Scribd
Upload
38 views1 page

To Infinitive and Beyond!: To Wait To Look To Read To Show

The document discusses infinitives and verb tenses. It defines infinitives as verbs preceded by "to" that can function as subjects, objects, adjectives, and adverbs in sentences. While splitting infinitives by adding words between "to" and the verb is grammatically correct, it is best avoided in formal writing. The document also notes that when using multiple verbs in a clause, the verbs should be in the same tense to avoid errors, such as mixing present and past tense verbs.

Uploaded by

Manu Prakash
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as ODT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
38 views1 page

To Infinitive and Beyond!: To Wait To Look To Read To Show

The document discusses infinitives and verb tenses. It defines infinitives as verbs preceded by "to" that can function as subjects, objects, adjectives, and adverbs in sentences. While splitting infinitives by adding words between "to" and the verb is grammatically correct, it is best avoided in formal writing. The document also notes that when using multiple verbs in a clause, the verbs should be in the same tense to avoid errors, such as mixing present and past tense verbs.

Uploaded by

Manu Prakash
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as ODT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 1

To infinitiveand beyond!

For example: to sleep, to run, to fly, to hide


Remember this formula: Infinitive = to + verb
Infinitives can function as subjects, objects, adjectives, and adverbs. For example:
To wait for an answer seemed like a waste of time. (To wait is the subject of the sentence.)
I cant stand it; I refuse to look. (To look is the direct object of the sentence.)
If you get bored easily, bring a book to read. (To read is an adjective modifying book.)
Martin planned this event to show Diane how much he cares about her. (To show is an adverb
explaining why Martin planned the event.)
You may have heard that splitting infinitives is the worst of all grammar crimes. What does this
mean? Splitting an infinitive simply means to add other words between the to and the verb in an
infinitive. For example: I plan to really enjoy the party. (The word really is in the middle of the
infinitive.)
Split infinitives are still frowned upon in formal writing situations. For this reason, split infinitives
are best left out of a sentence. However, it is not wise to mangle a sentence simply to avoid splitting
an infinitive.

Multiple verbs
When using multiple verbs in a clause, its important to keep them in the same tense. For example: I
went to the store, buy an apple, and ate it on the way home. Went and ate are both in past tense,
but buy is in present tense.
To fix this sentence, use bought, which is the past tense of buy. I went to the store, bought an
apple, and ate it on the way home.
Another example: I went to the store and bought an apple, and now I am eating it.
Went and bought are both in past tense and eating is in present tense. In this case, the two
different verb tenses are in two separate clauses, separated by a comma, so it is ok that theyre in
different tenses.

You might also like