Infinitive in English Is an impersonal form. Like a verb, an infinitive indicates an action, but unlike a verb, it does not indicate a person or a number. In its basic form (Simple Infinitive), the infinitive answers the questions: what to do? what to do?
to purchase - to purchase.
The infinitive is also called “the indefinite form of the verb” or “the initial form of the verb”.
Table: infinitive forms in English (short)
The infinitive can have 4 forms in the active voice and 2 in the passive voice.
However, the most common and relevant for study is the form “simple infinitive in the active voice” (to ask). In fact, when they say "infinitive", usually, in most cases, I mean this very form - it is devoted to most of this article.
Below we will take another look at the same table and analyze in detail each form, but first we need to clarify two more points:
- The infinitive can be with or without the to particle.
- How the negative form of the infinitive is formed.
After that, let's go back to parsing each form.
Infinitive with to particle and without to particle
The infinitive can be used with or without the to particle:
- I want to help you. - I want to help you.
- I must help you. - I have to help you.
Most often, the infinitive is used with to, however there are a number of cases when the infinitive is used without the to particle, they touch all forms of the infinitive(i.e., all forms from the table above) Note that most often the infinitive without to occurs after modal verbs, the rest of the cases are quite rare.
1. After modal verbs (most common)
Negative infinitive
The negative form is formed by the particle not- it is placed before the infinitive. If the infinitive with a particle is to, the negation not is placed in front of it.
I decided not to go to London. - I decided not to go to London.
He asked me not to be late. - He asked me not to be late.
I might not come. - I may not come.
All forms of the infinitive in English (in detail)
Let's take another look at all the forms of the infinitive:
There are six forms in the table:
1. Simple Infinitive:
I want to ask you - I want to ask you.
2. Simple Infinitive Passive:
I want to be asked- I want to be asked.
3. Continuous Infinitive:
I happened to be asking her about you when you came in. - It so happened that I asked her about you when you came.
4. Perfect Infinitive:
You could have asked me first - You could ask me first.
5. Perfect Infinitive Passive:
She could have been asked by anybody - Anyone could have asked her.
6. Perfect Continuous Infinitive:
He seems to have been asking wrong people - Looks like he was asking the wrong people.
Please note that the most common, necessary and important form for study is Simple Infinitive... In second place - Simple Infinitive Passive... The rest of the forms are used less frequently.
Forms Perfect and Perfect continuous(that is, those where there is have) - largely overlap with the topics “and. If you already know these topics, you will see familiar things, but just from a different angle - everything is explained in more detail below.
Simple Infinitive - simple infinitive (the most necessary form)
The most common and important form of the infinitive for studying is the simple infinitive in the active voice (Infinitive Indefinite Active or Simple Infinitive Active). It is used to refer to an action that:
1. Occurs simultaneously with the action of the main verb:
Tell him to stop... - Tell him to stop.
2. Refers to the future tense:
I want you to come with me tomorrow. “I want you to come with me tomorrow.
3. Regardless of the time of the commission:
To know such tricks is useful. - Knowing such tricks is useful.
Let's name the main cases of its use.
1.With verbs that do not give full meaning
The infinitive is often used in combination with verbs that do not make full sense without it, for example:
- Tell- to say / order something,
- Begin- start,
- Continue- continue,
- Want- to want,
- Intend- intend,
- Try- try, try,
- Hope- hope
- Promise- promise,
- Decide- to decide, to make a decision.
I want to see your permission. - I want to see your permission.
Do you promise to quit smoking? - Do you promise to quit smoking?
Nina decided not to sing the agreement. - Nina decided not to sign the agreement.
I'll try to help you. - I'll try to help you.
These verbs include modal verbs. Let me remind you that after them the infinitive is used without the to particle:
I must see your permission. - I need to see your permission.
Can you quit smoking? - Can you quit smoking?
2. To indicate the purpose of the action
In Russian, when it is necessary to express the purpose of an action, we say “to” or “with a purpose”. In English we use the infinitive:
She came to collect her letter. - She came (to) pick up her letter.
We came to help you. - We came (to) help you.
I am calling to ask you about dad. - I'm calling you (to) ask about dad.
You sister has gone to finish her homework. - Your sister left to finish her homework (she left to finish).
In this case to can be replaced with a union in order to(with a goal), the meaning is the same, but sentences with in order to sound more formal:
You sister has gone in order to finish her homework. “Your sister left to complete her homework.
