INFINITE /INFINITIVE VERBS

NEW POST FROM V.MAHENDIRAN THE DIRECTOR - MIMSE GLOBAL ENGLISH NAGAPATTINAM
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INFINITE /INFINITIVE VERBS
[WRITTEN BY V.MAHENDIRAN]

What is an infinitive?

Merely saying, it’s known as endless. Not known yet whether it happened or not; there is no certainty of the event about what we speak.
“I went to Chennai to attend an Interview”
There are two events here, aren’t they? One is “Went”, another one is “Attend”.
“Went” is absolutely known as that has happened but not “Attend”, isn’t it? Whether the speaker has attended or not is not expressed here. So that “Went” is a finite verb and “Attend” is an infinite verb. Likely infinite verb is called infinitive verb.
Infinite verb is always placed secondly in a sentence. For being two verbs in this case, it is not a complex sentence. Just should be called a simple sentence unless another one finite is carried in a subordinate clause.

Let’s come to the sentence seen above. It is a simple sentence made in simple past tense but carrying an infinite verb that’s all. Likewise an infinite can be put in any tense of finite verb. But infinite shall not change its spot.
“I go to Chennai to attend an interview” Simple present tense
“I have gone to Chennai to attend an interview” Present perfect tense
“I am going to Chennai to attend an interview” Present continuous tense
“I had gone to Chennai to attend an interview” Past perfect tense
“I will go to Chennai to attend an interview” Future tense
[TENSE IS DETERMINED BASED ON THE FINITE VERB HERE, SEE, THE SAME INFINITE APPEARS.]

Are there any categories in infinite verb?
Yes, there are four types such as
1. SIMPLE INFINITE
2. PERFECT INFINITE
3. CONTINUOUS INFINITE
4. PERFECT CONTINUOUS INFINITE

Shall we activate different infinites in the same tense, I mean the tense- simple past? See what you know the difference.
“I went to Chennai to attend an Interview”
“I went to Chennai to have attended an Interview”
“I went to Chennai to be attending an Interview”
“I went to Chennai to have been attending an Interview”
[SIMPLE PAST TENSE IS CARRYING ALL CATEGORIES OF INFINITES.]

Category is not a matter but that is only infinite. But the meaning varies a bit.
The first one is just simple, the preposition “to” is followed
In the second, “to have” is followed by infinite. Meaning..? Infinite action is pledged more.
In the third, “to be” is followed; infinite is given importance to the duration of the action of the infinite action.
In the fourth, a long continual action is expressed in the infinite section.
[HOWEVER, FINITE IS SIMPLE PAST TENSE.]

By the way seen above, any category of infinite can be put in any tense of finite. That is the conclusion of this aspect.

Note: The prepositions followed by infinite shall be absent if some verbs, like SEE, HEAR, LET, MAKE are in finite section. Only that strategy is called BARE INFINITIVES.

We will see deeply about bare infinitive at another occasion.

Thanks.
V.MAHENDIRAN
FOUNDER MIMSE GLOBAL ENGLISH NAGAPATTINAM
VISITING FACILITATOR IN SOFT SKILLS AND COMMUNICATIVE ENGLISH
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