313. An infinitive may be modified by an adverb, an adverbial phrase, or an adverbial clause.
- To write legibly is a valuable accomplishment.
- It would be useless to search longer.
- They allowed him to go in peace. [Adverbial phrase.]
- To dive among those weeds would be folly.
- Theodore promises to come when I send for him. [Adverbial clause.]
No modifier should be inserted between to and the infinitive.
- I beg you to inquire carefully into this matter. [Not: to carefully inquire.]
- Mr. Harris moved to postpone the question indefinitely. [Not: to indefinitely postpone.]
- I expect always to be poor. [Not: to always be poor.]
Note. Careless writers pay slight attention to this rule, and some good writers and speakers defy it, hoping to break it down. But it is unquestionably still in accord with the best usage.
314. The infinitive may take an object if its meaning allows.
- I long to visit Italy.
- My mother feared to enter the house.
- To launch a boat was impossible.
- To grant your request is a pleasure.
- To give him money is useless. [Money is the direct object of to give, and him the indirect object.]
315. The infinitive is used in a variety of constructions,—(1) as a noun, (2) as an adjective modifier or adverbial modifier, (3) in the so-called infinitive clause.
I. THE INFINITIVE AS NOUN
316. The infinitive is used in various noun constructions,—as subject, as predicate nominative, as nominative of exclamation, as appositive, as object of certain prepositions, as modifier.