Exercise 17: Infinitive Phrase worksheet - Free Printable
Educational worksheet: Exercise 17: Infinitive Phrase worksheet. Download and print for classroom or home learning activities.
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Step-by-step solution for: Exercise 17: Infinitive Phrase worksheet
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Step-by-step solution for: Exercise 17: Infinitive Phrase worksheet
The task in the image is Exercise 17: Infinitive Phrase, which asks students to identify and underline the infinitive phrase in each sentence. An infinitive phrase typically starts with "to" followed by a verb (e.g., *to finish*, *to help*, *to get*), and it can function as a noun, adjective, or adverb in a sentence.
Let’s go through each sentence and identify the infinitive phrase.
---
- Infinitive phrase: *To finish her report without killing her roommate*
- This acts as the subject of the sentence.
- ✔ Answer: To finish her report without killing her roommate
---
- Infinitive phrase: *to help people*
- It modifies "desire" — it tells us what the desire is about.
- ✔ Answer: to help people
---
- Infinitive phrase: *To get through Dr. Thomas’ monotonous lectures*
- This functions as an adverbial phrase, showing why Rick drinks espresso.
- ✔ Answer: To get through Dr. Thomas’ monotonous lectures
---
- There is no infinitive phrase here. The sentence contains "to be", but it's part of a subordinate clause ("whether it wants to be...") and not functioning as an infinitive phrase acting as a noun/adjective/adverb independently.
- However, "to be" is part of the infinitive form, but it's embedded in a clause.
- But since the instruction is to find the infinitive phrase, we look for one that stands alone or clearly functions as such.
- In this case, there is no standalone infinitive phrase.
- ✔ Answer: No infinitive phrase (or none)
> ⚠️ Note: Some might argue that "to be part of..." is an infinitive phrase, but it's within a conditional clause. Still, grammatically, "to be part of the problem" and "to be part of the solution" are infinitive phrases used as objects of "wants".
>
> So, better answer: to be part of the problem or to be part of the solution
> But since both are parallel, perhaps list both:
>
> ✔ Answer: to be part of the problem, or to be part of the solution
---
- Infinitive phrase: *To avoid burning his mom’s skirt*
- Functions as an adverbial phrase explaining why Tom put out the candle.
- ✔ Answer: To avoid burning his mom’s skirt
---
- Infinitive phrase: *To tour Italy with my boyfriend*
- Acts as the subject of the sentence.
- ✔ Answer: To tour Italy with my boyfriend
---
- Infinitive phrase: *to wear a red shirt*
- Modifies "decision" — tells what the decision was.
- ✔ Answer: to wear a red shirt
---
- Infinitive phrase: *to solve the problem*
- Modifies "way" — tells what kind of way.
- ✔ Answer: to solve the problem
---
- Infinitive phrase: *to vote for a colored man*
- Functions as the object of "willing".
- ✔ Answer: to vote for a colored man
---
- Infinitive phrase: *to buy their idols’ copyright CDs*
- Object of "want".
- ✔ Answer: to buy their idols’ copyright CDs
---
## ✔ Final Answers:
1. To finish her report without killing her roommate
2. to help people
3. To get through Dr. Thomas’ monotonous lectures
4. to be part of the problem, or to be part of the solution
5. To avoid burning his mom’s skirt
6. To tour Italy with my boyfriend
7. to wear a red shirt
8. to solve the problem
9. to vote for a colored man
10. to buy their idols’ copyright CDs
---
An infinitive phrase consists of "to" + verb, often with modifiers or objects. It can act as:
- Subject (e.g., "To finish..." is Mary's goal)
- Object (e.g., "She wants to go")
- Adjective (e.g., "a book to read")
- Adverb (e.g., "He studied to pass")
In these sentences, most infinitive phrases are either subjects, objects, or adverbs indicating purpose.
Let me know if you'd like this exercise formatted for printing or with explanations for each!
Let’s go through each sentence and identify the infinitive phrase.
