Parts of the Sentence - Verbals - Adverb Infinitives
An infinitive is to plus a verb form. It can be used as
an adverb. Examples: to be, to see, to be seen, to be eaten.
Adverb infinitives are used to modify verbs. They usually tell why.
Adverb infinitives are used to modify predicate adjectives. They may also be
compound.
An infinitive phrase is made up of an infinitive and any complements
(direct objects, predicate nominatives, predicate adjectives, or modifiers.) An infinitive
phrase that comes at the beginning of the sentence is always followed by a
comma and modifies the subject of the sentence.
Instructions: Find the infinitives or infinitive phrases in these sentences and tell what
word they modify.
1. The inspector came to check the dam for leaks.
2. Fred finally went to work.
3. Paul arrived in New York to study physics and to learn more.
4. Are you old enough to drive?
5. The new soldiers were ready to listen and obey.
Answers:
1. to check the dam for leaks modifies the verb came
2. to work modifies the verb went
3. to study physics/to learn more modify the verb arrived
4. to drive modifies the predicate adjective old
5. to listen/(to) obey modify the predicate adjective ready
How do we know when an infinitive is an adverb or a noun?For example:
He lives to swim and water-ski.
I am going to the pond to fish.
John has learned to tap dance.
In the first and the third examples you give above, the infinitive is functioning as a noun (and as the object of the sentence). In the middle example, it is functioning as an adverb.
It's not always easy to tell. But here's how you can try.
If used as a noun, it tells what the object of the verb is. As in this example:
I wanted to buy the house. (What received my wanting? To buy the house. So it's a noun and an object.)
Or in your example, what received Chen's learning?
If it's used as an adverb, it tells you why or how the verb is happening. As in this example:
We were impatient to start the game. (Why were we impatient? To start the game.)
Or in your example, why am I going?
If used as a noun, it tells what the object of the verb is. As in this example:
I wanted to buy the house. (What received my wanting? To buy the house. So it's a noun and an object.)
Or in your example, what received Chen's learning?
If it's used as an adverb, it tells you why or how the verb is happening. As in this example:
We were impatient to start the game. (Why were we impatient? To start the game.)
Or in your example, why am I going?
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