Parts of the Sentence - Verbals - Noun Infinitives

An infinitive is to plus a verb form. It can be used as a noun. Examples: to be, to see, to be seen, to be eaten.

The noun infinitive can be a subject (To eat is fun.); a direct object (I like to eat.); a predicate nominative (A fun thing is to eat.); an appositive (My hope, to travel, never happened.); an object of a preposition (I want nothing but to save.)

Noun infinitives can have with them direct objects, predicate nominatives, predicate adjectives or modifiers to form what is called a infinitive phrase. Example: To eat solid foods is hard for babies. "To eat" is the noun infinitive used as the subject of the verb is, and it has its own direct object "foods" with the adjective "solid," which together make up the infinitive phrase "to eat solid foods" serving as the subject of the sentence.

Instructions: Find the noun infinitives in the following sentences and tell how they are used.

1. To skate was his only desire.

2. I hope to enjoy retirement.

3. The team's desire is to win.

4. Most people want to marry.

5. Their terrible goal, to kill, failed.

1. to skate = subject

2. to enjoy = direct object

3. to win = predicate nominative

4. to marry = direct object

5. to kill = appositive

Parts of the Sentence - Verbals - Noun Infinitives

An infinitive is to plus a verb form. It can be used as a noun. Examples: to be, to see, to be seen, to be eaten.

The noun infinitive can be a subject (To eat is fun.); a direct object (I like to eat.); a predicate nominative (A fun thing is to eat.); an appositive (My hope, to travel, never happened.); an object of a preposition (I want nothing but to save.)

Noun infinitives can have with them direct objects, predicate nominatives, predicate adjectives or modifiers to form what is called a infinitive phrase. Example: To eat solid foods is hard for babies. "To eat" is the noun infinitive used as the subject of the verb is, and it has its own direct object "foods" with the adjective "solid," which together make up the infinitive phrase "to eat solid foods" serving as the subject of the sentence.

Instructions: Find the noun infinitive phrases in the following sentences and tell how they are used.

1. We need to take them by surprise.

2. To restore old cars is expensive.

3. My wish, to visit the Grand Canyon, has happened.

4. The girl wanted nothing except to succeed in the class.

5. The Jazz's hope is to win the championship.

1. to take them by surprise = direct object

2. to restore old cars = subject

3. to visit the Grand Canyon = appositive

4. to succeed in the class = object of the preposition

5. to win the championship = predicate nominative

Parts of the Sentence - Verbals - Noun Infinitives

An infinitive is to plus a verb form. It can be used as a noun. Examples: to be, to see, to be seen, to be eaten.

The noun infinitive can be a subject (To eat is fun.); a direct object (I like to eat.); a predicate nominative (A fun thing is to eat.); an appositive (My hope, to travel, never happened.); an object of a preposition (I want nothing but to save.)

Noun infinitives can have with them direct objects, predicate nominatives, predicate adjectives or modifiers to form what is called a infinitive phrase. Example: To eat solid foods is hard for babies. "To eat" is the noun infinitive used as the subject of the verb is, and it has its own direct object "foods" with the adjective "solid," which together make up the infinitive phrase "to eat solid foods" serving as the subject of the sentence.

Noun infinitives may be compound. Example: I want to eat and to sleep.

Instructions: Find the compound noun infinitive phrases in the following sentences and tell how they are used.

1. Their war aims, to kill the people and to destroy the nation, were not accomplished.

2. They wanted to score and to win the game.

3. The woman's hobby was to camp and to hike.

4. I only desired one thing, to forgive you and to forget our differences.

5. To see and to hear are highly developed senses in many animals.

1. to kill the people/ to destroy the nation = appositives

2. to score/ to win the game = direct objects

3. to camp/to hike = predicate nominatives

4. to forgive you/to forget our differences = appositives

5. to see/to hear = subjects

Parts of the Sentence - Verbals - Noun Infinitives

An infinitive is to plus a verb form. It can be used as a noun. Examples: to be, to see, to be seen, to be eaten.

The noun infinitive can be a subject (To eat is fun.); a direct object (I like to eat.); a predicate nominative (A fun thing is to eat.); an appositive (My hope, to travel, never happened.); an object of a preposition (I want nothing but to save.)

Noun infinitives can have with them direct objects, predicate nominatives, predicate adjectives or modifiers to form what is called a infinitive phrase. Example: To eat solid foods is hard for babies. "To eat" is the noun infinitive used as the subject of the verb is, and it has its own direct object "foods" with the adjective "solid," which together make up the infinitive phrase "to eat solid foods" serving as the subject of the sentence.

Noun infinitives may be compound. Example: I want to eat and to sleep. Sometimes the second to is left off. (I want to eat and sleep.)

Instructions: Find the compound noun infinitive phrases in the following sentences and tell how they are used.

1. Your job will be to count the people and pass out the tickets.

2. To talk and visit in class can get you into trouble.

3. To eat, drink and make merry is not a good life style.

4. Small children like to play in sand piles and eat goodies.

5. Her wish, to travel and see the world, never happened.

1. to count the people/(to) pass out the tickets = predicate nominatives

2. to talk/(to) visit in class = subjects

3. to eat/(to) drink/(to) make merry = subjects

4. to play in sand piles/(to) eat goodies = direct objects

5. to travel/(to) see the world = appositives

Parts of the Sentence - Verbals - Noun Infinitives

An infinitive is to plus a verb form. It can be used as a noun. Examples: to be, to see, to be seen, to be eaten.

The noun infinitive can be a subject (To eat is fun.); a direct object (I like to eat.); a predicate nominative (A fun thing is to eat.); an appositive (My hope, to travel, never happened.); an object of a preposition (I want nothing but to save.)

Noun infinitives can have with them direct objects, predicate nominatives, predicate adjectives or modifiers to form what is called a infinitive phrase. Example: To eat solid foods is hard for babies. "To eat" is the noun infinitive used as the subject of the verb is, and it has its own direct object "foods" with the adjective "solid," which together make up the infinitive phrase "to eat solid foods" serving as the subject of the sentence.

Noun infinitives may be compound. Example: I want to eat and to sleep. Sometimes the second to is left off. (I want to eat and sleep.)

Instructions: Find the noun infinitive phrases in the following sentences and tell how they are used.

1. Everyone wants to enjoy life.

2. She likes to be admired.

3. Two bad habits are to smoke cigarettes and to drink alcohol.

4. To stop the car suddenly can be dangerous.

5. To cheat is a sign of weakness.

1. to enjoy life = direct object

2. to be admired = direct object

3. to smoke cigarettes/to drink alcohol = predicate nominatives

4. to stop the car suddenly = subject

5. to cheat = subject

Parts of the Sentence - Verbals - Noun Infinitives

Instructions: Find the noun infinitive phrases in the following sentences and tell how they are used.

1. To sit in judgment is a difficult task.

2. To waste time in class is foolishness.

3. To party and to sleep in were his only faults.

4. My grandfather wanted only to build a home and raise a family.

5. Barbara hopes to be home soon.

6. His joys were to play soccer and to visit friends.

7. To save money for a rainy day is a good idea.

8. The man's goal was to go to college and to study law.

9. Everyone wants to be rewarded for one's efforts.

10. Our desire is nothing but to live happily.

1. to sit in judgment = subject

2. to waste time in class = subject

3. to party/to sleep in = subjects

4. to build a home/(to) raise a family = direct objects

5. to be home soon = direct object

6. to play soccer/to visit friends = predicate nominatives

7. to save money for a rainy day = subject

8. to go to college/to study law = predicate nominatives

9. to be rewarded for one's efforts = direct object

10. to live happily = object of the preposition

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