---
1. To finish her report without killing her roommate, Jenny, is Mary’s only goal.
- Infinitive phrase: *To finish her report without killing her roommate*
- This acts as the subject of the sentence.
- ✔ Answer: To finish her report without killing her roommate
---
2. Karen’s desire to help people led to her career in medicine.
- Infinitive phrase: *to help people*
- It modifies "desire" — it tells us what the desire is about.
- ✔ Answer: to help people
---
3. To get through Dr. Thomas’ monotonous lectures, Rick drinks a double espresso before class.
- Infinitive phrase: *To get through Dr. Thomas’ monotonous lectures*
- This functions as an adverbial phrase, showing why Rick drinks espresso.
- ✔ Answer: To get through Dr. Thomas’ monotonous lectures
---
4. The Court must decide whether it wants to be part of the problem, or part of the solution.
- There is no infinitive phrase here. The sentence contains "to be", but it's part of a subordinate clause ("whether it wants to be...") and not functioning as an infinitive phrase acting as a noun/adjective/adverb independently.
- However, "to be" is part of the infinitive form, but it's embedded in a clause.
- But since the instruction is to find the infinitive phrase, we look for one that stands alone or clearly functions as such.
- In this case, there is no standalone infinitive phrase.
- ✔ Answer: No infinitive phrase (or none)
> ⚠️ Note: Some might argue that "to be part of..." is an infinitive phrase, but it's within a conditional clause. Still, grammatically, "to be part of the problem" and "to be part of the solution" are infinitive phrases used as objects of "wants".
>
> So, better answer: to be part of the problem or to be part of the solution
> But since both are parallel, perhaps list both:
>
> ✔ Answer: to be part of the problem, or to be part of the solution
---
5. To avoid burning his mom’s skirt, Tom put out the candle.
- Infinitive phrase: *To avoid burning his mom’s skirt*
- Functions as an adverbial phrase explaining why Tom put out the candle.
- ✔ Answer: To avoid burning his mom’s skirt
---
6. To tour Italy with my boyfriend is my dream.
- Infinitive phrase: *To tour Italy with my boyfriend*
- Acts as the subject of the sentence.
- ✔ Answer: To tour Italy with my boyfriend
---
7. My simple decision to wear a red shirt caused controversy.
- Infinitive phrase: *to wear a red shirt*
- Modifies "decision" — tells what the decision was.
- ✔ Answer: to wear a red shirt
---
8. The teacher suggested to them a way to solve the problem.
- Infinitive phrase: *to solve the problem*
- Modifies "way" — tells what kind of way.
- ✔ Answer: to solve the problem
---
9. Many Americans are willing to vote for a colored man, provided that he is a good politician.
- Infinitive phrase: *to vote for a colored man*
- Functions as the object of "willing".
- ✔ Answer: to vote for a colored man
---
10. In Thailand, even fans do not want to buy their idols’ copyright CDs.
- Infinitive phrase: *to buy their idols’ copyright CDs*
- Object of "want".
- ✔ Answer: to buy their idols’ copyright CDs
---
## ✔ Final Answers:
1. To finish her report without killing her roommate
2. to help people
3. To get through Dr. Thomas’ monotonous lectures
4. to be part of the problem, or to be part of the solution
5. To avoid burning his mom’s skirt
6. To tour Italy with my boyfriend
7. to wear a red shirt
8. to solve the problem
9. to vote for a colored man
10. to buy their idols’ copyright CDs
---
📌 Explanation:
An infinitive phrase consists of "to" + verb, often with modifiers or objects. It can act as:
- Subject (e.g., "To finish..." is Mary's goal)
- Object (e.g., "She wants to go")
- Adjective (e.g., "a book to read")
- Adverb (e.g., "He studied to pass")
In these sentences, most infinitive phrases are either subjects, objects, or adverbs indicating purpose.
Let me know if you'd like this exercise formatted for printing or with explanations for each!
Parent Tip: Review the logic above to help your child master the concept of infinitive phrase worksheet.
