Gerunds Vs Infinitives
What (the h***) is the gerund?
• A gerund is the ING form of the verb.
• Examples:• Playing• Swimming• Going• Running• Being
When do we use the GERUND?
• After certain verbs
• Instead of a noun
• After prepositions
1. After certain verbs
• Enjoy• I enjoy reading• I was enjoying reading• She has enjoyed reading• You will enjoy reading• We have been enjoying reading
Certain verbs are followed by the gerund
• After ‘enjoy’ ‘fancy’ ‘discuss’ ‘dislike’ ‘finish’• The second verb is ALWAYS in the
gerund• I enjoy reading• I fancy watching movies• We discussed going on holiday together• I dislike waiting for buses• We’ve finished preparing for the meeting
Certain verbs are followed by the
gerund • Mind
I don’t mind coming early• Suggest
• He suggested staying home (NOT suggested to)
• Recommend• He recommended meeting earlier
• Kept• He kept working although he felt ill.
• Avoid• She avoided talking to her boss
Another way we use a gerund
• After certain verbs
• Instead of a noun
• After prepositions
Examples
• Smoking isn’t allowed here
• Swimming is very good exercise
A third way to use gerunds
• After certain verbs
• Instead of a noun
• After prepositions
Examples
• I drank a cup of coffee before leaving.
• It’s a good idea to brush your teeth after eating
Gerunds after prepositions
in phrasal verbs• I gave up smoking.
• I agree with playing soccer.
• She complains about bullying.
• They decided against attending the meeting.
• Sara dreams of becoming a rock star.
We use ‘to+infinitive’:
• After certain verbs
• After many adjectives
• To show purpose
Ecamples
• He decided to leave early.
Can be in any tense
Examples
• He decided to leave early.
The second verb is always with ‘to+infinitive’
More verbs that take
‘to+infinitive’• Agree
• She agreed to give a presentation.
• Ask• She asked to leave early.
• Plan• He plans to buy a new car.
• Hope• I hope to pass the exam.
• Learn• They are learning to sing.
• Want• I want to come to the party.
More examples of verbs that take the
infinitive• Would like
• I would like to see you tonight.
• Promise• I promised not to be late.
(Make negative by adding ‘not’ before the infinitive)
More examples on verbs
that take the infinitive• Pleased
• I’m pleased to meet you!
We use the ‘to+infinitive’
• After certain verbs
• After many adjectives
• To show purpose
Examples:
• Happy• I’m happy to see you!• Right
• She was right to leave early.
• Wrong• They were wrong to leave the building.
• Careful• The teacher was careful to speak clearly.
• Lucky• He was lucky to get a scholarship.
• Likely• It’s likely to snow tonight.
We use the ‘to+infinitive’
• After certain verbs
• After many adjectives
• To show purpose
(we use the infinitive to say
why we do something)• I came to the US to study.
• I went home to have lunch.• (NOT: for have lunch)
Gerund OR infinitive with NO
CHANGE IN MEANING Some verbs take either G/or INF with no change in
meaning:
• Start• It started to rain./ = It started raining.
• Continue:• I continued to work./ = I continued working
• Begin: • She began to sing/ she began singing
• Prefer:• I prefer eating at home./ I prefer to eat at home.
Gerund of infinitive WITH change in
meaning• Some verbs either take the GR or INF
but WITH change in meaning:
• Stop + gerund (when you stop the action or activity)
• Stop + ‘to+infinitive’ (when you stop something to do something else)
Examples – (Stop + Gerund)
• Stop (gerund):• She stopped working.• She stopped smoking.• She stopped studying.(=she stopped doing the verb)
Stop + ‘to+infinitive’
• I stopped to have lunch
• I stopped to say hello.
(=I stopped doing the first action because of the second)
Remember + GR/INF
• Remember + gerund (To talk about past actions)
• Remember + ‘to+infinitive)
• (when someone remembers/has to remember something they have to do)
Remember + gerund
• He remembers going to the beach.(in his head)
• I remember locking the door.
Remember + ‘to+inf’
• Please remember to buy milk!(the person needs to remember buying milk when at the store)
• He remembered to meet her. (First, he arranged a meeting with her. Then he remembered to go to the meeting.)
Try + inf
• Used when we don’t succeed in doing the action:• I tried to open the window, but it was
stuck!• (=I failed at the action)
• He tried to eat salad every day, but I often go for the Pizza. (=failed at the attempt, eating salad is the goal, but he didn’t succeed)
Try + gerund
• Used when we do the action but it doesn’t help us to achieve the goal:
• I tried opening the window, but the room was still hot.
(this mean I opened the window easily, as an experiment to see if it would make the room cooler)