2.01
An infinitive phrase will begin with an infinitive [to + simple form of the verb]. It will include objects and/or modifiers. Here are some examples:
To smash a spider
To kick the ball past the dazed goalie
To lick the grease from his shiny fingers despite the disapproving glances of his girlfriend Gloria
Infinitive phrases can function as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs. Look at these examples:
To finish her shift without spilling another pizza into a customer's lap is Michelle's only goal tonight.
To finish her shift without spilling another pizza into a customer's lap functions as a noun because it is the subject of the sentence.
Lakesha hopes to win the approval of her mother by switching her major from fine arts to pre-med.
To win the approval of her mother functions as a noun because it is the direct object for the verb hopes.
The best way to survive Dr. Peterson's boring history lectures is a sharp pencil to stab in your thigh if you catch yourself drifting off.
To survive Dr. Peterson's boring history lectures functions as an adjective because it modifies way.
Kelvin, an aspiring comic book artist, is taking Anatomy and Physiology this semester to understand the interplay of muscle and bone in the human body.
To understand the interplay of muscle and bone in the human body functions as an adverb because it explains why Kelvin is taking the class.
We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
The Preamble reduced to a simple sentence is:
Simple Sentence
The infinitive phrase is:
Purpose of the infinitive phrase in the sentence is:
Sentence Structure Features
Words which have been emphasized with a capital letter, without following the rule for proper nouns:
