Exploring Language

Lesson 1.4b Verbs: The Infinitive

 

 

The infinitival form of the verb expresses no tense. It is the bare form of the verb and is preceded by to: to coerce, to dance, to chow down.

 

Complete sentences in English (in any language, actually) need a verb that expresses tense, like present, past, or future.

 

So an infinitive, without tense, must occur along with a tensed verb.

 

I wanted to eat tacos.                  wanted is past tense, to eat is infinitival

 

She likes to dance.                       likes is present tense, to dance is infinitival

 

In some languages, you don’t have the to in an infinitive. If you know another language, what is the form of the infinitive in your language?

 

Activity: What is the connection in meaning between the words infinity and infinitive? After hypothesizing, look them up!

 

 

key words: verb, tense, infinitive

 

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.3.1e: Form and use the simple (e.g., I walked; I walk; I will walk) verb tenses.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.3.4d: Consult reference materials (e.g., dictionaries, glossaries, thesauruses), both print and digital, to find the pronunciation and determine or clarify the precise meaning of key words and phrases. 

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.4.1b Form and use the progressive (e.g., I was walking; I am walking; I will be walking) verb tenses.  (An understanding of the infinitive is an important component of understanding the other verb forms, such as the participle, which forms part of the progressive aspect.)

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L5.1b Form and use the perfect (e.g., I had walked; I have walked; I will have walked) verb tenses.  (An understanding of the infinitive is an important component of understanding the other verb forms, such as the participle, which forms part of the perfect aspect.)

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.4.4c Consult reference materials (e.g., dictionaries, glossaries, thesauruses), both print and digital, to find the pronunciation and determine or clarify the precise meaning of key words and phrases. 

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.5.4c Consult reference materials (e.g., dictionaries, glossaries, thesauruses), both print and digital, to find the pronunciation and determine or clarify the precise meaning of key words and phrases.

 

Here is this lesson as a pdf.