English Language Arts
Grade 10
15 min
Identify infinitives and infinitive phrases
Identify infinitives and infinitive phrases
Tutorial Preview
1
Introduction & Learning Objectives
Learning Objectives
Define an infinitive and an infinitive phrase with 100% accuracy.
Distinguish between an infinitive and a prepositional phrase beginning with 'to' in varied sentence structures.
Identify the complete infinitive phrase, including its modifiers and complements, within a complex sentence.
Analyze the grammatical function of an infinitive phrase as a noun, an adjective, or an adverb.
Deconstruct sentences from literary texts to locate and explain the purpose of infinitive phrases.
Construct original, complex sentences that correctly employ infinitive phrases to enhance clarity and style.
What is your ultimate goal *to accomplish* in life? 🚀 That simple question uses a powerful grammatical tool that shapes meaning and purpose in both everyday speech...
2
Key Concepts & Vocabulary
TermDefinitionExample
VerbalA word that is formed from a verb but functions in a sentence as a different part of speech (a noun, an adjective, or an adverb). Infinitives are one of the three types of verbals.In 'Swimming is fun,' the word 'swimming' is a verbal (a gerund) acting as a noun.
InfinitiveThe most basic form of a verb, typically preceded by the word 'to'. It is the 'to + verb' form you would find in a dictionary.to read, to think, to challenge, to understand
Infinitive PhraseA group of words consisting of an infinitive and any complements (like direct objects) or modifiers (like adverbs or prepositional phrases) associated with it.to read the assigned chapter carefully
Function (Grammatical Role)The job that a word or phrase performs in a...
3
Key Rules & Conventions
The Infinitive Formula
to + base form of the verb
This is the fundamental structure of an infinitive. To find one, always look for the word 'to' immediately followed by a verb in its simplest form (e.g., not 'to running' or 'to ran').
The 'To' Test: Infinitive vs. Prepositional Phrase
If 'to' is followed by a verb, it begins an infinitive. If 'to' is followed by a noun or pronoun, it begins a prepositional phrase.
This is the most critical rule for avoiding misidentification. Ask yourself, 'What comes after to?' If it's an action (verb), it's an infinitive. If it's a person, place, or thing (noun), it's a prepositional phrase.
Identifying the Function
Noun: Answers 'what?...
4 more steps in this tutorial
Sign up free to access the complete tutorial with worked examples and practice.
Sign Up Free to ContinueSample Practice Questions
Challenging
In Albert Camus's *The Stranger*, the protagonist struggles 'to find meaning in an absurd world.' Analyze the function and purpose of this infinitive phrase within the literary context.
A.It functions as a noun (direct object of 'struggles') and emphasizes the central existential conflict of the character.
B.It functions as an adverb (modifying 'struggles') and explains the location of his struggle.
C.It functions as an adjective (modifying 'protagonist') and describes a character trait.
D.It functions as a noun (subject) and introduces the main theme of the novel.
Challenging
Which statement about infinitives contains a grammatical error or a misinterpretation of the tutorial's concepts?
A.An infinitive phrase can act as the subject of a sentence, such as in 'To dream is a necessity.'
B.The phrase 'to the store' is a prepositional phrase because 'store' is a noun, not a base verb.
C.In 'He decided to quickly and quietly leave,' the phrase 'to quickly and quietly leave' is an invalid split infinitive and must be rewritten.
D.The complete infinitive phrase in 'She hopes to win the national debate championship' is 'to win the national debate championship'.
Challenging
Deconstruct the following sentence and identify the complete infinitive phrase and its function: 'The organization's mission, to provide reliable aid to communities in crisis, guides every decision.'
A.Phrase: 'to provide reliable aid'; Function: Adjective modifying 'mission'
B.Phrase: 'to provide reliable aid to communities in crisis'; Function: Noun (Appositive)
C.Phrase: 'to communities in crisis'; Function: Prepositional Phrase
D.Phrase: 'to provide reliable aid to communities in crisis'; Function: Adverb modifying 'guides'
Want to practice and check your answers?
Sign up to access all questions with instant feedback, explanations, and progress tracking.
Start Practicing Free