The Forms of the Infinitive

The Infinitive has tense and aspect distinctions; the Infinitive of transitive verbs has also voice distinctions. Each Infinitive form has its meaning.

Forms of the Infinitive

Active

Passive

Indefinite

(to) V

(to) be + Ved / V3

Continuous

(to) be + Ving

Perfect

(to) have + Ved / V3

(to) have been + Ved / V3

Perfect Continuous

(to) have been + Ving

The Indefinite Infinitive

The Continuous Infinitive

The Perfect Infinitive

The Perfect Continuous Infinitive

expresses

an action simultaneous with that expressed by the finite verb, so it may refer to the present, past or future

denotes

an action simultaneous with that expressed by the finite verb, but it is an action

in progress

denotes

an action prior to the action expressed by

the finite verb

emphasizes

the duration of the action of the infinitive which happened prior to that expressed by

the finite verb

• I hope to meet her tonight.

• I hoped to meet her yesterday.

• I’ll hope to meet her tomorrow.

• He must be sleeping now.

• He claims to have worked here. (First he worked here, then he claimed he had worked here.)

• He looks tired. He seems to have been studying for the test all night.

Like all other verbals the Infinitive, has a double nature: verbal and nominal, that is the Infinitive combines the features of a verb with those of a noun.

A simple infinitive occurs but seldom: in most cases we find a complex infinitive or an infinitive phrase, i.e. an infinitive with one or several accompanying words (such as adverbs, nouns, pronouns). Besides an Infinitive can be used as a part of an infinitive predicative construction.

• She would like to dance. (a simple infinitive)

• She would like to dance with him tonight.(an infinitive phrase)

• She would like him to dance with her. (part of an infinitive predicative construction)

• She waited for him to dance with her.

1.

The Infinitive can be used in different syntactic functions. The Infinitive can be used in a sentence as a subject, a part of a predicate (predicative = part of a compound nominal predicate and part of a verbal predicate), an object, an attribute and an adverbial modifier of purpose, of result (consequence), of comparison (manner), of attendant circumstances (subsequent events). The Infinitive can also be used as parenthesis.

2.

The Infinitive as a predicate

2.1

In this function the Infinitive is part of a compound nominal predicate and follows the link verb to be as a rule. The subject of such a compound nominal predicate is generally expressed by another infinitive or by a noun denoting an action, a state or some idea or by a clause.

• To see her is to admire her.

• My habit is to get up early.

• Their hope was to find everybody safe.

• What we want to do is to see our friends.

• The problem was how to begin.

2.2

When the Infinitive forms part of a predicate, the other part may be expressed by an adjective.

• She is never easy to find.

• The question was difficult to answer.

3.

The Infinitive as part of a compound verbal predicate. In this function the Infinitive occurs in three types of a compound verbal predicate:

3.1

the compound verbal modal predicate

The Infinitive follows a modal verb and denotes the action which may be possible, obligatory, desirable, etc.

• Passengers must show their tickets to the conductor.

• I don’t have to work on Sunday.

3.2

the compound verbal phasal predicate

The Infinitive follows a phasal verb, that is a verb that denotes the beginning, the duration, the repetition or the end of the action expressed by the infinitive (to begin, to start, to come, to cease, to continue, used to, would, etc.)

• It began to snow heavily.

• We soon came to realize that all was in vain.

• Every day before leaving his office Mr. Wilson would telephone to his wife.

3.3

the compound verbal predicate of double orientation

The Infinitive follows the part of the predicate which may be expressed by:

3.3.1

the Active Voice of the intransitive verbs: seem, appear, prove, turn out, chance.

• He seems to be smiling.

• He proved to be a healthy child.

3.3.2

the Passive Voice of certain transitive verbs:

○

verbs of saying: announce, declare, report, say, state, etc.,

• She was announced to be the winner.

• He is said to be a good doctor.

○

verbs of mental activity: believe, consider, expect, find, know, mean, presume, regard, suppose, think, understand, etc.,

• The fire is believed to have started last night.

• A new law is expected to be introduced next year.

○

verbs of sense perception: feel, hear, see, watch, etc.,

• He was never heard to say “thank you” in his life.

• Soon he was heard to start the engine of his car.

○

the verb make.

• He was made to tell the truth.

3.3.3

the phrases: be likely, be unlikely, be sure, be certain.

• She is likely to come today.

4.

Here are some examples illustrating the use of the Infinitive in other syntactic functions.

• To do this is impossible. (subject)

• It is impossible to do this.(the formal introductory subject it)

• The main problem is to find investors. (predicative = part of a compound nominal predicate)

• Now the question was what to tell him.

• She ought to have told me before. (part of a compound verbal predicate = the compound verbal modal predicate)

• They continued to whisper. (part of a compound verbal predicate = the compound verbal phrasal predicate)

• She appeared to have said all. (part of a compound verbal predicate = the compound verbal predicate of double orientation)

• She was often seen to walk all alone.

• He was made to keep silent.

• He promised to meet them at the airport.(object)

• I found it hard to believe you. (the formal introductory object it)

• We want the Wilsons to visit us.

• I expected them to write to us.

• They let workers have only a 5% increase.

• He was the first to offer his hand to the Russians.( attribute)

• I have some letters to write.

• The item to be discussed concerns the company income.

• People eat and drink to live. (adverbial modifier of purpose)

• I go to the gym to keep fit.

• The piano is too heavy to move. (adverbial modifier of result / consequence)

• I was not strong enough to lift it.

• He was so weak as to be unable to work.

• She is not such a fool as to think you innocent.

• She nervously turned away as if (as though) to hide her tears. (adverbial modifier of comparison / manner)

• I’m sorry to have raised your expectations, Mr. Blake, only to disappoint them.(Collins) (adverbial modifier of attendant circumstances / subsequent events)

• Well, to cut a long story short, they thought it would be more economical to live at the villa. (Maugham) (parenthesis)