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Infinitive vs Preposition - What's the difference?

infinitive | preposition |

In grammar terms the difference between infinitive and preposition

is that infinitive is formed with the infinitive while preposition is any of a closed class of non-inflecting words typically employed to connect a noun or a pronoun, in an adjectival or adverbial sense, with some other word: a particle used with a noun or pronoun (in English always in the objective case) to make a phrase limiting some other word.

As an adjective infinitive

is formed with the infinitive.

As a verb preposition is

to place in a location before some other event occurs.

infinitive

Noun

(en noun)
  • (grammar) A non-finite verb form considered neutral with respect to inflection; depending on language variously found used with auxilary verbs, in subordinate clauses, or acting as a gerund, and often as the dictionary form.
  • (grammar) A verbal noun formed from the infinitive of a verb.
  • See also

    * gerund * supine * verb

    Adjective

    (-)
  • (grammar) Formed with the infinitive.
  • Unlimited; not bounded or restricted; undefined.
  • * Cunningham's Sermons (quoted in 1823 , The Edinburgh Christian Instructor , volume 23, page 328)
  • ----

    preposition

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) praepositio'', from ''praeponere'' (to place before); ''prae'' (before) + ''ponere'' (to put, place); compare French ''''. (See position, and compare provost.) So called because it is usually placed before the word with which it is phrased, as in .

    Alternative forms

    * (archaic)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (grammar) Any of a closed class of non-inflecting words typically employed to connect a noun or a pronoun, in an adjectival]] or [[adverb, adverbial sense, with some other word: a particle used with a noun or pronoun (in English always in the objective case) to make a phrase limiting some other word.
  • *
  • And in (121) below, we see that when a wh-NP is used as the Object of a Preposition , the whole Prepositional Phrase can undergo WH MOVEMENT:
    (121) (a)      [To whom''] can I send this letter —?
    (121) (b)      [''About what''] are they quarrelling —?
    (121) (c)      [''In which book
    ] did you read about it —?
  • (obsolete) A proposition; an exposition; a discourse.
  • * (rfdate),
  • He made a long preposition and oration.
    Hypernyms
    * adposition
    Coordinate terms
    * circumposition * postposition
    Derived terms
    * preposition of time * preposition of place * prepositional * prepositionally * prepositional phrase

    See also

    * preverb

    Etymology 2

    From pre- + position

    Alternative forms

    * pre-position

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To place in a location before some other event occurs.
  • It is important to preposition the material before turning on the machine.
    English heteronyms ----