Gerunds and Infinitives Gerunds and infinitives are sometimes referred to as verb complements. They may function as subjects or objects in a sentence. Here you will find many Gerunds and Infinitives English Grammar Exercises at all levels so you can practice and improve your understanding of them.
![Passives Gerunds And Infinitives Passives Gerunds And Infinitives](/uploads/1/2/4/8/124865917/798850397.jpg)
What is your hobby?
What do you love doing?
Going to the beach? Playing video games? Hiking (walking)? Singing? Dancing?
Nice! These are all examples of gerunds.
Now, what if I ask you what you want to do every day?
Maybe you are learning to draw. Maybe all you want to do is to read comic books. Maybe you are planning to start your own business. Or maybe you will soon decide to travel the world!
These are also hobbies, aren’t they? But we used infinitives to describe them.
Gerunds and infinitives are very common in the English language. They can be used in many situations. Sometimes you may use an infinitive and a gerund. Sometimes you have to choose between the two, because using one may be completely wrong.
Does it get confusing? Yes it does!
So how do you know when to use an infinitive and when to use a gerund? Our five simple rules are sure to help! Let’s start with explaining what infinitives and gerunds are.
What Is an Infinitive? What Is a Gerund?
An infinitive is the verb form that has “to” at the beginning. For example, “to do,” “to sleep,” “to love” and “to create.” It is the simplest verb form that you have to modify to fit into sentences.
For example, “She sleeps” no longer contains the infinitive of the verb “to sleep.” Instead, it has been conjugated into the simple present third person form of the verb “to sleep”: sleeps.
Infinitives are easy!
How about gerunds?
Gerunds are formed by adding “-ing” to the verb: “sleeping,” “drawing,” “swimming.” But they are not the “-ing” verb forms that you see in the present or past continuous tense. They look the same, but gerunds are actually verb forms used as nouns.
Let’s take the infinitive of the verb “to sleep” and use it in two different sentences:
I am sleeping.
This is the present continuous. “Sleeping” here is part of the verb. It is not a gerund. Here’s the second sentence:
I don’t like sleeping.
This is present simple, but it contains a gerund. “Sleeping” is the direct object of this sentence.
Now that you know the difference between infinitives and gerunds, let’s introduce the rules that will help you use both correctly.
While the rules below will help you understand how infinitives and gerunds should be used, you should make sure to practice them so you can use them in real life. One easy way to do this is by learning with FluentU videos—which include movie trailers, music videos, news and other types of fun real-world videos. FluentU videos come with interactive captions that tell you the definition of any word, and also show you how that word can be used in a sentence.
5 Simple Rules to Master the Use of Gerunds and Infinitives
Rule 1: Gerunds can be used as a subject of a sentence.
Take a look at some examples.
Walking is good for your health.
Making friends has become more difficult since I moved to a new city.
Becoming a millionaire is a dream of many young people today.
Here, the gerunds (in bold) are part of the sentence subjects (“walking,” “making friends,” “becoming a millionaire”). All three sentences sound like normal, everyday English.
Now read these two sentences:
“To be or not to be—that is the question.”
“To mourn a mischief that is past and gone is the next way to draw new mischief on.”
(Both sentences are quotes from William Shakespeare’s works.)
They sound formal, don’t they? They are poetic, aren’t they? Shakespeare is one of the greatest authors of all time, but his English is famously difficult to understand. And that’s because it is literature. It is formal and it is art.
In those two quotes, the infinitives “to be” and “to mourn” are used as the sentence subjects.
So, it is possible to use both infinitives and gerunds as subjects, but gerunds are much more commonly used as subjects. Just pay attention to how the choice reflects on the tone and meaning of your sentences.
Rule 2: Both gerunds and infinitives can be used as objects of a sentence.
You may say:
“I enjoy drawing.”
You may also say:
“Yesterday, I decided to draw.”
Both sentences are correct, but one has an infinitive as the object and the other has a gerund as the object.
What is the difference?
It’s the verbs that precede (come before) the object! Some verbs require a gerund and some will require an infinitive. In the above examples, we can see that the formula is “enjoy” + [gerund] and “decide” + [infinitive].
With practice, you will be able to remember which one is which.
Here are a few examples of verbs that need to be followed by an infinitive:
- agree: I agreed to go to a party with my friend.
