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Pick out the infinitive from the following sentence.
I just had to do it.

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Last updated date: 20th Sep 2024
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Answer
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Hint: To broadly define a clause, it refers to a group of words that contain a subject and verb, thereby able to function as an adjective, adverb or noun. The two types of clauses in a sentence are the main clause and the subordinate clause. Infinitives function as a noun, adverb or adjective so that they can express some idea. When an infinitive (a verb that expresses emotions, opinion and provides answers to the question what, why and how), is added in the subordinate, it automatically becomes the main clause with a defined purpose. For example, to read, to learn, to run, to jump and so on.

Complete answer:
Here, the verb is do and the word “to” makes the verb infinitive and focuses the attention of the sentence onto the given part. The sentence refers to the urgency of the matter that the person just had to complete it.
Infinitives are classified under non-finite verbs, which also include gerunds and participles. In the case of infinitive, it is “to + first form of the verb”, while in gerunds, it is “first form of the verb + -ing” (which functions as a noun) and participles use both the first and third form of the verb ( the first form with –ing).
Hence, the infinitive here is “to do”.

Note: Infinitives are often used to bring the attention of the reader to the main part of the sentence in hand, here it can only be, “to do”.