English Language Arts
Grade 7
15 min
Identify infinitives and infinitive phrases
Identify infinitives and infinitive phrases
What you'll learn
- Identify infinitives within complex sentences with 80% accuracy.
- Differentiate between infinitives used as nouns, adjectives, and adverbs in a variety of sentence structures.
- Construct five original sentences, each containing a correctly punctuated and grammatically sound infinitive phrase, demonstrating understanding of its function within the sentence.
- Analyze the impact of using infinitive phrases on sentence variety and stylistic effectiveness in excerpts from professional writing.
Tutorial Preview
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Introduction & Learning Objectives
Learning Objectives
Define an infinitive and an infinitive phrase.
Distinguish infinitives from prepositional phrases beginning with 'to'.
Identify infinitives and infinitive phrases within sentences.
Explain how an infinitive phrase can function as an adjective.
Explain how an infinitive phrase can function as an adverb.
Correctly identify the full extent of an infinitive phrase, including its modifiers and objects.
Ever wonder how writers add extra detail and purpose to their sentences without using a whole new clause? 🤔 Get ready to unlock the secret power of infinitives!
In this lesson, you'll learn to spot infinitives and the longer phrases they create. Understanding these versatile verb forms will not only improve your grammar but also help you analyze...
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Key Concepts & Vocabulary
TermDefinitionExample
InfinitiveAn infinitive is the base form of a verb, usually preceded by the word 'to'. It acts as a noun, adjective, or adverb, but never as the main verb of a sentence.to run, to sing, to think
Infinitive PhraseAn infinitive phrase consists of an infinitive (to + base verb) along with any modifiers (adverbs) or objects that complete its meaning.to run quickly, to sing a beautiful song, to think deeply about the problem
Base Form of a VerbThe base form of a verb is the simplest form of the verb, without any endings like -s, -ed, or -ing. It's the form you'd find in a dictionary.go (not goes, going, went), eat (not eats, eating, ate)
Adjectival Infinitive PhraseAn infinitive phrase that functions like an adjective, modifying a noun or pronoun. It a...
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Key Rules & Conventions
Infinitive Structure Rule
An infinitive is always formed by 'to' + the base form of a verb.
To identify an infinitive, look for the word 'to' immediately followed by a verb that has no -s, -ed, or -ing endings. If it's not a base verb, it's not an infinitive.
Infinitive Phrase Identification Rule
An infinitive phrase includes the infinitive itself and all words that modify it or act as its object.
Once you find the 'to + base verb', look for any adverbs that describe the verb or any nouns/pronouns that receive the action of the verb. These words are part of the infinitive phrase.
Adjectival Function Rule
An infinitive phrase functions as an adjective when it modifies a noun or pronoun, usually directly following it.
If the infi...
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Challenging
Which of the following sentences contains an infinitive phrase that functions as an adjective?
A.He was happy to help with the project.
B.The coach gave him a play to memorize.
C.To succeed requires dedication and effort.
D.They traveled a long way to see the concert.
Challenging
In which sentence does an infinitive phrase function as an adverb modifying an adjective?
A.She has the ability to lead the team.
B.He ran to catch the bus.
C.To argue is pointless sometimes.
D.This math problem is difficult to solve.
Challenging
Analyze the sentence: 'The only way to learn the new software is to practice using it every day.' What are the functions of the two infinitive phrases?
A.The first is an adjective; the second is a noun.
B.The first is an adverb; the second is an adjective.
C.Both are adjectives.
D.Both are nouns.
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Frequently asked questions
What grade level is "Identify infinitives and infinitive phrases"?
Identify infinitives and infinitive phrases is a Grade 7 English Language Arts lesson on ExcelOS.
What will I learn in Identify infinitives and infinitive phrases?
You'll be able to: Identify infinitives within complex sentences with 80% accuracy; Differentiate between infinitives used as nouns, adjectives, and adverbs in a variety of sentence structures; Construct five original sentences, each containing a….
Is "Identify infinitives and infinitive phrases" free to practice?
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How many practice questions are included with Identify infinitives and infinitive phrases?
This lesson includes 25 practice questions across multiple difficulty levels, each with instant feedback and explanations.