- decide: The president decided not to participate in the discussions.
- deserve: Everyone deserves to be respected.
- expect: I expect to know my exam grade by tomorrow.
- hope: We were hoping to avoid traffic by leaving early.
- learn: He learned not to trust anyone.
- need: She needs to learn how to cook.
- offer: I offered to help my brother with homework.
- plan: We are planning to watch a movie tonight.
- promise: My friend promised to find the time to help me move.
- seem: We seem to be lost.
- wait: I cannot wait to see my family.
- want: I don’t want to go to bed yet.
There are lots of verbs that require an infinitive after. You will learn them naturally, as you progress in your English studies.
And here are a few examples of verbs that need to be followed by a gerund:
- admit: They admitted changing the schedule.
- advise: I advise proceeding (moving forward) with caution.
- avoid: She avoided looking me in the eye.
- consider (think about): I considered staying silent, but I had to tell her.
- deny: I denied knowing about his secret.
- involve: The course involved writing three tests.
- mention (say something): She mentioned seeing my brother at a baseball game.
- recommend: I recommend practicing gerunds and infinitives.
- risk: Don’t risk losing your job!
- suggest: I suggest reading more English short stories.
Rule 3: Infinitives should be used after many adjectives.
Here are three sample sentences that will help to illustrate this rule:
It is not easyto graduate from university.
It is necessaryto speak English to work in a hotel.
It is wonderfulto have close friends.
When you describe something with an adjective (underlined in the examples above), an infinitive should follow (in bold). Using gerunds here would be incorrect.
But remember! If you want to make that object into a subject (see Rule 1), a gerund should be used:
Graduating from university is not easy.
Speaking English is necessary to work in a hotel.
Having close friends is wonderful.
How else do you know if an adjective should be followed by an infinitive? The construct “too + [adjective]” is another way to tell!
For example:
This dress is too bigto wear.
This car is too expensiveto buy.
And the same is true about “[adjective] + enough”:
My child is not tall enoughto ride this rollercoaster.
The course was detailed enoughto widen his knowledge base.
This rule is useful enoughto understand the usage of infinitives!
Rule 4: Only infinitives are used after certain verbs followed by nouns or pronouns referring to a person.
“We asked her not to go.”
In this sentence, “we” is the subject, “asked” is the verb and “her” is the objective form of the pronoun “she.” You must use an infinitive (“to go”), never a gerund, after certain verbs followed by nouns or pronouns referring to people.
To remember this rule, you will have to study verbs that take an object and an infinitive in this context.
Start with these examples. The objects (nouns and pronouns) are underlined. Notice how the underlined objects are all followed by infinitives.
- ask: Can I ask you to help me with something?
- expect: I never expected him to become famous.
- hire (give a job to someone): Did the company hire youjust to sit in your office?
- invite: I invited a friend to attend the ceremony.
- order: She ordered the child to stay at home.
- remind: Please remind me to wash the dishes.
- require: The test required him to concentrate fully.
- teach: That will teach you to follow the rules!
- tell: Who told you to come here?
- urge: They urged me to continue my research.
- warn: I am warning you not to do this!
Rule 5: Only gerunds are used after prepositions (with one exception).
Consider this sentence:
I talked him out of taking that job.
Here, the gerund “taking” follows the preposition “of.”
Prepositions can follow any word, be it a noun, a pronoun, a verb or an adjective. In the examples below, the prepositions are underlined, followed by the gerunds in bold.
A preposition that follows a noun:
Novels aboutgrowing up are popular among teenagers.
I have an interest inbecoming a painter.
A preposition that follows a pronoun:
I forgive you fornot telling the truth.
A preposition that follows a verb:
She is thinking abouttrying martial arts.
He looks forward tomeeting his cousins.
A preposition that follows an adjective:
I am wary ofgoing alone.
My mom is scared offlying.
There is one exception. Thankfully, it should be easy to remember!
The exception
“But” is a short word that connects two clauses of a sentence together. It is called a conjunction. Sometimes, “but” can also play a role of a preposition. When “but” is used as a preposition, it is the same in meaning as “except.”
If “but” or “except” are used like this, they need to be followed by an infinitive:
I had no choice butto follow her.
(I had to follow her.)
(I had to follow her.)
