An Infinitive is a verb that is not limited by the verb’s tense or the person or number of the subject.
After going through this post, you will be able to understand some important uses of infinitives.
The apples are sweet to taste. John likes to go to school. He had to attend important meetings. In these examples, to taste, to go, to attend, and to go are Infinitives.
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Uses of Infinitives
Following are the top 10 uses of infinitives.
Use 1 – As the Subject of a Verb:
- To win the championship requires dedication and hard work.
- To travel the world is her lifelong dream.
- To study diligently leads to academic success.
- To speak fluently in multiple languages is a valuable skill.
- To exercise regularly improves overall health.
Use 2 – As the Object of a Verb:
- I love to read books in my free time.
- They decided to explore the ancient ruins.
- She wants to become a doctor and help others.
- He prefers to eat vegetarian meals.
- I enjoy to play the piano in the evenings.
Use 3 – As the Complement of a Verb:
- Her goal is to start her own business.
- The challenge appears to be insurmountable.
- I expected him to arrive earlier.
- Their plan is to renovate the entire house.
- The objective is to complete the project on time.
Use 4 – As the Object of a Preposition:
- The patient was about to die.
- The film is about to start.
- The sun is about to rise.
- The students were about to take their exams.
- The crowd was about to erupt with excitement.
Use 5 – As the Adjective to Qualify a Noun:
- She has a lot of homework to complete.
- I have several errands to run today.
- He is a person to admire for his integrity.
- They have important decisions to make.
- She has many books to read before the deadline.
Use 6 – As an Adverb to Modify a Verb:
- They ran to catch the train.
- He shouted to express his frustration.
- The dog barked to alert its owner.
- We eat to live.
- He came to get the book.
Use 7 – As an Adverb to Qualify an Adjective:
- The movie was incredibly exciting to watch.
- The child’s laughter is joyous to hear.
- The scenery was breathtakingly beautiful to behold.
- The problem seems insurmountably difficult to solve.
- The food smelled deliciously tempting to eat.
Use 8 – As a Part of a Noun Phrase:
- We have a plan on where to meet.
- I told you what to do.
- She told me where to go.
- Tell them when to start.
- I know where to buy a good painting.
Use 9 – After Preliminary ‘It’:
- It is important to exercise regularly.
- It is necessary to study for the exam.
- It is crucial to follow the instructions.
- It is beneficial to eat a balanced diet.
- It is advisable to save money for the future.
Use 10 – After ‘too’:
- The package was too heavy to carry.
- The task was too difficult to complete alone.
- The music was too loud to concentrate.
- The car was too expensive to afford.
- The movie was too scary to watch.