Students will be able to compose sentences using infinitive phrases.

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Verb

�A verb is a word that describes an action, state or occurrence.

Run Talk Read Go

Eat See Leave

Love Create Give

��An infinitive is the basic form of a verb, without an inflection binding it to a particular subject or tense.

�It is the version of the verb which will appear in the dictionary.

�An infinitive cannot be the main verb in a sentence.

�An infinitive can be used as a noun, an adjective, or an adverb.

What is an infinitive?

�� The infinitive form of a verb is usually preceded by to (e.g., to run, to dance, to think). The infinitive form is not always preceded by to. Look at these examples:

�I need to run every day.(The infinitive form with the word to is called the full infinitive or to-infinitive.)

�I must run every day.(After certain verbs, the to is dropped.)

�I run every day.(This is not in the infinitive form. This is a finite verb, i.e., a verb functioning as the main verb.)

Examples of Infinitives

��Underline the infinitive:

To succeed is not always easy.

Her goal was to act.

I must eat at noon.

Practice

�� Keep in mind that a noun is a word used for people, places, things or

ideas. Here are some examples of infinitive verbs as nouns:

To succeed is Ted's goal. (noun—subject of the sentence)

Franklin's goal was to succeed.(noun—predicate nominative)

Melissa wanted to succeed. (noun—direct object)

Infinitives as Nouns

��An adjective modifies a noun to tell us something about the noun (e.g., its color, type, or number). Example of an infinitive as an adjective:

Lea has the drive to succeed. (adjective—Which drive? the drive to succeed)

Infinitives as Adjectives

�� An adverb usually modifies a verb to tell us when, where, how,

in what manner, or to what extent an action is performed. Here two examples of an infinitive verb functioning as an adverb:

Lea will endeavor to succeed. (adverb—How will Lea endeavor? to succeed)

The officer returned to help.(The infinitive modifies the verb returned.)

� Adverbs

Infinitives as Adverbs

��Most infinitives are preceded by to, but after certain verbs, the to is dropped.

�When an infinitive is used as the direct object of certain verbs, the to is often omitted.

�The most obvious example is when an infinitive follows: can, could, may, might, must, shall, should, will, or would (i.e., a modal verb).

�He should go home

�They might finish by Wednesday.

Bare Infinitives

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�An infinitive phrase is composed of the infinitive, its modifiers (or describers), and all the other words that are needed to complete the idea begun by the infinitive.

Infinitive Phrases

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Examples of Infinitive Phrases

�That job is hard to do without help.

�Please help set the table.

��Underline the infinitive phrase:

Dana’s desire to help people led to her career in medicine.

To become an astronaut requires special training.

Practice

Students will be able to compose sentences using gerunds and participles.

��A participle is a form of a verb that acts as an adjective and modifies a noun or pronoun.

�A participle is a word formed from a verb and used as an adjective.

�Two types: Past and Present

What is a participle?

�The Verb The Past

ParticipleThe Present Participle

To rise the risen sun the rising sun

To boil the boiled water the boiling water

To break the broken news the breaking news

To cook the cooked ham the cooking ham

Examples of Participles

��Present participles end in -ing.

�Past participles end in -ed, -en, -d, -t, -n, or -ne

�Examples: asked, eaten, saved, dealt, seen, and gone

Present and Past Participles

��Underline the participle:

Marc auditioned for the casting director.

Laura returned the borrowed book this morning.

Practice with Participles

��A participial phrase is a participle modified by an adverb or adverb phrase or accompanied by a complement.

�The entire phrase acts as an adjective.

What is a Participial Phrase?

��Eaten by mosquitoes, we wished

that we had made hotel, not campsite, reservations.

�The man carrying the bricks is my father.

Example:

��Underline the participial phrase:

Swaying in the wind, the palms are like dancers.

Practice

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�A gerund is a form of a verb that acts as a noun.

�Words ending in –ing that act as a noun are gerunds.

What is a gerund?

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�Paul enjoys cooking.

�Chris turned his hobby, painting, into a profession.

Examples of gerunds

��Underline the gerund:

The comedian told the joke without cracking a smile.

Debbie enjoys working in the garden.

Practice

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�A gerund phrase is a gerund with modifiers or a complement, all acting together as a noun.

What is a gerund phrase?

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Examples of gerund phrases:

�Working hard usually pays off.

�We were grateful for Bob’s careful planning.

��Underline the gerund phrase:

�The comedian told the joke without cracking a smile.

�Debbie enjoys working in the garden.

Practice

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�Infinitive Phrase = noun, adjective, or adverb

�Participial Phrase = Adjective

�Gerund Phrase = Noun

Review