The infinitive in English is one of the most important verb forms that can perform many different functions. In Russian, there is only one form for the infinitive, while in English there are as many as six of them: four in the active voice, two in the passive. Beginners tend to get by with the simpler ones, while pros and just advanced learners are happy to master the more complex ones, using them in sentences with more intricate meanings.
In this article, starting from the simplest to the most difficult, all six infinitives in English, the functions and structure of their use will be considered.
General definition of the infinitive
The infinitive in English corresponds to the indefinite form of the verb in Russian. He designates an action, without naming either a number or a person, and answers the questions "What to do?" and/or "Whatdo?". The infinitive is also called the initial or dictionary form of the verb, since if you look up the meaning or translation of a word in a dictionary, it will give this form.
A distinctive feature of all verbs in the indefinite form is the particle to.
- I like to read. - I love to read.
- We want to help. - We want to help.
The use of the infinitive in English without this particle is possible, but in very rare cases. For example, after some modal verbs, or if the infinitive functions as a complex object.
- You must do your homework! - You have to do your homework!
- I saw him open the window. - I saw him open the window.
As the examples show, the presence or absence of the to particle does not matter when translating into Russian.
Simple active infinitive
It is used when you want to show that the subject performs an action at the same time as this action is reported, or will perform it later. To form a simple infinitive in the active voice, it is enough to add the particle to to the verb. For example in sentences, this indefinite form looks like this:
- They want to invite us to John's birthday party, but we won't be able to come. - They want to invite us to John's birthday party, but we won't be able to come.
- I wish to travel toCalifornia, because it is warm and beautiful there. - I dream of going on a trip to California because it's warm and beautiful.
In both cases, the actions described by the infinitive will occur after they have been reported: no one has been invited to the birthday party yet, but they only want to. And no one travels to California yet, but only dreams.
Simple passive infinitive
Temporal relations in this case are the same, only the action is performed not by the object itself, but over it. To form this form of the infinitive, it is necessary to add the past participle of the desired verb to to be. For example:
- I want this project to be finished. - I want to finish this project.
- We all like to be told compliments and given presents. - We all love to be complimented and given gifts.
In both cases, the subject does not perform the action expressed by the infinitive: the project does not end, compliments are not spoken, and gifts do not give themselves. Therefore, the voice is called passive or passive.
Continuous active infinitive
The rule of infinitives in English says that the continuous infinitive is used almost in the same way as the simple one, with the only difference that it requires an indication of duration. It expresses actions that started earlier but have not ended yet, or those that will start and continue for some time in the future.
To form a continuous infinitive in the activepledge, you must add to to be the desired verb with the ending -ing. For example:
- She have to be working now, but she will finish her work soon. - She probably has to work now, but she will finish her work soon.
- My best wish is to be sleeping for more then six hours per day, but I'm too busy and have no time to rest for so much time. - My deepest desire is to sleep more than six hours a day, but I'm too busy and I don't have time to rest for that long.
In the first case, the action happens at the same time as it is reported: it works while someone talks about it. In the second case, the action may take place in the future.
Active perfect infinitive
This grammatical construction is used to talk about an action that ended before it was reported. To form it, use to have, adding to it the past participle of the desired verb. In an example, it looks like this:
I wish to have read this book till the end by now, but I haven't finished it yet. - I would like to finish this book by this time, but I haven't finished it yet.
The "read this book" action is in the past - the speaker wants the book to have already been read before he talks about it.
Perfect passive infinitive
To form this form, you need to use to have been, adding to it the desired verb inpast participle form. Like the previous one, it refers to the past tense, but implies that the action was performed not by the object itself, but over it:
I hope the room to have been cleared up! - I hope the room is cleaned!
The room mentioned in this sentence must be removed before the commenter announces it, not in the future or now. And she does not remove herself - the action is performed on the object.
Perfect Continuous Active Infinitive
This variant of the infinitive in English is used much less frequently than others because of some of its cumbersomeness and abundance of auxiliary verbs. To form it, you need to add the present participle of the desired verb to the construction to have been.
The perfect continuous infinitive is used to describe an action that has already ended and has been going on for some time:
I know him to have been working as the headmaster of the school for five years until he was fired. - I know that he worked as a school principal for five years before he was fired.
This sentence includes duration (within five years) and past tense (before he was fired).
Summing up
There are many ways to master this topic. Exercises on the infinitive in English are far from the only way. You can search and write out examples of the use of the indefinite form of the verb from the literaryliterature, independently compose sentences, translate from English into Russian and vice versa.
For those who are preparing for the exam, it will be very useful to know all six variants of the infinitive described in English. For those who are trying to master it at an intermediate level, for example, to go on vacation abroad, it will be enough to master at least the first three of them, because the functions of the infinitive in English are difficult and sometimes impossible to replace with other grammatical constructions.
