Infinitives

Today's featured lesson is on infinitives. An infinitive looks like a verb, but it often behaves like a noun. Consider the following sentences:

I like ice cream.

I like to eat ice cream.

In the first sentence, the subject is "I," the verb is "like," and the object is "ice cream."

In the second sentence, the subject is "I," the verb is "like," and the infinitive "to eat" indicates what the speaker likes. "Ice cream" becomes the object of the infinitive. You could also say, "I like to eat." That's a good sentence, too.

Infinitives are also useful because they explain why a person does something:

I go to work to make money.

Why do I go to work? To make money.

She went to the store to get some new shoes.

Why did she go to the store? To get some new shoes.