Mary made no stops on the way exceptto get gas.
(Mary only stopped to get gas.)
(Mary only stopped to get gas.)
There is nothing left for me to do butto collect my money and go.
(I only have to collect my money and go.)
(I only have to collect my money and go.)
You may not see “but” and “except” used this way often. Just follow the rule of gerunds after prepositions, and you will get it right most of the time!
Gerunds and infinitives may be confusing, but they make your English speech more varied and colorful. It is very useful to study them and practice using them correctly. The more you notice gerunds and infinitives in your study of the English language, the easier it will get!
Sometimes you will be unsure if you need to use an infinitive or a gerund in a sentence. In this situation, try changing the sentence and saying what you want to say in a different way.
Practicing is how you become more fluent. It is important to practice.
Happy studying!
If you liked this post, something tells me that you'll love FluentU, the best way to learn English with real-world videos.
Inglés Avanzado Ingenieros
Elena Benito Ruiz
UPV-2006
Advanced English: This information is available online at www.englishpage.com/gerunds/part_3.htm I strongly recommend this reading.
Gerunds and Infinitives 13. Some verbs can be followed by a gerund or an infinitive, but with a difference in meaning. List of Verbs Followed by a Gerund or Infinitive (Different Meaning) Examples: • •
Nancy remembered getting married. NANCY HAS A MEMORY OF GETTING MARRIED. Fred remembered to bring sunblock to the beach. FRED REMEMBERED THAT HE NEEDED TO BRING SUNBLOCK.
14. Some verbs can be followed by a gerund or an infinitive with little difference in meaning. List of Verbs Followed by a Gerund or Infinitive (Similar Meaning) Examples: • •
She likes swimming. She likes to swim.
Although the difference in meaning is small with these particular verbs, and gerunds and infinitives can often be used interchangeably, there is still a meaning difference. Using a gerund suggests that you are referring to real activities or experiences. Using an infinitive suggests that you are talking about potential or possible activities or experiences. Because of this small difference in meaning, gerunds and infinitives cannot always be used interchangeably, such as in the examples below. Examples: •
The British reporter likes living in New York. HE LIVES IN NEW YORK AND HE
•
The British reporter likes to live in New York whenever he works in the United States. HE LIKES THE OPTION OR POSSIBILITY OF LIVING IN NEW YORK WHEN HE
LIKES WHAT HE EXPERIENCES THERE.
WORKS IN THE UNITED STATES.
•
I like speaking French because it's such a beautiful language. I LIKE THE EXPERIENCE OF SPEAKING LANGUAGE.
•
FRENCH,
AND THE WAY IT MAKES ME FEEL WHEN
I
SPEAK THE
I like to speak French when I'm in France. I PREFER THE OPTION OF SPEAKING FRENCH WHEN I AM IN FRANCE.
15. There are many 'be + adjective' combinations that are commonly followed by infinitives. List of Be + Adjective Combinations Followed by Infinitives
Inglés Avanzado Ingenieros
Elena Benito Ruiz
UPV-2006
Examples: • • •
They were anxious to begin. She was delighted to receive such good feedback. He is lucky to have such good friends.
16. There are also many nouns that are commonly followed by infinitives. List of Nouns Followed by Infinitives Examples: • • •
It was a good decision to move to San Francisco. His wish to become an actor was well known. Laura's desire to improve impressed me.
17. Sometimes infinitives are used to express the idea of 'in order to do something.' Examples: •
He bought the English dictionary to look up difficult words.
IN ORDER TO
LOOK UP
• •
Janine sold her car to get the money that she needed. IN ORDER TO GET Juan uses Englishpage.com to learn English. IN ORDER TO LEARN
This idea of 'in order to do something' is found in many English patterns. too + adjective/adverb + infinitive Examples: • • • •
The box is too heavy to carry. The television is too expensive to buy. Fiona ran too slowly to win the race. We arrived too late to see the beginning of the movie.
adjective/adverb + enough + infinitive Examples: • • •
She is tall enough to reach the book on the shelf. Brian was smart enough to enter college at the age of 12. Linda runs quickly enough to win the race.
enough + noun(s) + infinitive Examples: • •
He has enough money to buy his own car. Cheryl owns enough books to start her own library!
Inglés Avanzado Ingenieros
•
Elena Benito Ruiz
UPV-2006
Diane needs enough time to finish writing her book.
