Question

practice the skill
underline the infinitive or infinitive phrase in each of the following sentences. in
the blank, identify it as active or passive.
________ 1. special education was created to help students with
distinct learning needs.
________ 2. many of these needs present challenges to be overcome
by the students.
________ 3. the challenge may be to work with either a physical or a
mental disability.
________ 4. in either case, the goal is to be taught as much as possi-
ble in a regular classroom.
________ 5. this mainstreaming, as it is called, often requires certain
equipment to be purchased for the students classroom.
________ 6. for example, a child with limited mobility may need a
desk to accommodate his wheelchair.
________ 7. resource rooms provide additional help to supplement
the students learning in the regular classroom.
________ 8. teachers often take classes to be trained specifically for
work with disabled children.
________ 9. teaching in a resource room focuses on the skills to be
mastered by each student.
________ 10. with the help of special education, disabled students can
learn to overcome their particular challenges.

Explanation:

• An infinitive is formed by “to + verb”. For example, in “to help”, “help” is the verb.
• For active or passive:
• If the subject can perform the action of the infinitive, it's active. Like in “to help students”, “Special education” (though not the doer in a literal sense here, but the action of helping is presented as a purpose) is related to an active - like intention.
• If the subject is the receiver of the action of the infinitive, it's passive. For “to be overcome”, “challenges” are the ones that receive the action of being overcome.

Answer:

1. Underline: to help; Active
2. Underline: to be overcome; Passive
3. Underline: to work; Active
4. Underline: to be taught; Passive
5. Underline: to be purchased; Passive
6. Underline: to accommodate; Active
7. Underline: to supplement; Active
8. Underline: to be trained; Passive
9. Underline: to be mastered; Passive
10. Underline: to overcome; Active