Is the inflection of verb plays an infinitive?

The term "inflection" refers to changes in the form of a word to indicate grammatical function. "Infinitive" refers to the base form of a verb, usually preceded by "to".

Here's the breakdown:

* Inflection: This refers to the various forms a verb takes to show tense, person, number, and mood. For example, "play," "plays," "played," "playing," etc. are all inflections of the verb "play."

* Infinitive: This is the base form of a verb, typically preceded by "to" (e.g., "to play").

Therefore, an infinitive is not an inflection. It's a distinct grammatical form.

Let me know if you'd like further clarification on verb forms!