infinitivet

The infinitive is the base form of a verb, often preceded by the word "to." It is one of the three principal non-finite verb forms, along with the participle and the gerund. Infinitives do not indicate tense, person, or number, and they can function as different parts of speech within a sentence.

Infinitives can act as nouns. For example, in the sentence "To err is human," the infinitive "to err" functions as the subject. In "She likes to swim," "to swim" is the direct object. They can also function as adjectives, modifying nouns or pronouns. Consider "He has a lot of work to do," where "to do" describes "work." Furthermore, infinitives can serve as adverbs, explaining the reason or purpose behind an action. For instance, "They came to see the exhibition" uses "to see" to explain why they came.

Infinitives can appear in two forms: the bare infinitive (without "to") and the to-infinitive. The bare infinitive is typically used after modal verbs like "can," "will," "should," and "may," as in "You must go." It also appears after certain verbs of perception (see, hear, feel) and after the verbs "let," "make," and "help," e.g., "I saw him leave" or "She made me laugh." The to-infinitive is the more common form and is used in most other contexts. Special attention is given to the infinitive in various grammatical constructions, including its use after certain adjectives and nouns, and in clauses expressing purpose.