Infinitives and Participles

🎭 Verbals: The Shape-Shifters of Grammar

The Magic of Word Transformation

Imagine you have a superhero action figure. Now imagine that same figure can transform into a tool, a helper, or even describe something! That’s exactly what verbals do. They start as verbs (action words) but transform into something completely different.

Think of it like Play-Doh. You start with the same dough, but you can shape it into a snake, a ball, or a star. Verbals are verbs shaped into new forms!

🌟 Part 1: Infinitives — The “TO” Team

What Are Infinitives?

An infinitive is the basic, unchanged form of a verb with the word “to” in front of it.

Think of it like this: The infinitive is like a verb wearing a cape that says “TO” on it!

Examples:

• to run
• to eat
• to dream
• to laugh

1️⃣ Full Infinitive Form

The full infinitive is the complete package: “to” + verb.

graph TD
    A["TO + VERB"] --> B["to eat"]
    A --> C["to sleep"]
    A --> D["to dance"]
    A --> E["to think"]

Examples in sentences:

• I want to learn new things.
• She loves to sing in the shower.
• They decided to stay home.

💡 Remember: Full infinitive = “to” + verb = complete superhero costume!

2️⃣ Bare Infinitive

The bare infinitive is the verb without “to” — like a superhero without the cape!

When do we use it?

After these special helper verbs:

• can, could, may, might, must, shall, should, will, would

Examples:

• I can swim. (NOT: I can to swim)
• She must leave now.
• They will arrive soon.
• He should study harder.

Also after let, make, help:

• Let me go!
• Mom made me clean my room.
• I’ll help you carry those bags.

⚠️ Watch out! After “make” and “let,” always use bare infinitive!

3️⃣ Infinitive of Purpose

This tells us WHY someone does something. It answers the question “Why?”

Think of it like this: It’s the reason behind the action!

Examples:

• I went to the store to buy milk. (Why did I go? To buy milk!)
• She studies hard to get good grades.
• He exercises to stay healthy.
• They saved money to travel the world.

graph TD
    A["ACTION"] --> B["PURPOSE"]
    C["I went to the gym"] --> D["to get strong"]
    E["She woke up early"] --> F["to catch the bus"]

💡 Quick test: Can you replace it with “in order to”? If yes, it’s an infinitive of purpose!

• I exercise to stay fit = I exercise in order to stay fit ✓

4️⃣ Verbs Followed by Infinitives

Some verbs are best friends with infinitives. They always want infinitives after them!

The Infinitive Fan Club:

More examples:

• I expect to finish by noon.
• She seems to understand the problem.
• They pretend to be asleep.

5️⃣ Adjectives with Infinitives

Some adjectives love to hang out with infinitives too!

Pattern: It’s + adjective + to + verb

Examples:

• It’s easy to learn this song.
• It’s hard to believe he’s only 10!
• It’s nice to meet you.
• It’s important to listen carefully.

Also after feelings:

• I’m happy to help you.
• She’s excited to start school.
• We’re ready to go.
• He’s afraid to fly.

graph TD
    A["ADJECTIVE + TO + VERB"]
    B["happy to help"]
    C["ready to learn"]
    D["eager to begin"]
    A --> B
    A --> C
    A --> D

🔥 Part 2: Participles — The Verb-Adjective Hybrids

What Are Participles?

Participles are verb forms that act like adjectives. They describe nouns!

Think of it like this: Participles are verbs that decided to become descriptors!

There are two types:

1. Present participle: verb + -ing
2. Past participle: verb + -ed (or irregular form)

6️⃣ Present Participle Forms

The present participle is formed by adding -ing to the verb.

How to form it:

• walk → walking
• run → running (double the consonant!)
• dance → dancing (drop the ‘e’!)
• lie → lying (change ‘ie’ to ‘y’)

Used to describe ongoing actions or states:

Examples in sentences:

• The barking dog woke me up.
• I saw a flying bird.
• The crying child needed a hug.
• Look at that shining star!

💡 Remember: Present participles describe something that IS happening or a quality something HAS.

7️⃣ Past Participle Forms

The past participle is usually formed by adding -ed to regular verbs, but irregular verbs have special forms!

Regular verbs:

• walk → walked
• play → played
• cook → cooked

Irregular verbs (memorize these!):

Used to describe completed states:

• a broken window (someone broke it before)
• cooked vegetables (they were cooked)
• a written letter (someone wrote it)
• fallen leaves (they have fallen)

Examples in sentences:

• The stolen car was found.
• I love fried chicken.
• The excited children opened their gifts.
• She wore a torn dress.

💡 Remember: Past participles describe something that WAS done or a completed state!

8️⃣ Participle Clauses

A participle clause is a group of words that starts with a participle and gives extra information about the main clause.

Think of it like this: It’s a shortcut! Instead of using two sentences, you combine them into one!

Present Participle Clauses:

Long way:

• The boy was sitting in the corner. He was reading a book.

Shortcut:

• Sitting in the corner, the boy was reading a book.

More examples:

• Walking home, I saw a rainbow.
• Feeling tired, she went to bed early.
• Not knowing the answer, he guessed.

Past Participle Clauses:

Long way:

• The house was built in 1900. It is now a museum.

Shortcut:

• Built in 1900, the house is now a museum.

More examples:

• Covered in mud, the dog ran inside.
• Exhausted from work, Dad fell asleep on the couch.
• Surprised by the news, they started cheering.

graph TD
    A["Two Sentences"] --> B["Participle Clause"]
    C["She was tired. She went home."] --> D["Feeling tired, she went home."]
    E["The cake was made by mom. It was delicious."] --> F["Made by mom, the cake was delicious."]

🎯 Quick Comparison: Infinitives vs. Participles

🌈 Summary: The Transformation Family

graph TD
    A["VERBALS"] --> B["INFINITIVES"]
    A --> C["PARTICIPLES"]
    B --> D["Full: to + verb"]
    B --> E["Bare: just verb"]
    B --> F["Purpose: why we act"]
    C --> G["Present: -ing"]
    C --> H["Past: -ed/irregular"]
    C --> I["Clauses: shortcuts!"]

Remember:

• Infinitives are verbs wearing “to” capes (or going bare!)
• Participles are verbs that became adjectives
• Both help us write more interesting, varied sentences!

🚀 You’ve got this! Verbals might sound tricky, but they’re just verbs having fun and trying new roles. The more you practice, the more natural they’ll feel!

✨ One Last Thought

Every time you use a verbal, you’re making your writing more powerful and flexible. You’re not just saying things — you’re painting pictures with words!

• ❌ Boring: “The dog barked. It ran to the door.”
• ✅ Exciting: “Barking excitedly, the dog ran to the door.”

Now go forth and transform those verbs! 🎭