The infinitive consists of to plus a
verb: to read, to write,
to "talk story".
An infinitive phrase that stands alone creates a fragment.
Islanders to "talk story" about some
of their favorite pastimes.
An infinitive phrase will not be a fragment if a helping verb is added to it.
When he started to eat a mango and some of the ripe fruit splatted onto the sleeve of his shirt, the
writer, Tom Stevens, started to think about the best way to eat one.
An infinitive phrase will not be a fragment if it is added onto a main clause.
To eat a mango properly, you should
be standing in the shallow waters of the Pacific Ocean.
An infinitive can serve as an adjective or noun modifier.
Mangos to die for grow bountifully
in the summer with its sundrenched days.
An infinitive or an infinitive phrase can also act as a subject.
Example:
To see the colors of sunset on the
skin of an unpeeled mango can be done in Lahaina because of the extra sunsets you get on the west side of the island
according to Tom.
Example:
Example:
Example:
Example: