Here's a breakdown of why it's a bit misleading:
* Infinitives are not tenses: They don't indicate a specific time like past, present, or future.
* Infinitives express potential action: They describe the verb in its simplest form, without indicating whether it's happening now, happened in the past, or will happen in the future.
Examples:
* to run
* to sing
* to eat
How infinitives are used:
* As the subject of a sentence: "To travel is my dream."
* As the object of a verb: "I want to learn French."
* After certain verbs: "I like to read."
* After adjectives: "I'm happy to see you."
* In phrases expressing purpose: "I went to the store to buy groceries."
In conclusion: While you might hear someone say "present infinitive," it's important to remember that infinitives are simply the base form of a verb and don't express tense.