Detailed Notes on Infinitives

In conclusion, infinitives are complicated because they can be nouns, adverbs, or adjectives. The first thing to do is to isolate the infinitive phrase from the rest of the sentence. Begin with the infinitive. Place the interrogative pronoun (what?) after the infinitive to determine whether the infinitive phrase has a direct object. Look to see if you have a prepositional phrase that modifies the infinitive (adverb) or if you have a prepositional phrase that modifies the direct object (adjective). Those prepositional phrases must be included in the infinitive phrase. Assume, first, that the phrase is a noun. Look to see if the infinitive phrase functions as a subject, a direct object or a predicate nominative, or an object of the preposition. If it doesn't, assume it is an adverb. Ask yourself the following question, "Does the infinitive phrase (read it aloud), tell me WHY?---then read the rest of the sentence. If it makes sense, it is an adverb. Infinitive phrases functioning as an adjective, modify the noun to the right.…