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 • MindI 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)