Cover Page of
The Mayfield Handbook of Technical & Scientific Writing
Table of ContentsWriting TimelineIndexHelpCredits

Section 11.3.6.1

Infinitives

The infinitive is a nonfinite verb that consists of the infinitive marker to followed by the base form of the verb.


When NASA first organized the Viking Lander missions to Mars, one of the most vexing problems its scientists faced was devising and agreeing upon tests to detect life.

--Kai Wu, "Artificial Life," SciTech Magazine


The infinitive functions in the following ways:

Avoid splitting an infinitive by placing an intervening word between the infinitive marker to and the verb unless any other placement of the intervening word would sound awkward.


Weak

In the late 1940's von Neumann foreshadowed the discovery of DNA in stating that any organism had to most definitely have the instructions dictating its behavior and reproduction, along with a copy in some form of those same instructions passed on to descendants.

Improved

In the late 1940's von Neumann foreshadowed the discovery of DNA in stating that any organism most definitely had to have the instructions dictating its behavior and reproduction, along with a copy in some form of those same instructions passed on to descendants.

--Kai Wu, "Artificial Life," SciTech Magazine (modified)

Weak

One of the people willing rigorously to study cellular automata phenomena was Stephen Wolfram, creator of the now famous Mathematica program.

Improved

One of the people willing to rigorously study cellular automata phenomena was Stephen Wolfram, creator of the now famous Mathematica program.

--Kai Wu, "Artificial Life," SciTech Magazine


You can emphasize that the action described by the infinitive occurred in the past or was completed by adding the auxiliary have after the infinitive marker to.


The reaction appears to have finished already.

Reference Link Text
## Infinitives ##
Reference Link Text

[ Home | Table of Contents | Writing Timeline | Index | Help | Credits]