3. Subject infinitive
As a subject, the infinitive is used in formal speech, more often in writing.
To be or not to be, that is the question. - To be or not to be, that is the question.
To know her is to love her. - To know her is to love.
To visit the Grand Canyon is my life-long dream. - To visit the Grand Canyon is my lifelong dream.
To understand statistics, that is our aim. - Understanding statistics is our goal.
4. To indicate the purpose of the item
If I had known you were coming I would have baked a cake. - If I knew that you were going, I would bake a cake.
You could have helped him. - You could have helped him (but did not help).
In the case of the verb should there is a tinge of regret or reproach:
Whe should have taken more gas. - We should have taken more gasoline (but, unfortunately, they didn’t take it).
You should have been prepared for anything! - You had to be ready for anything! (but you weren't and that's why you let us down)
Perfect Continuous Infinitive - infinitive denoting a long-lasting perfect action
Scheme: to have been + Present Participle. Example: to have been talking.
This form is used in the following cases:
1. Long completed action
The infinitive denotes a long-term action that was performed, but completed before the action expressed by the verb.
The woman seemed to have been crying... The woman looked like she was crying.
He pretended to have been working all day. - He pretended to work all day.
2. After modal verbs must, may, should
It is suggested that some long-term action has taken place but has already ended.
You must have been waiting for hours! “You must have waited hours!
They might have been talking before you came in. “They must have spoken before you entered.
In the case of a modal verb should there is a tinge of regret or reproach that some kind of long-term action could have occurred, but in reality it did not happen.
You should have been studying for your test. - You had to prepare for the test (but you did not prepare).
Note:
Please note that in all Perfect-forms the infinitive, that is, in the forms where there is have, the word itself have never takes shape has, as is the case with the personal verb. Word have in this case, it is part of the infinitive, therefore it cannot be related to a person and a number, and therefore cannot take a personal form has(has = 3 person, singular).
He has a fox. - He has a fox.
The has form is used, since this is the personal form (3rd person, singular) of the verb.
He might have a fox. - He might have a fox.
Here have Is an infinitive, it has no face or number.
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Abbreviations
Verb - Verb
Infinitive is an impersonal form of the verb that expresses action and is used with the to particle. The infinitive is sometimes called the indefinite form of the verb. The infinitive answers the question: “What to do? ", "What to do? ".
To + = Infinitive
to cook - to cook
to use - use
There is a simple rule for the infinitive: if there are two verbs in the sentence, then the particle to is placed between them.I like to walk. I like walking.
I like to drink soda. I like to drink soda.
I want to read books. I want to read books.
I like to eat. I love eating.
The infinitive is used WITHOUT the to particle:
1. With modal verbs. Exceptions, modal verbs: dare, ought, have, be.
I can go anywhere. I can go anywhere.
I could help you. I can help you.
You must forgive her. You must forgive her.
You may come back. You can come back.
You might go with me. You can come with me.
They will run tomorrow. They will run tomorrow.
He shall become your best friend. He will become your best friend.
We should think about the future. We must think about the future.
He wouldn’t go to the dentist. He wouldn't go to the dentist.
She need decide. She needs to decide.
2. With the verbs of the sense perception group: observe - to observe, see - to see, watch - to look, hear - to hear, feel - to feel.
I observed her touch my car. I watched her touch my car.
I saw him leave this place. I saw him leave here.
I feel her touch my body. I can feel her touching my body.
I felt something watch for me. I felt that something was watching me.
But, if the above + make verbs are used in the form of a passive voice, then the main verb will be with a to particle.
be seen + toHe was made to pay for fruits. They made him pay for the fruit.
I am let to write this letter. I have the right to write this letter.
3. With the verbs: let - to allow, make and have meaning "to force".
My sister won "t make me learn this. My sister won't make me learn this.
She doesn "t let me hear true. She prevents me from hearing the truth.
4. With phrases such as: would rather - rather, better; had better is better.
I would rather go to walk. I'd rather go for a walk.
You had better make it. You better do it.
5. If the sentence starts with the phrase "Why not ...?"
for instance
Why not study this lesson again? Why not study this lesson again?
Infinitive forms in English
In total, there are 4 forms of the infinitive in English. For a better understanding, let's try to logically understand what the infinitive is.
An infinitive can show two things:
- action in the present;
- action in the past.
