Can you explain the word form of these red words?
If you can’t find any errors, the following explanations can help.
The formula
An infinitive almost always begins with to and is followed by the base form of the verb.
To + Verb = Infinitive
Examples: to dance, to jump, to run, to go, to give, to swim, to skip
Usage
The infinitive form is a verb used as a noun, adjective, or adverb.
Infinitive used as a subject noun.
To stay healthy is my goal.
What’s the subject of this sentence?
It’s to stay healthy, because to stay is functioning as a noun in the sentence above.
Infinitive used as an object noun.
John refused to remember.
What’s the function of to remember in this sentence?
It’s a noun, because to remember is the direct object of the verb refused.
Infinitive used as an adjective.
John always carries a bottle of water to drink when he’s on the road.
What’s the function of to drink in this sentence?
It’s an adjective, because to drink modifies the noun: bottle.
Infinitive used as a object adverb.
John always drinks from his water bottle to avoid thirst.
What’s the function of to avoid in this sentence?
It’s an adverb, because to avoid explains why John drinks.
You can find more information and practice with infinitives in the resources boxes to the right.
Most of the time, we use "to" with an infinitive form, but in certain situations we use an infinitive form without "to". When this happens, this form is referred to as the bare infinitive form.
Bare infinitives are used in the following situations:
after let or make + object
For example: She let me go out alone.
after verbs of perception (feel, hear, notice, see) + object if the action is completed.
For example: I felt the cat's paws softly touch my face.
You can find more information and practice with infinitive in the resources boxes to the right.
A gerund is using the -ing form of a verb as a noun.
S V O
We enjoy shopping
How is shopping used as in this sentence?
Shopping is a gerund, it is used as the direct object of the verb enjoy.
S V PREP O
He didn't feel very excited about shopping
How is shopping used as in this sentence?
Shopping functions as a noun, it is used as the object of the preposition about.
When a gerund is followed by a complement and a modifier, it is called a gerund phrase
S V
Shopping relaxes me
How is Shopping used in this sentence?
Shopping functions as a noun is used as the subject of the sentence.
Shopping relaxes me is a gerund phrase, the word relaxes me tells us what shopping is doing to me.
You can find more information and practice with gerunds in the resources boxes to the right.
Now, let's look back at the four sentences at the beginning of the page again. Do you know how to fix them now?
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