Basic Details
Word: Infinitive
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: The basic form of a verb, often with to in front of it, as in to run, to eat or to be.
How to Spell Infinitive
Syllables: in - fin - i - tive
Tricky part: Students write infinative or infinetive. Every vowel before the final e is an i.
Watch out for: infinative, infinetive, infinitve
Memory tip: Count them: in-fin-i-tive has four i's and only one other vowel, the e at the very end.
Usage Examples
Example 1: In I like to read, to read is the infinitive.
Example 2: Our grammar teacher asked us to underline every infinitive in the paragraph.
Example 3: Some verbs, like hope and want, are often followed by an infinitive.
Fun Fact
A split infinitive puts a word between to and the verb, as in the famous Star Trek line to boldly go. Many old grammar books called this wrong, but most now accept it.
Practise the CREST Way
Spell-o-Spell
Only one word in the list is spelt correctly. Choose the meaning of that word.
1. conjuction 2. ajective 3. infinitive 4. preposision
a) a word that shows position or relation, such as in, on or under
b) the basic form of a verb, often used with to
c) a word that joins words or clauses, such as and or but
d) a word that describes a noun
Show answer
b) the basic form of a verb, often used with to. Infinitive is the correct one; conjunction needs an n before ction, preposition has ti, and adjective has a d.
Word Cookie
Insert the correct letters to form a word:
inf_n_t_ve
a) i, a, i
b) e, i, i
c) i, i, a
d) i, i, i
Show answer
d) i, i, i. All three missing letters are i.
Mingle-Mangle
Unjumble the word in the sentence and choose it:
Shakespeare's famous line To be or not to be begins with an ntiivniife.
a) initiative
b) infinity
c) infinite
d) infinitive
Show answer
d) infinitive. Infinity and infinite are too short, and initiative needs an a; the grammar term is infinitive.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Pick out the infinitive.
a) singing
b) sings
c) to sing
d) sang
Show answer
c) to sing
2. Infinitive is a word from which subject?
a) geography
b) music
c) chemistry
d) grammar
Show answer
d) grammar
