Name: ___________________________
Infinitives
An infinitive is the word to combined with the simple, or stem, form of a verb, such as to sing or to read.
An infinitive is rarely used as a verb; instead it is used in a sentence as a noun, adjective, or adverb. When
it is used as a noun it functions as a subject, subject complement or direct object.
Example:
We all wanted to play.
In the example to play is the infinitive. It is functioning as a direct object.
Remember that an infinitive includes a verb and should not be confused with a prepositional phrase
starting with the preposition to, such as to the street.
Circle the infinitives in the sentences below. Write the infinitive’s function in the sentence in the blank
under the sentence.
1. His goal was to succeed.
_____________________________________________________________________________
2. To refuse was not an option, so we agreed with their demands.
_____________________________________________________________________________
3. My brother likes to sing.
_____________________________________________________________________________
4. The team must score to win.
_____________________________________________________________________________
5. The counselor has the ability to help.
_____________________________________________________________________________
6. Her dog just wanted to play.
_____________________________________________________________________________
7. To laugh seemed rude, but the story was funny.
_____________________________________________________________________________
8. For the dishes tonight, your job is to dry.
_____________________________________________________________________________
______________Key
An infinitive is the word to combined with the simple, or stem, form of a verb, such as to sing or to read.
An infinitive is rarely used as a verb; instead it is used in a sentence as a noun, adjective, or adverb. When
it is used as a noun it functions as a subject, subject complement or direct object.
Example:
We all wanted to play.
In the example to play is the infinitive. It is functioning as a direct object.
Remember that an infinitive includes a verb and should not be confused with a prepositional phrase
starting with the preposition to, such as to the street.
Circle the infinitives in the sentences below. Write the infinitive’s function in the sentence in the blank
under the sentence.
1. His goal was to succeed.
subject complement
_____________________________________________________________________________
2. To refuse was not an option, so we agreed with their demands.
subject
_____________________________________________________________________________
3. My brother likes to sing.
direct object
_____________________________________________________________________________
4. The team must score to win.
adverb
_____________________________________________________________________________
5. The counselor has the ability to help.
adjective
_____________________________________________________________________________
6. Her dog just wanted to play.
direct object
_____________________________________________________________________________
7. To laugh seemed rude, but the story was funny.
subject
_____________________________________________________________________________
8. For the dishes tonight, your job is to dry.
subject complement
_____________________________________________________________________________
GERUNDS AND INFINITIVES
A. Circle the correct word in bold. Gerund or infinitive?
1. I enjoy watch / watching television in the evenings.
2. You’ll get fat if you continue eat / eating this way.
3. He doesn’t want to work / working at the weekends.
4. I’m thinking of moving / to move to Florida.
5. She started to sleeping / to sleep too much.
B. Form the sentences with the –ing form.
1. Peter – hates – go – to work.
2. Do – your – parents – like – fly?
3. They – don’t – prefer – go – by – train.
4. We – go – swim – in the afternoons.
5. We – went on – paint – all day.
C. Form the sentences with the infinitive –to form.
1. I – learned – speak – English – at school.
2. Mr Smith – refused – pay – for the price.
3. It – began – rain.
4. You – forgot – lock – the door.
5. They – promised – come back soon.
D. Put the verb into the gerund (-ing) or the infinitive ( to) form.
(Both are possible.)
1. I offered to help (help) her.
2. I chose to work (work) here.
3. I’m tired of waiting (wait) here.
4. I don’t like swimming / to swim (swim) in the pool.
5. I’d love to come (come) with you.
6. We are planning to go (go) on holiday.
7. She needs to study ( study) hard.
8. I can’t imagine working (work) at home.
9. I’m very interested in learning French. (learn)
10. I always enjoy talking to my grandfather. He always tells me great
stories. (talk)
E. Match 1 and 2 with a and b in each pair.
A. 1. I’d love…………….…
2. She loves ……….……
a. going to the cinema.
b. to go to the cinema.
B. 1. I decided ...…………...
2. They began …………..
a. to study architecture.
b. studying history.
C. 1. Would you like ………
2. I usually go ………….
a. swimming at the weekend.
b. to eat out with me?
F. Circle the correct answer.
1. The company started …………. new products this year.
A) make B) made C) to making D) making
E) makes
2. She must give up ……………… too much fast food.
A) eat
B) ate
C) to eating
D) eating
E) to eat
3. I’d love ……………. to the party tonight.
A) come
B) to come
C) coming
D) to coming
E) comes
4. Do you like ……………. to classical music?
A) listen
B) listens
C) to listening
D) listening
E) listened
5. I couldn’t learn …………. any musical instruments.
A) play
B) playing
C) to play
D) to playing
E) plays
6. She promised ……………. very hard this year.
A) study
B) studies
C) to study
D) to studying
E) studying
7. The teacher asked me ……………… to clean the board.
A) clean
B) cleaning
C) to clean
D) to cleaning
E) cleans
8. I’m not really interested in ………………. sports of any kind.
A) play
B) played
C) to play
D) to playing
E) playing
9. I prefer ……………. English. It’s necessary for my job.
A) learn
B) learning
C) to learning
D) learned
E) learns
10. She wants ……………… a better job.
A) find
B) to find
C) finding
D) to finding
E) finds
GERUNDS AND INFINITIVES ANSWERS
A. Circle the correct word in bold. Gerund or infinitive?
1. I enjoy watch / watching television in the evenings.
2. You’ll get fat if you continue eat / eating this way.
3. He doesn’t want to work / working at the weekends.
4. I’m thinking of moving / to move to Florida.
5. She started to sleeping / to sleep too much.
B. Form the sentences with the –ing form.
1. Peter – hates – go – to work.
Peter hates going to work.
