Question

In the sentence "I want to sleep when I'm tired," the words "to sleep" are a/an

A. predicate adjective.
B. indirect object.
C. prepositional phrase.
D. infinitive phrase.

Answer 1

In the sentence given, "to sleep" is an infinitive phrase. It functions to describe the intention or purpose behind the main verb 'want'. It is neither a predicate adjective, an indirect object, nor a prepositional phrase.

Step-by-step explanation:

In the sentence "I want to sleep when I'm tired," the words "to sleep" constitute an infinitive phrase. An infinitive is the base form of a verb, often preceded by the word 'to'. Infinitive phrases can function in various ways within a sentence, such as adverbially, adjectivally, or nominally. However, in this sentence, "to sleep" is not acting as a predicate adjective, as it does not describe the subject. It is also not an indirect object, as it does not receive the action of the verb. Nor is it a prepositional phrase, which typically begins with a preposition and ends with a noun or pronoun. In this case, "to sleep" is functioning as an adjunct to the main verb 'want', indicating the purpose or intention behind the desire, which is to sleep when the subject feels tired.

Answer 2

In this sentence, the words "to sleep" are an D. infinitive phrase. This is because the words start with an infinitive to sleep, which takes the form of to + verb. It isn't an adjective, but a verb, so it cannot be a predicate adjective. It is a direct object, not an indirect one. It isn't a prepositional phrase, because it doesn't start with a preposition.