GERUNDS

&
INFINITIVES
Unit 29

GERUNDS
With verbs:
Admit, avoid, consider, delay, deny,
dislike, enjoy, imagine, mind, miss,
practise, resent, risk, suggest
The only times to avoid travelling on the
underground are peak hours
The ing form can be the subject or the
object of the verb.
Travelling by train can be a real treat.
They enjoy travelling and seeing the world

 After prepositions:
The ing form always follows a
preposition.
My thanks for coming Peter said
We are only interested in talking to
sensible people
Can you begin by cleaning the windows?
Mary insisted on wearing a dress to the
party

 After common phrases:

- As well as
- To be/get/become
used to
- Cant help
- Its no good / use
- Instead of
- Theres no
use/point in
- Its (not) worth
It has all the amenities of a big city as well as
being easily accessible.

INFINITIVES
Full infinitive:
Afford, agree, appear, ask, choose,
expect, help, hope, intend, prefer,
pretend, promise, seem, want
We cant afford to go on holiday
He asked to see the headmaster
I wouldnt want to cause them any
problems

 Bare infinitive:
1. Perception verbs: feel, hear, listen,
notice, see, watch
I heard him speak to the children

2. Make and let in the phrases make

do ( to manage to deal with a situation
by using what is available)and let go
(to stop holding something).
Jimmy had borrowed my new bike, so I
had to make do with my old one.

3. Semiauxiliar verbs: should, can/could,

must, may/might, neednt, will
You must finish you own work before you
go out
I cant agree with you on this.

4. After verbal idioms: would rather and

had better.
Id rather swim in the pool than go
down to the beach
Youd better see what he wants

GERUNDS AND INFINITIVES

There are verbs that can be followed
by both the gerund and the infinitive:
Verbs with no change in meaning:
Afford, begin, (cant) bear, cease,
commence, continue, dread, hate,
intend, like, loathe, love, neglect,
prefer, propose, (cant) stand, start
Your parents couldn't afford to buy you all
the expensive things
I wish I could afford buying a car every week

 Gerund or infinitive can be used after

the verbs like, love, hate and prefer.
He used to like going fishing.
Do you like to go shopping?

However, -ing forms cannot be used

after constructions such as:
would+like/love/hate/prefer.
She asked if he would like to go to ballet
classes.

 Verbs with change in meaning:

Attempt:
The pilot attempted to land (first there is
mental activity about a possible future event
make an effort, hopping to do it).
The pilot attempted landing (first it happens;
then there is mental activity do it, hopping
for success).
Come:
How did you come to be outside the wrong house?
(something happens or develops, perhaps outside
the subjects control).
She came running across the field (the subject is
doing something as it moves)

Forget, regret,remember:
I forgot to eat lunch. (I DID NOT eat lunch today)
I forgot eating lunch. (I DID eat lunch today. I just
did not remember at the time you asked me)
We regret to announce the late arrival of the
12.45 from London. (we feel sorry before we tell
you this bad news).
He regretted speaking so rudely. (he regretted,
he had spoken rudely at some earlier time in the
past).
I remembered to lock the door (I thought about
it, then I did it)
I remember locking the door (I remember now, I
locked the door earlier).

Go on:
After introducing her proposal, she went on to
explain the benefits for the company. (to do
next action, which is often the next stage in a
process)
He went on speaking for to hours (to
continue with an action)

Mean:
I mean to finish this job by the end of the
week. (expresses an intention or a plan)
If you take that job in London it will mean
travelling for two hours every day (what the
result of an action will be or what will be
necessary)

Stop:
Paul stopped to smoke.(to make a halt to
do something)
Paul stopped smoking. (to stop an
activity/habit/vice)

Try:
Mary tried to close the window. (to
attempt to do something).
Because it was very cold, Mary tried
closing the window. (prove, experiment
to solve something).

Depending on whether there is a

person after the following verbs:
advise, allow, forbid and permit.

Where there is a person after the

verb: to+infinitive

Beatriu doesnt allow us to come to class

when we have a cold.

Where there is no person after the

verb: -ing form
We arent allowed coming to class when
we have a cold.

EXERCISES
1. Peter enjoys ................... (read) fiction.
2. Frank offered........................ (help) us
paint the house.
3. She refused............... (go) home.
4. John agreed ................... (meet) us at
the restaurant at 7:30.
5. The doctor advised.......................(see)
a specialist.
6. When you are in Prague, Irecommend
................ (walk) through Charles Bridge.

 7. She promised ...................... (take) us

to the beach.
8. He offered ............................. ( help)
me with my homework.
9. Icant imagine Sue .................... (go)
by bike.
10. He agreed .................... (buy) new
computer.
11. We would like ........................ (fly) an
aeroplane.
12. Avoid ............................ (make) the
silly mistake.

 12. Avoid ............................ (make)

the silly mistake.
13. Ideny ..........................( say)
that.
14. Ihope they stop .....................
(make) so much noise.
15. She enjoys .......................(talk)
to new people.
16. Idecided .......................... (do)
it myself.

 17. They pretend ........................

(know) all the answers.
18. He reminded me .........................
(bring ) the book.
19. Iwould advise
you ....................... (be) quiet.
20. Icant bear ............................
(wait)
21. He started ................................
(shout)

ANSWERS
1. READING
12. MAKING
2. TO HELP
13. SAYING
3. TO GO 14. MAKING
4. TO MEET
15. TALKIING
5. SEEING
16. TO DO
6. WALKING 17. TO KNOW
7. TO TAKE
18. TO BRING
8. TO HELP
19. TO BE
9. GOING 20. TO WAIT / WAITING
10. TO BUY
21. TO SHOUT/ SHOUTING
11. TO FLY

THE END
Maria Prez
Fran Garcia
Lucia Catal
Mnica Obiols
Merxe Martnez
Monika Kaposztasova