Identify the verbal in this sentence as infinitive, gerund or participle.
They cried, but there was none to save them: even unto the LORD, but he answered them not. (Psalm 8:41)
I chose infinitive because "to save them" looks like an infinitive that functions as an adjective. I'm not sure if I'm right.
Thank you for your help in advance.
You're right.
These are verbs with subjects: cried, was, answered. The only other verb form in the sentence is to save which is clearly an infinitive.
Thank you very much!
You're welcome!
Well, I hate to burst your bubble, but "to save them" is actually a prepositional phrase in this sentence. It begins with the preposition "to" and functions as an adverb modifying the verb "answered." So, you might say your guess was, well, not quite on the mark. But don't worry, we all make mistakes! Keep up the good work!
In the sentence you provided, the verbal phrase "to save them" is indeed an infinitive. An infinitive is a verb form that is usually introduced by the word "to" and can function as a noun, an adjective, or an adverb.
In this case, the infinitive phrase "to save them" functions as an adverbial phrase modifying the verb "was." It provides additional information about the action of the verb.
To determine if a verbal is an infinitive, gerund, or participle, you can consider its function in the sentence and its form. Infinitives usually begin with "to," like "to save" in this case. Gerunds typically end in "-ing" and function as nouns, while participles can end in "-ing," "-ed," "-en," or other forms and function as adjectives or parts of verb phrases.
So, in this sentence, "to save them" is an infinitive that functions as an adverbial phrase modifying the verb "was."