrived to investigate the murder.

• to investigate

• arrived to investigate

• arrived to the murder

• to investigate the murder

Open Ended

Write your own adverb infinitive phrase.

It should answer why or how.

Multiple Choice

Adjective or Adverb Infinitive?

Mia is the girl to talk to about fashion.

• Adjective

• Adverb

Multiple Choice

Adjective or Adverb Infinitive?

The chair to buy for your living room must be comfortable.

• Adjective

• Adverb

Multiple Choice

Adjective or Adverb Infinitive?

His mom is too angry to unground him this weekend.

• Adjective

• Adverb

Multiple Choice

Adjective or Adverb Infinitive?

To get into a good college, you must graduate from high school.

• Adjective

• Adverb

Multiple Choice

Adjective or Adverb Infinitive?

His first attempt to build the Lego model was a failure.

• Adjective

• Adverb

Multiple Choice

Adjective or Adverb Infinitive?

I am leaving now to avoid being late for work.

• Adjective

• Adverb

REVIEW

• Nouns- answer who and what

• Adjectives- answer which one and what kind

• Adverbs- answer why and how

Multiple Choice

What is the job of the infinitive phrase?

To make a pie will take a few hours.

• Noun

• Adjective

• Adverb

Multiple Choice

What is the job of the infinitive phrase?

The sodacan was about to explode everywhere.

• Noun

• Adjective

• Adverb

Multiple Choice

What is the job of the infinitive phrase?

He coughed loudly to get everyone's attention at the meeting.

• Noun

• Adjective

• Adverb

Multiple Choice

What is the job of the infinitive phrase?

Madeline is the person to contact for more information about the contest.

• Noun

• Adjective

• Adverb

Multiple Choice

What is the job of the infinitive phrase?

To cook meat properly, you should use a meat thermometer.

• Noun

• Adjective

• Adverb

Multiple Choice

What is the infinitive phrase?

My grandma used to drive a school bus in the 1980s.

• to drive

• to drive a school bus

• to drive a school bus in the 1980s

• used to drive

Multiple Choice

What is the infinitive phrase?

Use the hose up front to wash your car on the driveway.

• to wash

• use the hose up front

• to wash your car

• to wash your car on the driveway.

Multiple Choice

What is the infinitive clause?

Call me to let me know that you got home safely.

• to let me know

• to let me know that you got home

• to let me

• to let me know that you got home safely