18. Certain expressions are followed by 'ING' forms. List of Expressions followed by Verb+ing Forms Examples: • • •
He had fun fishing. They had difficulty finding a parking place. She spent her time practicing the piano.
19. Verbs which indicate location can often be followed by 'ING' forms. This pattern is VERB OF LOCATION + LOCATION + VERB+ING. List of Verbs of Location Examples: • • •
Sarah stood at the corner waiting for Tom. Melissa lay in bed thinking about her future. Don clung to the side of the cliff looking down.
20. In addition to simple gerund and infinitive forms, there are progressive gerund and infinitive forms, passive gerund and infinitive forms and perfect gerund and infinitive forms as well as combinations of these forms. Progressive forms are used to emphasize that an action is taking place now. Passive forms are used to emphasize that the subject of the sentence is being acted upon. Perfect gerund and infinitive forms are used to emphasize completion in both the past and the future. Study the examples below to help understand these concepts. To learn more about progressiveness, the passive voice and the perfect aspect, complete the Englishpage.com Verb Tense Tutorial. GERUND FORMS
INFINITIVE FORMS
SIMPLE
The teacher teaching.
PROGRESSIVE
Mr. Smith is really enjoying teaching his class. LOOKS THE ABOVE.
enjoys
The teacher teach.
wants
to
Mr. Smith would like to be teaching his class.
SAME AS SIMPLE FORM
PASSIVE
The students enjoy being taught.
The students want to be taught.
PERFECT
The retired teacher recalled having taught.
The teacher was expecting to have taught that already.
The students are enjoying
The students would like to
PASSIVE
+
Inglés Avanzado Ingenieros
Elena Benito Ruiz
PROGRESSIVE
UPV-2006
being taught by such an exciting new teacher.
be being taught by Mr Smith.
LOOKS
THE SAME AS THE PASSIVE FORM ABOVE.
PASSIVE PERFECT
+
The older students recalled having been taught that already.
The students were expecting to have been taught that by now.
Verbs Followed by Gerunds OR Infinitives (Different Meaning) begin
She began singing. She began to sing. WHEN 'BEGIN' IS USED IN NONCONTINUOUS TENSES, YOU CAN EITHER USE A GERUND OR AN INFINITIVE.
dread
She dreaded taking the test. USUALLY 'DREAD' IS FOLLOWED BY A GERUND.
forget
WHEN 'BEGIN' IS USED IN CONTINUOUS TENSES, AN INFINITIVE IS USED.
He dreaded to think of the consequences of his actions. 'DREAD' IS SOMETIMES USED WITH INFINITIVES SUCH AS 'THINK' OR 'CONSIDER.' IN THE SENTENCE ABOVE, 'DREADED TO THINK' MEANS 'DID NOT WANT TO THINK.'
She forgot reading the book when she was a kid.
She forgot to pay the rent this month.
WHEN 'FORGET' IS USED WITH A GERUND, IT MEANS 'TO FORGET THAT YOU HAVE DONE SOMETHING.' THE
WHEN FORGET IS USED WITH AN INFINITIVE, IT MEANS 'TO FORGET THAT YOU NEED TO DO SOMETHING.' THE SENTENCE ABOVE MEANS THAT SHE FORGOT THAT SHE NEEDED TO PAY THE RENT.
SENTENCE ABOVE MEANS THAT SHE READ THE BOOK WHEN SHE WAS A KID, AND THAT SHE HAS FORGOTTEN THAT FACT.
keep
She is beginning to sing.
She kept talking.
The attackers kept hostages to prevent the police from entering.
'KEEP' IS NORMALLY USED WITH A GERUND TO MEAN THAT YOU CONTINUE DOING AN ACTION.
'KEEP' CAN ALSO BE USED WITH AN OBJECT FOLLOWED BY AN INFINITIVE, BUT THEN THE INFINITIVE TAKES ON THE MEANING OF 'IN ORDER TO... .' IN THE SENTENCE ABOVE, THE ATTACKERS KEPT HOSTAGES IN ORDER TO PREVENT THE POLICE FROM ENTERING.
