An infinitive in English is the usage of a verb so that it acts as the subject of a phrase or sentence. It is called the "infinitive" because the verb is not "made finite" or limited to indicate number, tense, or mood. |
An infinitive in English is the usage of a verb so that it acts as the subject of a phrase or sentence. It is called the "infinitive" because the verb is not "made finite" or limited to indicate number, tense, or mood. |
see also split infinitive, infinity? |
see also split infinitive, infinity? |
By far the most common form of an infinitive is with the preposition "to", such as in "to walk", "to cry", "to eat", "to fear". William Shakespeare used a number of infinitives of this form in one of his most famous soliloquies, the "Soliloquy of Hamlet"
- "To be or not to be..." - "To sleep, perchance to dream..."
A less common form of the infinitive is with the conditional prepositions "may" or "might". An example can again be found in the speech by Hamlet referenced above; "What dreams may come...?". Another example is "we might win".
A third case of infinitive drops the preposition altogether. This is is possible when the infinitive form is used in conjunction with a specific set of verbs - these include "feel", "hear", "help", "let", "make", "see", and "watch". Examples include
- "I felt the earth move" ("move" is the infinitive) - "We heard the bell toll" ("toll" is the infinitive) - "She helped me understand ("understand" is the infinitive) - "I let him win" ("win" is the infinitive)
see also split infinitive, infinity?