Infinitives

Question

Does there exists any Infinitive (including bare infinitive) that's not used as adjectival, adverbial, or nominal?

GPY · Accepted Answer

E.g. "I forgot to ask" or "I let go".

BillJ · Answer

anonymous
Does there exists any Infinitive (including bare infinitive) that's not used as adjectival, adverbial, or nominal?

Two preliminary points: (1) the function that you call 'adjectival' is preferably called 'modifier'; (2) infinitival clauses do not function as nominals.

A great many non-finite clauses, including infinitivals, function as complements, for example:

He intends [to buy her a new car]. [comp of verb]

We persuaded Sue to read the report. [comp of verb]

I go to the gym [in order to keep fit]. [comp of preposition]

It provides [an opportunity to broaden the mind]. [comp of noun]

Ed was [anxious to make a good impression]. [comp of adjective]

You should take legal advice. [bare infinitival as comp of modal auxiliary verb]

I don't [know whether to accept their offer]. [interrogative infinitival as comp of verb]

Those infinitivals that function as complement of a verb are most often catenative complements, as are the first two examples above.

Infinitives

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