Then, these actions are divided into two groups:
- when we talk about a fact;
- when we talk about the process.
Thus, we get 4 forms of the infinitive:
1. Present Infinitive - Action in the present, if it is a fact.
Education method: (to) * +I like to walk. I like to walk.
I can play hockey. I can play hockey.
2. Continuous Infinitive - Action in the present, if it is a process.
Education method: (to) * + be + -ingI like to be playing fotball. I like to play football.
She is said to be meeting with new boyfriend.
They say she's dating a new boyfriend.Instructions
You can define the infinitive by question. Find a verb and ask a question to it. If this is a verb in an indefinite form, then it will answer the question "what to do?", "What to do?" For example, grow, bake, flood, dilute, lie down.
There is always a soft sign at the end of such verbs.
It is difficult to distinguish the infinitive from the personal form if the word is written in transcription. The recording of the finals of these forms coincide: [uch "itza] (learns) - [uch" itza] (learns). In this case, pay attention to the vowel before [-ca] or the context where you can ask the question. If the job is not feasible, then both forms are appropriate.
The indefinite form of the verb is included in the compound nominal predicate. In this case, the sentence contains two heterogeneous verbs. To determine which of them is the infinitive, you need to indicate the grammatical basis. The predicate will have two verbs. The one in which the lexical meaning lies is an infinitive, it needs a soft sign. So, in the sentence "Students will be able to work out additionally" the predicate "will be able to work out". And the indefinite form is "work out."
The indefinite form of the verb can act as minor members of the sentence. It is possible to define it in such cases by following the logic of reasoning. Ask the question of the indirect case from the predicate to the infinitive. If possible, then in this case he is an addition. For example, in the sentence “The coach told us to warm up,” the word “work out” would be an addition (ordered what?). In this case, reason as follows: the action indicated in the verb "ordered" is performed by the coach, and others will perform it. So this is not a predicate, because the sentence is simple.
Circumstances expressed by the indefinite form of the verb most often answer the questions "for what purpose?", "For what reason?" In the sentence “I came to the gym to train” to the infinitive we ask the question “came for what purpose?”.
To the definition, ask a question from a noun. In the sentence “I am fluent in the ability to play the guitar”, the infinitive is the definition: the ability (how?) To play.
Infinitive (infinitive) is an impersonal verb form that only names an action without indicating either a person or a number. The infinitive answers questions what to do? what to do?: to read read, read; to write write, write; to buy buy, buy; to sell sell, sell.
The infinitive has no special ending; its formal feature is the particle to, which does not have an independent meaning and does not take on stress, but shows that the word following it is an infinitive. However, it is often omitted. So, the particle to is not placed before the infinitive if it is used after modal verbs or sensory verbs as part of the "complex object" construction
The infinitive originated from the verbal and retained the properties of this part of speech, performing in a sentence, like the infinitive in Russian, the syntactic functions of a noun.
№
p / p
FUNCTION
EXAMPLE
The subject
That skate is pleasant.
Ride ice skating is nice.
To read is a great pleasure.
Read (reading)
-
great pleasure.
Predicative
Your duty was to inform me about it immediately.
Your responsibility was to report tell me about it immediately.
The duty of every student is to master at least one foreign language.
The duty of every student is master in at least one foreign language.
Part of a compound verb predicate in combination with modal verbs and verbs expressing the beginning, continuation or end of an action ( to begin, to continue, to end, to stop) or attitude to the action indicated by the infinitive ( to want, to decide, to intend)
She began to translate the article.
She started transfer article.
She must translate this article today.
She must translate this article today.
He began to translate this article.
He started transfer this article.
Addition
I asked him to help me.
I asked him to help to me.
He had promised me to draw this map.
He promised me draw this card.
Definition. The infinitive in the definition function comes after the word being defined
Not expressed a desire to help me.
He expressed a desire to help to me.
The device to be tested has been brought to our library.
Device, which must be experienced (testable), brought to our laboratory.
Circumstance of purpose or consequences. In the function of the circumstance, the infinitive can appear both at the beginning of a sentence and at the end. In the function of the circumstance of the goal, the infinitive can be preceded by unions: in order, so as in order to
I went to the station to see off a friend. I went to the station to see my friend off.
You must work much in order to master a foreign language. = In order to master a foreign language you must work much.
You have to work hard to master foreign language.
He went there so as to help you.
He went there to to help to you.
