Example Sentences:
* "I love to sing."
* Direct object: to sing
* Explanation: The verb "love" takes a direct object, and in this case, the direct object is the infinitive phrase "to sing."
* "She wants to travel the world."
* Direct object: to travel the world
* Explanation: The verb "wants" is followed by the infinitive phrase "to travel the world" as its direct object.
* "They decided to stay home for the holidays."
* Direct object: to stay home for the holidays
* Explanation: The verb "decided" takes the infinitive phrase "to stay home for the holidays" as its direct object.
* "He promised to call back later."
* Direct object: to call back later
* Explanation: The verb "promised" is followed by the infinitive phrase "to call back later."
Identifying the Direct Object:
To identify the infinitive as a direct object, ask yourself:
* What is the verb doing?
* What is the object of that action?
If the answer to the second question is an infinitive phrase, then it's likely the direct object.
Important Notes:
* Not all verbs take infinitive phrases as direct objects. Some verbs require different grammatical structures (e.g., prepositional phrases).
* Infinitives often appear after verbs that express wanting, needing, hoping, intending, etc. These verbs typically are followed by a direct object.
Let me know if you'd like more examples or have any other questions about infinitives!