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An infinitive verb is a verb form that is used to express an action or state of
being, and is typically preceded by the word "to". In English grammar, the infinitive form of a verb is usually composed of the word "to" followed by the base form of the verb (e.g. "to run", "to sing", "to dance").
Infinitive verbs can be used in a variety of ways in a sentence, such as to act
as a noun (e.g. "To dance is my passion"), an adjective (e.g. "I have a book to read"), or an adverb (e.g. "She studies hard to get good grades").
It's important to note that in some cases, the word "to" may be omitted from the infinitive verb form, such as in commands or imperatives (e.g. "Eat your vegetables"), or after certain modal verbs like "can" or "will" (e.g. "I can swim").
Overall, the infinitive form of a verb is a versatile and important component
of English grammar that is used in many different ways to convey meaning in sentences.
The Basics Three Infinitive Rules 1. Adjective + Infinitive After an adjective, it is common to use an infinitive verb. A gerund is possible in some cases, but an infinitive is usually the better choice.
It is fun to play video games on the weekend.
It was helpful to learn these grammar rules.
2. Noun + Infinitive If the main verb has an object that is a noun or a pronoun, it is almost always followed by an infinitive verb instead of a gerund.
Did you want me to call you?
The students asked their teacher to help them.
*Note: This rules is very helpful, because it is stronger than the “verb + gerund” rule. For example, the verb advise normally takes a gerund (She advised studying for the test), but a noun/pronoun object will override this rule (She advised her students to study for the test). 3. Verb + Infinitive A gerund or an infinitive can be used after a main verb. It depends on the verb, and there isn’t an easy rule for this case. Memorizing the most common verbs that take a infinitive, such as ask, choose, decide, get, need, plan, promise, and want, is helpful.
