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.