Infinitive Phrase - Definition, Formation, Usage and Examples

What would you like to do today? Are you able to identify an infinitive in the sentence? Yes, you guessed it right. ‘To do’ is the infinitive in the sentence. As you know what infinitives are, let us move on to infinitive phrases. In this article, you will be introduced to the meaning and definition of an infinitive phrase, the rules to be followed when forming and using an infinitive phrase, and the various functions of an infinitive phrase in a sentence. Along with these topics, you can also read through the examples given for a much more detailed idea of how and why an infinitive phrase is used in a sentence.

Table of Contents

• The Infinitive Phrase – Meaning and Definition
• Constructing and Using an Infinitive Phrase – Points to Remember
• Examples of Sentences with Infinitive Phrases
  • Examples of Sentences Employing Infinitive Phrases as Nouns
  • Examples of Sentences Employing Infinitive Phrases as Adjectives
  • Examples of Sentences Employing Infinitive Phrases as Adverbs
• Check Your Understanding of the Usage of Infinitive Phrases
• Frequently Asked Questions on Infinitive Phrases

The Infinitive Phrase – Meaning and Definition

Before we get to know what an infinitive phrase is, let us just brush up our knowledge of what infinitives are. An infinitive, like a gerund, is formed from a verb but does not function as a verb in the sentence. An infinitive is formed by the usage of the preposition ‘to’ along with the main verb or the root verb. Infinitives can also just appear in their base form without the ‘to’ (bare infinitives), most often after modal verbs. Now that you understand how an infinitive is framed, you should have guessed how an infinitive phrase can be formed.

An infinitive phrase is a group of words that start with an infinitive followed by other modifiers including nouns, pronouns, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions and conjunctions. Just like an infinitive, the infinitive phrase can perform the functions of an adverb, an adjective and a noun.

An infinitive is defined by the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary as “the basic form of a verb that usually follows to”. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary gives a much more detailed definition. According to them, an infinitive is “a verb form normally identical in English with the first person singular that performs some functions of a noun and at the same time displays some characteristics of a verb and that is used with to (as in ‘I asked him to go’) except with auxiliary and various other verbs (as in ‘No one saw him leave’).” With reference to these definitions, it can be said that an infinitive phrase is a phrase or a group of words that contains a verb that functions as a noun, an adverb or an adjective and also displays the characteristics of a verb.

Constructing and Using an Infinitive Phrase – Points to Remember

Constructing an infinitive phrase is not so much of a difficult task as one might think. The only thing you will have to remember when forming an infinitive phrase is that it should begin with an infinitive – either a verb in the base form or ‘to’ followed by the base form of the verb.

The position of the infinitive phrase depends on the role it assumes in the sentence. If the infinitive phrase displays the characteristics of a noun, it can be placed either in the beginning or end of the sentence. In other words, it can either be the subject or the object of the sentence. If the infinitive phrase performs as an adjective, it is most often placed just after the verb, and if it shows the characteristics of an adverb, it can be positioned in different parts of the sentence. Take a look at some examples to have a broader understanding of the usage of infinitive phrases in sentences.

Examples of Sentences with Infinitive Phrases

Here are a few examples of sentences employing infinitive phrases for your reference.

Examples of Sentences Employing Infinitive Phrases as Nouns

If you are wondering how to identify an infinitive phrase that functions as a noun, all that you have to do is ask the question ‘what’. For example, to find out the infinitive phrase in the first sentence, you can ask the question ‘What was our primary goal?’ to which the answer would be ‘to find a place for all of us to stay’. It works the same way for the other sentences as well.

• Our primary goal was to find a place for all of us to stay.
• To get to the top is not difficult if you put in continuous effort.
• The main aim of the induction programme was to get to know each other.

Examples of Sentences Employing Infinitive Phrases as Adjectives

To identify infinitive phrases that function as adjectives, what you can do is identify the subject or object in the sentence and find the phrase that modifies it. For example, in the first sentence, you can see that ‘the staircase’ is the noun which is being modified and the phrase that modifies the noun is ‘to go to the cafe’. Apply the same to the other sentences as well.

• The staircase to go to the cafe was closed.
• Jerry wished he had someone to keep him company.
• Anju and I decided to bring some snacks to eat on the train.

Examples of Sentences Employing Infinitive Phrases as Adverbs

Identifying infinitive phrases that act as adverbs can be done by asking the question ‘why’. Now, asking the question ‘Why do I have to audition?’ will give you the answer ‘to participate in the competition’. That is your phrase. Follow the same procedure to identify the infinitive phrases in the other sentences as well.

• To participate in the competition, I have to audition.
• Nitasha knew she had to study the whole night to score good marks.
• Ranjini left home early to pick up her son from school.

Check Your Understanding of the Usage of Infinitive Phrases

As you have read through the examples of infinitive phrases, let us now find out how much you have understood and learnt the usage of infinitive phrases. Go through the following sentences, identify the infinitive phrases and also mention if the infinitive phrase plays the role of a noun (subject or object), an adjective or an adverb.

1. They wanted to go on a trip to take a break from work.

2. Their plan to visit Delhi before January did not go as planned.

3. The teacher appreciated the students’ efforts to keep the class clean and tidy.

4. To go bungee jumping was one of the things I wanted to do before I turned 30.

5. My mother’s decision to apply for a transfer was solely because of the fact that I would be moving to Bangalore.

6. We visited our grandparents every once in a while to keep them happy and feel loved.

7. To go to the party was one of the things I had to do today.

8. The greatest challenge was to climb up the hill but we did it anyway because the view from the top was worth the climb.

9. The work of the fairies and trolls was to keep everyone happy.

10. Her father asked her to carry an umbrella to avoid getting wet.

Check the answers given below to see if you identified the infinitive phrases correctly.

1. They wanted to go on a trip to take a break from work.

Speaks about the intention behind the trip and answers the question ‘why’, so it can be said to play the role of an adverb.

2. Their plan to visit Delhi before January did not go as planned.

Describes their plan and so can be said to function as an adjective.

3. The teacher appreciated the students’ efforts to keep the class clean and tidy.

Describes the students’ efforts and so can be identified to play the role of an adjective

4. To go bungee jumping was one of the things I wanted to do before I turned 30.

Answers the question ‘what’ and so can be considered as a noun, also seen performing the role of the subject in the sentence.

5. My mother’s decision to apply for a transfer was solely because of the fact that I would be moving to Bangalore.

Describes the mother’s decision and so can be said to perform the role of an adjective.

6. We visited our grandparents every once in a while to keep them happy and feel loved.

States the reason behind the visit, answers the question ‘why’ and so can be considered as an adverb.

7. To go to the party was one of the things I had to do today.

Answers the question ‘what’, is a noun and plays the role of the subject in the sentence.

8. The greatest challenge was to climb up the hill but we did it anyway because the view from the top was worth the climb.

Says what the greatest challenge was and so can be considered as a noun.

9. The work of the fairies and trolls was to keep everyone happy.

Says what the work of the fairies and trolls was and so can be considered as a noun.

10. Her father asked her to carry an umbrella to avoid getting wet.

Says why her father asked her to carry an umbrella and so it can be considered to play the role of an adverb.