
Which Sentence Contains an Infinitive? Identifying Infinitives Examples of Sentences with Infinitives Table 1: Examples of Infinitives Table 2: Types of Infinitives Table 3: Functions of Infinitives Table 4: Common Mistakes to Avoid When Using Infinitives
In English grammar, an infinitive is a verb form that can function as a noun, an adjective, or an adverb. It is typically formed by adding the particle “to” to the base form of a verb. For example, the infinitive of the verb “to go” is “to go.”

Infinitives can be used in a variety of ways, including:
- As the subject of a sentence: “To err is human.”
- As the object of a verb: “I want to go home.”
- As a complement of a noun: “My goal is to become a doctor.”
- As a modifier of a noun: “The book to read is on the table.”
- As an adverbial phrase: “He went to the store to buy some milk.”
To identify an infinitive, look for the particle “to” followed by the base form of a verb. For example, in the sentence “I want to go home,” the infinitive is “to go.”
Here are some examples of sentences that contain infinitives:
- I want to go to the store.
- He went to the store to buy some milk.
- The book to read is on the table.
- My goal is to become a doctor.
- To err is human.
Infinitive | Usage |
---|---|
to go | As the object of a verb |
to buy some milk | As an adverbial phrase |
to read | As a complement of a noun |
to become a doctor | As the subject of a sentence |
to err | As an adverbial phrase |
Type of Infinitive | Example |
---|---|
Bare infinitive | To go is my goal. |
To-infinitive | I want to go home. |
Gerund infinitive | Going home is my goal. |
Perfect infinitive | To have gone home is my goal. |
Passive infinitive | To be gone home is my goal. |
Function | Example |
---|---|
As the subject of a sentence | To err is human. |
As the object of a verb | I want to go home. |
As a complement of a noun | My goal is to become a doctor. |
As a modifier of a noun | The book to read is on the table. |
As an adverbial phrase | He went to the store to buy some milk. |
Mistake | Correction |
---|---|
Using an infinitive after a preposition | He went to the store for to buy some milk. |
Using an infinitive after a modal verb | I should to go home. |
Using an infinitive after a helping verb | I am to go home. |
Using an infinitive after a passive verb | The book was to read. |