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Index I
- I
- Ibero-
- ice
- iced
- icono-
- ideal
- ideo-
- idioms: blue-sky
- idioms: get your ducks in a row
- idioms: hat trick
- idioms: in a jiffy
- idioms: pushing the envelope
- i.e.
- if
- if and when
- if I was
- if I were
- if not
- igni-
- ignitable
- ignitible
- il-
- Île-à-la-Crosse
- Îles-de-la-Madeleine
- illegal
- illegible
- illicit (1)
- illicit (2)
- illusion
- im-
- imbue
- immanent
- immigrate
- imminent (1)
- imminent (2)
- immune from
- immune to
- impinge on
- impinge upon
- imply
- imports
- impress by
- impress on
- impress upon
- impress with
- impulse
- in
- in-
- in accordance to
- in accordance with
- in all probability
- inasmuch as
- incapable
- incapable of
- incidence
- incidents
- include
- inclusive
- inclusively
- in conjunction with
- in connection with
- in consequence
- in contrast to
- inculcate
- indefinite pronouns
- indexes: abbreviations and other reference tools
- indexes: alphabetical arrangement
- indexes: blind references
- indexes: capitalization
- indexes: choice of terms
- indexes: combined entries
- indexes: complex entry
- indexes: continued headings
- indexes: cross-references
- indexes: "dangling" entries
- indexes: definition
- indexes: double posting
- indexes: entry versus subentry
- indexes: geographical names
- indexes: government departments and agencies
- indexes: homonyms
- indexes: length
- indexes: listing of subentries
- indexes: newspapers and periodicals
- indexes: personal names
- indexes: referenced material
- indexes: scientific names
- indexes: scope and complexity
- indexes: simple entry
- indexes: syntax of heading
- indifferent to
- indifferent toward(s)
- indirect objects
- indiscriminate
- indispensable for
- indispensable to
- individual
- Indo-
- inequity
- in excess of
- in fact
- infer
- infest
- infested by
- infested with
- infinitive
- infinitive phrase
- inflammable
- influenza
- inform (1)
- inform (2)
- infra-
- infringe
- infringe on
- infringe upon
- infuse
- ingenious
- ingenuous
- ingratiate
- iniquity
- initiative
- initiative (on one’s own)
- innovation
- in preference to
- in proximity to
- in receipt of
- in regard to
- insanitary
- inside of
- insight about
- insight as to
- insight into
- insight regarding
- insinuate
- insinuate into
- insofar as
- in spite of the fact that
- instil
- instill
- insure
- integrate
- integrate into
- integrate with
- intense
- intensive
- intensive pronouns
- inter
- inter-
- intercede for
- intercede on behalf of
- intercede with
- interjections
- interment
- intern
- internecine
- internet
- Internet (1)
- Internet (2)
- internment
- internship
- in the absence of
- in the amount of
- in the circumstances
- in the event that
- in the near future
- in the neighbourhood of
- in the order of
- in the sum of
- in the wake of
- into
- into effect
- intra-
- intranet
- intro-
- Inuit
- Inuk (Linguistic recommendation from the Translation Bureau)
- inukshuk
- inukshuks
- inuksuit
- inuksuk
- invalid
- invest
- invested as
- invest in
- invest with
- in view of the fact that
- invigorating
- in virtue of
- Iqaluit
- Iqalummiuq
- Iqalummiut
- ir-
- Iranian
- irregardless
- irrespective
- italics: emphasis
- italics: French and foreign words
- italics: identifying matter
- italics: introduction
- italics: legal references
- italics: letters and words cited
- italics: mathematical and scientific material
- italics: modes of transportation
- italics: peripheral matter
- italics: titles of works
- its
- it’s
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Search and Functionalities Area
infinitive, infinitive phrase
An infinitive is a type of verbal—a verb form that looks like a verb but does not act as the verb in a sentence.
An infinitive is the basic form of a verb, usually with to in front of it: to go, to stay, to be. Infinitives act as nouns, adjectives or adverbs:
- Larissa wants to leave. [noun, object of verb wants]
- I can show you the way to go. [adjective modifying noun way]
- To exit, please turn to your left. [adverb modifying verb turn]
An infinitive phrase is an infinitive with attached words. Because an infinitive is formed from a verb, it retains some of the properties of a verb, so it can take an object:
- Larissa wants to leave the concert. [infinitive to leave + object the concert]
Like a verb, an infinitive can also be modified by an adverb or a prepositional phrase:
- To exit quickly, please turn to your left. [infinitive to exit + adverb quickly]
- I can show you the way to reach the exit from here. [infinitive to reach + object the exit + prepositional phrase from here]
In the above examples, to leave the concert, to exit quickly and to reach the exit from here are all infinitive phrases.
Infinitive phrases may have their own subjects. The subject of an infinitive phrase is in the object form:
- Yuri helped him to count the money.
- Alison allowed me to drive her Porsche.
Sometimes the word to is left out:
- Yuri helped him count the money.
- Alison let me drive her Porsche.
An infinitive without to is called a bare infinitive.
Other infinitive forms
We can change the form of the infinitive to show different times:
- An avid skier, Roberta appeared to be praying for snow. [Ongoing action at the same time: She was praying when the speaker saw her.]
- Marty seems to have forgotten his wallet. [Completed action at an earlier time: He forgot it before this comment was made.]
- The tenant is thought to have been cooking at the time of the fire. [Ongoing action at an earlier time: The tenant was in the process of cooking when the fire broke out, as the investigators now believe.]
Infinitives can also be used in the passive voice:
- The roof needs to be repaired as soon as possible.
- This man claims to have been abducted by aliens.
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