 To leave the party quietly Adverb modifying “to leave”
1. What is an Infinitive Phrase?
An infinitive phrase is a group of words that uses an
infinitive (“to” + verb). An infinitive is a verbal (a word
that expresses action); so, an infinitive phrase has the
same role of expressing action in a sentence.
2. Examples
Here are some examples off infinitive phrases, both on
their own and as part of full sentences:
 To plant a garden
 To go on vacation
 I told the dog to run home quickly
 I want to eat pizza for dinner
3. Parts of Infinitive Phrases
Infinitive phrases begin with an infinitive, and sometimes
include modifiers and/or objects that make the phrase
more descriptive.
a. Infinitives
The main, most essential part of an infinitive phrase is
an infinitive. So, what’s an infinitive? Quite simply, it’s
the word “to” plus the base form of a verb, like these:
 To study (to + study)
 To play (to + play)
 To leave (to + leave)
 To eat (to + eat)
Infinitives are verbal words expressing action, and
shouldn’t be confused with a prepositional phrase that
begins with “to” (to + noun or pronoun).
b. Objects
An object is the word (a noun or a pronoun) affected by
the verb in a sentence. So, in an infinitive phrase, it’s the
word being affected by the infinitive. Here are some
examples of objects in infinitive phrases:
 To study math
 To play guitar
 To leave the party
 To eat a sandwich
c. Modifiers
A modifier is an adjective or adverb that alters other
words in a sentence, making it more descriptive.
Infinitive phrases often include modifiers; here are some
examples:
 To study advanced math Adjective modifying “math”
 To eat a giant sandwich Adjective modifying “sandwich”
 To play guitar beautifully Adverb modifying “to play”
3. Types of Infinitive Phrases
Infinitive phrases are always easy to spot because they
begin with “to.” In a sentence, they can work like nouns,
adjectives, or adverbs.
a. Infinitive Phrase as a Noun
When an infinitive phrase works like a noun, it answers
the question “what?” So, the infinitive phrase will be the
subject, which does the verb; or an object, which
receives the action of the verb. Here are some
examples:
 I don’t want to study for my test. What don’t you want?
(Object)
 He needs to ace the exam. What does he need? (Object)
 To get good grades is my goal. What is the goal? (Subject)
 His job was to tutor me in math. What was his job?
(Object)
b. Infinitive Phrase as an Adjective
When an infinitive phrase acts like an adjective in a
sentence, it describes a noun or a pronoun. So, that
means it will describe a subject or an object. Here are
some examples:
 I want a tutor to help me study. Describes the tutor
 I need a magazine to read on the train. Describes the
magazine
 There is a basket to put your exam in. Describes the basket
 I wish I had a friend to study with me. Describes the friend
c. Infinitive Phrase as an Adverb
When an infinitive phrase works like an adverb, it
modifies the verb in a sentence. Adverbs answer
questions like where, when, why, how, and for what
reason/purpose, so, as an adverb, the infinitive will
answer the same questions.
 I went home to study for math. Why did you go home?
 He sat down to take the exam. For what reason did he
sit down?
 To get into college, you need good grades. Why do you
need good grades?
 To ace the exam, I studied for hours. For what purpose did
you study?