What is a Complementary Infinitive?
The complementary infinitive is a grammatical construction that is used to express the purpose or reason for an action. It is often found in sentences where the main verb is followed by an infinitive phrase, which consists of the word “to” followed by a verb in its base form. This construction is particularly useful for providing additional information about the action being described, and it can be found in a variety of contexts, from everyday conversation to formal writing.
In a complementary infinitive construction, the infinitive phrase serves as an adjective or an adverb, and it provides additional information about the main verb. For example, consider the sentence: “She went to the store to buy some groceries.” In this sentence, the infinitive phrase “to buy some groceries” is a complementary infinitive that explains the purpose of her going to the store. The phrase is not essential to the meaning of the sentence, but it adds context and clarity to the action being described.
There are two main types of complementary infinitives: those that function as adjectives and those that function as adverbs.
Adjective Complementary Infinitives:
Adjective complementary infinitives are used to describe the nature or quality of the action. They often appear after verbs that express emotions, desires, or intentions. For instance, in the sentence “He is eager to leave,” the infinitive phrase “to leave” is an adjective complementary infinitive that describes the nature of his eagerness.
Adverb Complementary Infinitives:
Adverb complementary infinitives provide additional information about the manner, reason, or time of the action. They are commonly found after verbs that describe actions, experiences, or states. For example, in the sentence “She danced gracefully to the music,” the infinitive phrase “to the music” is an adverb complementary infinitive that explains how she danced.
It is important to note that the complementary infinitive must be in its base form (without any endings like -ing, -ed, or -en) and must be preceded by the word “to.” Additionally, the complementary infinitive cannot be separated from the main verb by any other words.
In conclusion, a complementary infinitive is a grammatical construction that provides additional information about the purpose or reason for an action. By understanding how to use adjective and adverb complementary infinitives, writers and speakers can enhance the clarity and expressiveness of their language.