№ |
PROPERTY |
EXAMPLE |
||
The infinitive of a transitive verb can be followed by a direct object |
I told him to post the letter. I was asked to send this letter. |
|||
The infinitive can be determined by a circumstance expressed by an adverb |
I asked him to speak slowly. He hoped to finish his work soon. |
|||
The infinitive has the forms of time and pledge. In English, transitive verbs have four active forms and two passive forms. |
Active |
Passive |
||
Indefinite |
to ask |
to be asked |
||
Continuous |
to be asking |
does not exist |
||
Perfect |
to have asked |
to have been asked |
||
Perfect |
to have been asking |
does not exist |
||
An infinitive can express an action that is not related to a specific person or object:
In most cases, however, an infinitive action refers to a specific person or thing:
(The action expressed by the infinitive to go refers to the subject I.)
Ask him to come early. |
Ask him to come early. |
(The action expressed by the infinitive to come refers to the complement him.)
When an action expressed by an infinitive is performed by a person or object to which it belongs, then the infinitive in the form Active is used:
When an action expressed by an infinitive is performed over a person or object to which it belongs, then the infinitive is used in the form Passive:
FEATURES OF USE FORMS OF INFINITIVE |
||
№ |
CAN EXPRESS |
EXAMPLE |
INDEFINITE INFINITIVE |
||
Action (or state), simultaneous with the action indicated by the personal form of the verb (predicate) |
We want to learn. |
|
An action (or state), regardless of the moment of its commission |
We know aluminum to be one of the lightest metals. |
|
A future action after the modal verbs may, must, should, ought, and after the verbs to expect expect, assume, to intend to intend, to hope to hope, to want to want a number of others |
You must leave tomorrow. I intend to begin the experiment. |
|
CONTINUOUS INFINITIVE |
||
Action in its development, occurring simultaneously with the action indicated by the verb in its personal form |
I knew him to be writing an article. |
|
PERFECT INFINITIVE |
||
The action preceding the action expressed by the verb in personal form |
I know him to have written this article last night. |
|
After the past tense of verbs to intend, to hope, to expect, to mean expresses an action that has not been performed contrary to expectation, hope, intent or assumption |
I meant to have done it. |
|
The assumption that the action has already taken place. In combination with the modal verbs must and may, it is translated by a verb in the past tense with the words " probably should be, maybe" |
My watch must have stopped during the night. |
|
After modal verbs should, would, could, might, ought and was (were) expresses regret or reproach about an action that should or could have been performed, but in reality did not occur. Translated into Russian by a verb in the subjunctive mood with the words "should", etc. |
You might have asked me about it. |
|
PERFECT CONTINUOUS INFINITIVE |
||
Expresses an action performed over a period of time, the previous action expressed by a verb in personal form |
I know him to have been writing this article for 2 hours. |
|
INFINITIVE WITH PARTICLE TO |
The infinitive is usually preceded by the particle to: to speak to talk, to buy to buy, to read to read.
If in a sentence there are two side by side, connected by the union and or or, then the particle to in front of the second of them is usually omitted:
The to particle is sometimes used at the end of a sentence without a verb when that verb was previously mentioned in the sentence. In this case, the stress falls on it. This use of a particle often occurs after the verbs to want to want, to wish to wish, to mean to mean, to try try, try, to allow to allow, to be going to gather, ought should, to have in the meaning of "must", should (would) like would like to and others:
CASES OF USE OF INFINITIVE WITHOUT PARTICLE TO |
|||
№ |
CASE OF USE |
EXAMPLE |
|
After modal verbs must, can (could), may (might) and need |
You must do it at once. Not can speak German. May I come in? Need he come here? |
||
After the verbs to make make, to let allow, and sometimes after to help help (especially in the USA) |
Not made me read this book. I let him go there. Help me (to) do it. |
||
In the turnover "complex subject" after the verbs of sensory perception: to see to see, to watch to observe, to hear to hear, to feel to feel and some others |
I saw her leave the room. I heard her sing. I felt him put his hand on my shoulder. |
||
When the verbs listed in items 2 and 3 are used in the passive voice, the infinitive following it is used with the particle to |
Not was made to do it. Not was seen to leave the house. |
||
After the expressions had better it would be better, would rather, would sooner would prefer |
You had better go there at once. I would rather not tell them about it. Didn't say he would sooner stay at home. |
||
The study begins with this mysterious form. To find it correctly in context, you need to know exactly what is the infinitive in Russian. The concept of "verb infinitive" exists in such a position of this part of speech, in which it is impossible to determine the time of performance of the action, and which subject performs it. To the question of what form of the verb the infinitive is, there is a specific answer: the initial form.
In contact with
Translated from the Latin language, it sounds like this: "indefinite". The questions that the initial form answers are: what to do? and what to do? Such parts of speech represent the action in a generalized way, without pointing to a specific person. This generalized action is the grammatical verb meaning for the infinitive. There are several meanings, and they are permanent. By a word standing in an indefinite form, its type is determined. Examples of such a dependence of the type on the question:
- Drawing - what to do? - imperfect view.
- Draw - what to do? - perfect view.
Important! The definition of the verb form depends on the C prefix - in the question.
Recognition
Suffixes
All personal forms have one feature: each of them has its own indefinite. Answers the infinitive to questions with suffixes -ty or -ty. Knowing that these are infinitive suffixes, you can easily parse it morpheme. These suffixes are formative. There are others infinitive suffixes that pass into the rest of the morphemes:
- -va- - -iva,
- -ova- - eva-.
Particular attention should be paid to the suffix -ch. This part came from the Old Church Slavonic language and is used in some words in the present tense as well. But the alternating h // k is included in the root.
Categories
How to determine the number, mood, face? This is also impossible to do. The only exceptions can be the following categories:
- View (speak - speak);
- Recurrence (cut - cut);
- Transition (read, sunbathe).
Indefinite helps to determine the conjugation of the form of the verb in which the personal endings are unstressed.
Important! The conjugation rule is based on where the word ends.
Education
This fact is noteworthy: from the base of the initial, the formation of all verb forms occurs. This function can be performed by the stem of verbs in the present tense. In this case, the infinitive takes on education:
- past tense;
- subjunctive mood;
- in the past time;
- past participles.
Responsible for the formation of all other verb forms the basis of the present.
Syntactic role
In terms of its role in a sentence, an infinitive is a movable part of speech. He can be in the role any member of the proposal. How to define this function is clearly seen in specific examples.
- Predictable: To live - to serve the Motherland. It is suggested to turn off cell phones.
- Subject: Shouting is prohibited.
- Inconsistent definition: An attempt to leave the event unnoticed proved to be impossible.
- Addition: I advise you to follow his instructions.
- Circumstance: We went to our favorite lake to swim.
Subject infinitive
Features of some members of the proposal
If the infinitive acts as a predicate, then it will denote an action performed either by the subject itself, or by the person to whom it indicated. When it acts as a circumstance, most often attention is focused on the purpose for which the action of the object is performed. With the addition, one more character is connected, about which there can be no question, only the narration of his action is being conducted.
Infinitive as predicate
Punctuation
When the rule of setting a dash between the subject and the predicate is studied, attention is focused on the indefinite form of the verb. If both the subject and the predicate are expressed by this, then a dash between them is necessary. A striking example of such a syntactic construction is the appeal from the Ministry of Health, which is familiar to every citizen who cares about their health. (Smoking is harmful to health!).
Infinitive as a circumstance
Finding the base
Knowing the features of the formation of an unchangeable part of speech, it is easy to find its basis. This necessary for education such as participle and gerunds. For example, you should take the verb "did". It is in the singular, feminine and past tense. The stem must not contain an ending and a past tense suffix. Thus, removing the ending -а and the suffix -л-, we can easily get the required basis of the infinitive: "do-".
Unmistakable definition
Every student should find the initial shape and know how to put a verb in it. Knowing that morphemes -ty and -ti are suffixes of an indefinite form of a verb, one can accurately determine that this is an infinitive. Now you can ask questions: "what to do?" or "what to do?" For example, the verb "draw" requires the question "what to do?" And for "drawing" only the question "what am I doing?" Thus, the first word is an indefinite form, because in the second case the first person and the singular are easily determined. There are no such categories in the verb "to draw", it is indefinite.
Infinitive as a definition
What's with the ending?
Until now, there have been heated debates among linguists about whether there is infinitive ending... According to the law of the appearance of this morpheme, any part of speech must change. But uncertainty is precisely the feature of its initial, unchangeable form. If so, where does the ending come from?
Conclusion
Of course, the spelling of any part of speech requires specific knowledge and their application. But there is no such morphological unit to which there would be the same close attention as to the verb in its initial position. This category also has another name: initial form.