Infinitives and Infinitive Clauses

Infinitives

In English, the infinitive is composed of two words, to + verb; to love, to walk, to enjoy, to be. When you look up a verb in the dictionary you find it without the to. This form is called the dictionary form; love, walk, enjoy, be.

The infinitive is a verbal noun; it is the name of the action of the verb. Thus, ambulâre means to walk or walking, walking being the name of the action of that verb. Infinitives can be active or passive in voice; they can be present, perfect, or future in tense.

Practice Exercise

Fill in the blanks using the answers below:

1. The present active infinitive is the __________ principle part of the verb.
2. The endings of the present active infinitive are: 1^st conjugation __________; 2^nd conjugation __________; 3^rd conjugation __________; 4^th conjugation __________.
3. The present passive infinitive of 1^st conjugation verbs ends in letters __________; the 2^nd conjugation in __________; the 4^th conjugation in __________.
4. The perfect active infinitive is formed by adding -isse to the __________.
5. The perfect passive infinitive is formed by using the word esse with the __________.
6. The future active infinitive is formed by using the word esse with the __________.
7. What letters are the sign of the future active infinitive (and future active participle)? __________
8. What English word, derived from the future active participle of sum, contains these letters?

Answer Key - Check you work

^ Grammatica