The infinitive is used to form many constructions. This is a verb that can act as a subject, object, complement, second complement, attribute or feature. It can be either active or passive. In addition, it takes on a passive meaning not lexically, but purely logically. So, the infinitive - what is it? Below are examples of usage with examples and translations. But keep in mind that the translation does not reflect the essence and logic of the English syntax, and at some points it can be confusing.
Let's understand some terms first
- Bare Infinitive - basic infinitive, or basic form (basic form).
- To-infinitive - ‘to’-infinitive, or just an infinitive. Basic shape with particle ‘to’.
- Transitive/Intransitive verb - transitive/intransitive verb. The action of the transitive may extend to another verb, and it cannot be considered proper semantic.
- Complement - a complement, the semantic part of a compound verb-predicate.
- Predicative expression - predicative, nominalpart of a compound nominal predicate.
- Subject - the subject, the main argument of the predicate, which in Russian syntax is usually called the subject.
- Object - an object, a secondary argument of the predicate, which in Russian grammar is usually referred to as an addition.
- Attribute - a sign of a noun, which in Russian grammar is usually called a definition.
- Modifier - a sign, that is, a sign in a broader sense. A word that modifies another word.
- Participle I, or Present Participle - participle I or present participle (one of the forms of the verb).
- Participle II, or Past Participle - participle II or past participle (one of the verb forms).
- Elleptic sentence - a short sentence in which some members are omitted. The omitted members can be grammatically restored in the sentence, that is, the syntax is correct, but not fully displayed. The implied word order follows the rules.
Shapes
The infinitive has 8 forms corresponding to four aspects - indefinite, lasting, completed, completed lasting and two voices - active and passive. The simple form is the indefinite aspect of the active voice.
Using the infinitive without ‘to’ (basic form, bare infinitive)
The base infinitive is the verb that appears in the first column of the table of irregular verbs.
Complements the non-sense verb 'do' in negatives, questions and other variants of 'do' support.
Do you want to go home?/Do you want to go home?
Please do not laugh.
Complements will (shall) and would (should) in the future tense and conditionals.
The cat will come home./The cat will come home.
We should appreciate an answer at your earliest convenience./We should recognize the answer as your initial benefit.
More generally, the base infinitive is a continuation of any modal (can, could, may, might, must, shall, should, will, would, would rather, etc.) and semi-modal verbs dare and need.
I can speak Swedish./I can speak Swedish.
Need you use so much flour?/Do you really need to use that many colors?
I dare say he will be back.
After had better.
You had better give back that telephone.
As the second compliment of the verbs let, let's, make, have, while referring to the first (addition).
That made me laugh. Compare with I was made to laugh / I was made laugh, where to-infinitive is used.
We let them leave./We let them leave.
Let's play Monopoly!/Let's play Monopoly!
I had him look at my car./He did look at my car.
As the second or only object of the verb help.
This proposal will help (to) balance the budget.
Can you help me (to) get over this wall?
Beingthe second compliment of verbs of perception such as see, hear, feel, etc., can also be used in the present indefinite tense, but if it is not about an event, but about the general order of things.
We saw him try to escape.
She felt him breathe on her neck./She felt his breath on her cheek.
Performs the function of the nominal part of the predicate in pseudo-split sentences.
What I did was tie the rope to the beam.
What you should do is invite her round for dinner.
After why in short sentences.
Why bother?/Why so gloomy?
Using the infinitive
'To'-infinitive is the form used to quote English verbs.
How do we conjugate the verb to go?/How do we conjugate the verb to go?
For translating foreign verbs.
The French word boire means 'to drink'.
As an extension of the modal and semi-modal verbs ought (to) and used (to).
We ought to do that now.
I used to play outside every day when I was a child.
As a continuation of many other transitive verbs, including need, dare, want, expect, try, hope, agree, refuse, etc. In this case, they usually appeal to the subject, or to the logicalsubject.
I need to get to a telephone.
Try not to make so many mistakes.
They refused to assist us./They refused to serve us.
In the position of the secondary continuation of transitive verbs. Here they usually appeal to complement or logical complement.
I want him to be promoted./I want him to be promoted.
He expects his brother to arrive this week./He expects his brother next week.
As a circumstance expressing purpose, purpose or some effect and result.
I came here to listen to what you have to say.
They cut the fence to gain access to the site./They cut the fence to gain access to the site.
She scored three quick goals to level the score./She scored three quick goals and widened the gap.
Sometimes an infinitive is a subject or a predicate.
To live is to suffer./To live is to suffer.
For them to be with us in this time of crisis is evidence of their friendship.
As a logical substitution (post-expansion) of the fictitious subject it.
It is nice to live here./It's nice to live here.
It makes me happy to feed my animals.
Separately in some exclamations and established phrases (idioms), where it affects the quality of the entire sentence as a whole, thenthere plays the role of an introductory construction.
Oh, to be in England…/Oh, in England…
To think that he used to call me sister.
To be honest, I don't think you have a chance.
In some other established expressions, such as in order to, so as to, as if to, about to, have to, am to, is to, were to.
We are to demolish this building./We are going to demolish this building.
He smiled as if to acknowledge his acquiescence.
In short sentences, where the subject is not observed, because it is present in the general context, or is implied (except for constructions with why).
Well, what to do now?
I wondered whether to resign at that point.
Fulfilling the function of definition with some nouns and adjectives (he reason to laugh, the effort to expand, anxious to get a ticket):
- the effort to expand/improvement measures, - anxious to get a ticket/thirsty to get a ticket.
As a relative grammatical stem, the infinitive can also be used. What does it mean? That is, this is such a basis in which part of the subject is expressed by a fictitious element or is implied, and the other part logically duplicates it, but is located after the predicate; often depends on the noun, and therefore, semantically, it usually has common features with the passive voice:
-the thing to leave behind / the thing that is left behind (the thing is understood as the addition of leave);
- a subject to talk loudly about
- a subject about which to talk loudly
- the man to save us
As a sign of an adjective, as in the case of a noun, it has a shade of passivity:
- easy to use/easy to use;
- nice to look at/nice to look at.
Split Infinitive (cleft Infinitive or split Infinitive)
The infinitive is (in English) a verb with the particle ‘to’. An adverb can be written between the particle and the verb, in which case it is called split - Cleft Infinitive.
To boldly go where no man has gone before.
The population is expected to more than double./The population is expected to more than double.
Not all theories of linguistics consider this usage correct. However, it is ubiquitous in speech and writing, and is often found in works of classical literature. And since language is what people use, and not what is written in books, you canconsider that split infinitives deserve the right to exist. Of course, there is no need to elevate any established manifestation of illiteracy to an official status. However, it must be remembered that dictionaries and textbooks are rewritten over time, when natural progress in the language cannot be ignored.
