The Infinitive. The Infinitive is a non-finite form of a verb which has nominal and verbal traits.

The Infinitive is a non-finite form of a verb which has nominal and verbal traits.

Nominal characteristics:

1. can be used as a subject (To go on like this was dangerous.)
2. can be used as a predicative. (Her plan was now to drive to Bath during the

night.)

1. can be used as an object (I have never learnt to read or write.)

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Verbal characteristics:

1. can take a direct object (He began to feel some curiosity.)

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2. can be modified by an adverb (I cannot write so quickly.)

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

3. has tense and aspect distinctions (expressed relatively)

The forms of the Infinitive
	active	passive
Indefinite (Simple)	to write	to be written	Действие происходит одновременно с действием, выраженным глаголом в личной форме
Continuous	to be writing	---	Длительное действие происходит одновременно с действием, выраженным глаголом в личной форме
Perfect	to have written	to have been written	Действие, предшествующее действию, выраженному глаголом в личной форме
Perfect Continuous	to have been writing	---	Длительное д ействие, предшествовавшее их происхождению одновременно с действием, выраженным глаголом в личной форме.

Active	Indefinite	I an glad to speak with you.	Рад поговорить с вами (всегда радуюсь, когда говорю)
Continuous	I am glad to be speaking with you.	Рад, что сейчас разговариваю.
Perfect	I am glad to have spoken with you.	Рад, что поговорил.
Perfect Continuous	I am glad to have been speaking with you.	Рад, что уже давно (всё это время) разговариваю.
Passive	Indefinite	I am always glad to be told the news.	Всегда рад, когда мне рассказывают новости.
Perfect	I am glad to have been told the news.	Рад, что мне рассказали.

The functions of the infinitive in the sentence:

1. the infinitive as a subject - подлежащее

(To doubt, under the circumstances, is almost to insult. It is useless to discussthe question.)

1. as a predicative – именная часть составного именного сказуемого

(My intention is to get into parliament.)

as a part of a predicative

(Mrs. Betty was not easy to find.)

1. as a part of a compound verbal predicate – часть составного глагольного сказуемого

a). compound verbal modal predicate (after model expressions, verbs)

(The train was to leave at midnight.)

b). compound verbal aspect predicate (after verbs denoting beginning, duration of action)

(Imprisonment began to tell upon him.)

4. as an object - дополнение (after the verbs: to allow to beg

to order to request

to ask to instruct

to teach to implore (умолять, просить,

(He asked me to walk in.) молить)

1. as a part of a complex object

(I’ve never seen you act this way before.)

1. as an attribute - определение (modifies abstract/class nouns, indefinite pronouns, ordinal numerals, adjective “last”)

(I have not had time to examine this room yet.)

7. as an adverbial modifier - обстоятельствo

a). of purpose - цели (To pacify (успокаивать, умиротворять) her, I held the window wide open.)

b). of result – следствия (after adjectives modified by “too, enough”).

(Her eyes were sharp enough to look after her own interests.)

c). of comparison / manner – сравнения / образа действия (conjunctions “as if, as though”)

(She nervously moved her hand towards his lips as if to stop him.)

d). of attendant circumstances.- сопутствующие обстоятельства (She drew away, never to revisit these places.)

8. as parentheses – вводные слова/предложения

to cut a long story short to put it mildly/ plainly/ crudely

to tell the truth to speak frankly, to be quite frank

to be more exact to begin with

to say nothing of to crown it all

to say the least of it to make matters worse

so to speak strange/ needless to say,...

(Well, to cut a long story short, they thought it

The Bare Infinitive (the infinitive without particle "to")

The Use:

1. after auxiliary verbs. We shall go there at once.

2. after modal verbs (except ought to… and have to…)

If one can't have what one loves, one must love what one has.

3. after verbs denoting sense perception (to hear, to see, to feel, to watch, to notice, to observe, …) I felt my heart beat as if at a great victory.

! Note: after the verbs “ to see, to hear, to feel” in the meaning of “знать,понимать”the to-Infinitive is used. I heard him to return to Moscow. (мы слышали: знаем, кто-то сказал нам об этом)

4. after the verb "to let". Let us be the best friends in the world.

5. after the verbs "to make", "to have" in the meaning of "заставлять".

What makes you think so?

6. after the verb "to know" (= to see, to observe)

I have so often known a change of medicine work wonders.

! Note: in the Passive Voice the to-Infinitive is used after the verbs of the above mentioned groups. He was heard to mention your name several times.

7. after the expressions: had better cannot but

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