2. Do – your – parents – like – fly?
Do your parents like flying?
3. They – don’t – prefer – go – by – train.
They don’t prefer going by train.
4. We – go – swim – in the afternoons.
We go swimming in the afternoons.
5. We – went on – paint – all day.
We went on painting all day.
C. Form the sentences with the infinitive –to form.
1. I – learned – speak – English – at school.
I learned to speak English at school.
2. Mr Smith – refused – pay – for the price.
Mr Smith refused to pay for the price.
3. It – began – rain.
It began to rain.
4. You – forgot – lock – the door.
You forgot to lock the door.
5. They – promised – come back soon.
They promised to come back soon.
D. Put the verb into the gerund (-ing) or the infinitive ( to) form.
(Both are possible.)
1. I offered to help (help) her.
2. I chose to work (work) here.
3. I’m tired of waiting (wait) here.
4. I don’t like swimming / to swim (swim) in the pool.
5. I’d love to come (come) with you.
6. We are planning to go (go) on holiday.
7. She needs to study ( study) hard.
8. I can’t imagine working (work) at home.
9. I’m very interested in learning French. (learn)
10. I always enjoy talking to my grandfather. He always tells me great
stories. (talk)
E. Match 1 and 2 with a and b in each pair.
A. 1. I’d love…………….…
2. She loves ……….……
a. going to the cinema.
b. to go to the cinema.
B. 1. I decided ...…………...
2. They began …………..
a. to study architecture.
b. studying history.
C. 1. Would you like ………
2. I usually go ………….
a. swimming at the weekend.
b. to eat out with me?
F. Circle the correct answer.
1. The company started …………. new products this year.
A) make B) made C) to making D) making
E) makes
2. She must give up ……………… too much fast food.
A) eat
B) ate
C) to eating
D) eating
E) to eat
3. I’d love ……………. to the party tonight.
A) come
B) to come
C) coming
D) to coming
E) comes
4. Do you like ……………. to classical music?
A) listen
B) listens
C) to listening
D) listening
E) listened
5. I couldn’t learn …………. any musical instruments.
A) play
B) playing
C) to play
D) to playing
E) plays
6. She promised ……………. very hard this year.
A) study
B) studies
C) to study
D) to studying
E) studying
7. The teacher asked me ……………… to clean the board.
A) clean
B) cleaning
C) to clean
D) to cleaning
E) cleans
8. I’m not really interested in ………………. sports of any kind.
A) play
B) played
C) to play
D) to playing
E) playing
9. I prefer ……………. English. It’s necessary for my job.
A) learn
B) learning
C) to learning
D) learned
E) learns
10. She wants ……………… a better job.
A) find
B) to find
C) finding
D) to finding
E) finds
Name _________________________________________________ Date ____________________________ Period _________________ Infinitives An infinitive is a verb form that can be used as a noun, an adjective, or an adverb. The word to usually appears before the infinitive. Examples: It is important to listen. He is the one to ask. Directions: Circle the infinitive in each sentence below. 1. "To conquer Mount Everest is my goal!" exclaimed Erika.
2. In the past, Burton was terrified to play the tuba on Tuesdays.
3. "To succeed takes courage, foresight, and luck," announced Nik to an awestruck Cameron.
4. Stranded in the freezing snowstorm, all Kira wanted was to survive.
5. Afraid to move, Evan froze in terror as the huge cobra slithered over his left foot.
An infinitive phrase is an infinitive with modifiers or a complement, all acting together as a single part of speech. Examples: It is important to listen carefully. It is not polite to listen through the keyhole. I want to hear the news. They want to give you a present. Directions: Underline the infinitive phrase in each sentence below. 1. Andrew knows that to drive up a hill of butter is impossible.
2. Sam told J.J. that he'd like to travel to Timbuktu.
3. Courtney told Dylan to kick the football at Henry.
4. Liam built a storm cellar in which to shelter during tornadoes.
5. Mitchell's dream, to fly an M‐16, was finally coming true!
6. Ben and Zach tried to follow orders, but they failed.
7. Karin and Franny's decision, to stop and get a cup of coffee, made them late for English class.
8. Erica was about to jump into the tub of Jello when her mother got home.
9. After he hit the squirrel, Bruce had no choice except to drive on.
10. Sean's suggestion, to listen carefully, was appreciated.
11. Tyler and Jonathan wanted to listen carefully to Ms. Mathews.