LXXXVI. SUMMARY OF INFINITIVES
344.
- I. Definition.—An infinitive is a verbal noun.
- II. Forms.
- 1. The infinitive with to.
- (a) Intransitive verbs.
- Present, to go, to be going.
- Perfect, to have gone, to have been going.
- (b) Transitive verbs.
- Present, to see, to be seeing, to be seen.
- Perfect, to have seen, to have been seeing, to have been seen.
- 2. The infinitive in -ing.
- (a) Intransitive verbs.
- Present, going.
- Perfect, having gone, having been going.
- (b) Transitive verbs.
- Present, seeing, being seen.
- Perfect, having seen, having been seeing, having been seen.
- III. Uses.
- 1. As a noun.
- (a) Subject of a verb.
- To err is human.
- Hunting is a sport.
- (b) Object of a verb.
- He expects to win.
- They stopped working.
- (c) Subjective complement.
- My desire is to own a boat.
- His task is feeding the sheep.
- (d) Appositive.
- His idea, to use coal ashes, was carried out.
- His work, running a machine, is monotonous.
- (e) Object of a preposition.
- The patient did nothing but eat and sleep.
- The child was praised for telling the truth.
- 2. As an adjective.
- (a) Modifying a noun.
- I have a garden to make.
- (b) Completing a verb.
- These boats are not to let.
- 3. As an adverb.
- (a) Modifying a verb.
- I went back to get some matches.
- (b) Modifying an adjective.
- We are sure to succeed.
- 4. As part of a double object.
- (a) Of a verb.
- I made her tell me.
- (b) Of a preposition.
- I made room for her to sit with me.
- 5. Independent use.
- To speak plainly, I don’t believe it.