Infinitive Phrase
What is an infinitive phrase? Need help understanding what is an infinitive phrase and what isn’t? Check out our page and find examples of what is an infinitive phrase and learn how to weave an infinitive phrase into your own writing.
Sometimes a word or phrase appears to be a verb when, in fact, it’s something else. It’s important to look at the function that a word or phrase plays in a sentence before determining its part of speech.
What Is an Infinitive Phrase?
An infinitive is a verb form that typically begins with the word to. An infinitive phrase includes the infinitive, plus any modifiers and complements. Infinitives and infinitive phrases can function as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs in a sentence. As nouns, infinitives and infinitive phrases can act either as subjects, direct objects, or predicate nominatives.
Noun as Subject Examples:
(To dance is the infinitive. It functions as a noun in the sentence, acting as a subject.)
(To see is the infinitive, and to see the northern lights in person is the infinitive phrase. The infinitive phrase functions as a noun phrase in the sentence, acting as a subject.)
Noun as Direct Object Examples:
(To sing is the infinitive. It functions as a noun in the sentence, acting as a direct object.)
(To take is the infinitive, and to take a walk is the infinitive phrase. The infinitive phrase functions as a noun phrase in the sentence, acting as a direct object.)
Noun as Predicate Nominative Examples:
(To hang-glide is the infinitive. It functions as a noun in the sentence, acting as a predicate nominative that identifies experience.)
(To climb is the infinitive, and to climb Mount McKinley is the infinitive phrase. The infinitive phrase functions as a noun phrase in the sentence. It acts as a predicate nominative, identifying aspiration.)
Adjective Examples:
(To know is the infinitive. It functions as an adjective in the sentence, modifying person.)
(To see is the infinitive, and to see in the wild is the infinitive phrase. The infinitive phrase functions as an adjective phrase in the sentence, modifying animals.)
Adverb Examples:
(To sleep is the infinitive. It functions as an adverb in the sentence, modifying hang.)
(To identify is the infinitive, and to identify the location of objects around them is the infinitive phrase. The infinitive phrase functions as an adverb phrase in the sentence, modifying use.)
Infinitive Phrases Versus Prepositional Phrases
The word to appears in infinitive phrases and can also appear in some prepositional phrases. To distinguish between these two types of phrases, pay attention to the word that directly follows to. If it is a verb, then the phrase is an infinitive phrase. Prepositional phrases do not contain verbs.
Infinitive Phrase Examples:
Split Infinitives
A split infinitive is an infinitive that has a word or words appearing between the to and the verb that follows it. Avoid split infinitives by keeping the to and the verb together. To correct a split infinitive, move words such as modifiers to a different location in the sentence.
Split Infinitive Examples:
Related Topics:
Infinitive Worksheets
Verbals
Participle Phrase
Gerund Phrase
Appositive Phrase
Prepositional Phrase
Adjective Phrase
Adverb Phrase
Verb Phrase
All Grammar Terms