The use of Infinitive in English

Is it possible to master English grammar overnight? It is likely to happen unless you dedicate enough time to learning just one specific topic. In other words, by progressing step by step, you can master the whole grammar in English. Therefore, we suggest that you get acquainted with one of its sections today a little bit closer (i.e. using the infinitive in English). We will share useful information about this form of the verb, as well as give tips on how to learn English words with maximum efficiency.

What is the infinitive in English

The initial form of verbs, which is sometimes called indefinite, is defined in grammar by the term "infinitive". This is a neutral word that denotes an action, but does not indicate either the person performing it, the number of such persons, or the method of performing the action itself. While learning English, we usually remember the indefinite verb itself, but during the construction of a sentence we change it depending on the context and our goals. However, indefinite verbs are frequently used in both active or passive form.

The functions of infinitive in a sentence

In speech, the initial form of the verb can be used both as a subject, and as part of a complex predicate, and as a secondary parts of a sentence:

• To love and to be loved is hard work.

• I have a dog to take care of.

• Katya asked me to help prepare dinner.

• He came to complete the renovation in the bathroom.

Active and passive form of infinitive

The main difficulty in learning and using indefinite verb forms is that they can have active and passive forms.

For example, the active form of infinitive is as follows: to cook, to build, to clean, although we do not say who performs this action, it is clear that it has a doer. The passive form of infinitive in English is as follows: to be cooked, to be built, to be cleaned (i.e. the role of the doer is lowered so much that it seems as if the action is performed by itself).

The active form is used together with the word “to” (e.g. to eat). The passive form requires the addition of “to be” and the third form of the verb – to be eaten.

The way to remember all infinitives in English

In order for everyone to be able to quickly master the indefinite verbs of the English language, experienced teachers have already prepared a new comprehensive course for the Booyya platform. Here, you will find not only a table with infinitive verbs, but also some tips on how to memorize new words in English comparatively quickly and with ease.

Н3 The reasons why this language course about infinitives is worth your while

Although the course itself consists of merely one lesson, it combines the maximum amount of useful information:

• grammar is focused on the use of infinitive verb accompanied with exceptions to the rules;

• interesting and easy to comprehend information about how our brain and memory work;

• several highly effective mnemonic exercises to learn this topic quickly and efficiently;

• exercises to help better memorize grammar;

• tests and quizzes for self-assessment (i.e. they make it possible to understand where gaps in knowledge remain)

• a table of infinitive verbs to quickly brush up on new information before an exam.

The language of the course conducted by a teacher is English, so it is designed for students with an Intermediate level. The lesson contains not just theoretical information, but knowledge presented in the form of interesting videos. Interactive exercises will help you consolidate and check the understanding of indefinite verbs in English.

Another feature of this course is that you can master it on your own without a teacher. All the material is presented in such an easy to comprehend way that you will not need additional explanations. The only important thing is to allocate enough time familiarizing yourself with the lesson and learning indefinite verbs.

9 techniques while learning infinitives in English

The highlight of Booyya's course is the technique of quickly memorizing new English words, even used by experienced teachers. In the lesson, you will not only find a description of the techniques, but also be able to apply them in practice. Make sure you analyze all 9 suggested methods to determine which one works best for you. However, you can combine them if you wish.

The way to remember the peculiarities of the use of infinitive verb in English 

At first glance, the rules for using infinitives seem to be complex and confusing. On the other hand, in the course you will find a very logical, consistent and easy to comprehend presentation of English grammar, so you will be able to quickly remember all the rules and exceptions. However, we do not recommend focusing on theoretical material solely (i.e. be sure to allocate enough time doing exercises to see how infinitive verbs are used in both written and spoken language).