Inglés Avanzado Ingenieros
need
Elena Benito Ruiz
The house needs cleaning. WHEN 'NEED' IS USED WITH A GERUND, IT TAKES ON A PASSIVE MEANING. THE SENTENCE ABOVE MEANS 'THE HOUSE NEEDS TO BE CLEANED.'
regret
I regretted being late to the interview. 'REGRET' IS NORMALLY USED WITH A GERUND.
remember
start
UPV-2006
He needs to call his boss. He needs him to call his boss. 'NEED' IS USUALLY USED WITH AN INFINITIVE OR AN OBJECT + AN INFINITIVE.
We regret to inform you that your position at the company is being eliminated. 'REGRET' IS SOMETIMES USED WITH INFINITIVES SUCH AS 'TO INFORM.' IN THE SENTENCE ABOVE, 'WE REGRET TO INFORM YOU' MEANS 'WE WISH WE DID NOT HAVE TO TELL YOU (BAD NEWS).'
I remember mentioning the meeting yesterday.
He remembered to turn off the lights before he left.
WHEN 'REMEMBER' IS USED WITH A GERUND, IT MEANS 'TO REMEMBER THAT YOU HAVE DONE SOMETHING.' THE SENTENCE ABOVE MEANS THAT I MENTIONED THE MEETING, AND THAT I REMEMBER THE FACT THAT I DID THAT.
WHEN 'REMEMBER' IS USED WITH AN INFINITIVE, IT MEANS 'TO REMEMBER THAT YOU NEED TO DO SOMETHING.' THE
Marge started talking really fast. Marge started to talk really fast.
Marge is starting to talk really fast.
WHEN 'START' IS USED IN NONCONTINUOUS TENSES, YOU CAN EITHER USE A GERUND OR AN INFINITIVE.
SENTENCE ABOVE MEANS THAT HE REMEMBERED THAT HE NEEDED TO TURN THE LIGHTS OFF.
WHEN 'START' IS USED IN CONTINUOUS TENSES, AN INFINITIVE IS USED.
I started to learn Russian, but it was so much work that I finally quit the class. IN OTHER SITUATIONS, AN INFINITIVE MEANS THAT YOU DID NOT COMPLETE OR CONTINUE AN ACTION.
stop
try
He stopped smoking for health reasons.
He stopped to rest for a few minutes.
'STOP' IS NORMALLY USED WITH A GERUND.
WHEN 'STOP' IS USED WITH AN INFINITIVE, THE INFINITIVE TAKES ON THE MEANING OF 'IN ORDER TO.' IN THE SENTENCE ABOVE, HE STOPPED IN ORDER TO REST FOR A FEW MINUTES.
She can't find a job. She tried looking in the paper, but there
She tried to climb the tree, but she couldn't even get off the
Inglés Avanzado Ingenieros
Elena Benito Ruiz
was nothing. She tried asking friends and family, but nobody knew of anything. She also tried going shop to shop, but nobody was hiring. 'TRY + GERUND' MEANS TO TRY OR TO EXPERIMENT WITH DIFFERENT METHODS TO SEE IF SOMETHING WORKS.
She tried eating the snake soup, but she didn't like it. 'TRY + GERUND' IS OFTEN USED WHEN YOU EXPERIMENT WITH SOMETHING, BUT YOU DO NOT REALLY LIKE IT OR WANT TO DO IT AGAIN.
UPV-2006
ground. WHEN YOU 'TRY TO DO' SOMETHING, YOU WANT TO DO IT, BUT YOU DO NOT SUCCEED IN ACTUALLY DOING IT. IN THE SENTENCE ABOVE, AN INFINITIVE IS USED BECAUSE SHE CANNOT SUCCESSFULLY CLIMB THE TREE.
Try not to wake the baby when you get up tomorrow at 5 AM. AN INFINITIVE IS ALSO USED IF YOU ARE ASKING SOMEONE TO TRY SOMETHING THEY MAY OR MAY NOT BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH
Be + Adjective Combinations Followed by Infinitives be amazed
He was amazed to discover the truth.
be anxious
She was anxious to start her new job.
be ashamed
He was ashamed to admit he had lied.
be bound
She is bound to be elected class president.
be careful
They were careful not to reveal the winner of the prize until the end.
be certain
She is certain to get the job.
be content
The student was content to receive second place in the competition.
be delighted
We were delighted to be invited to the wedding.
be determined
He was determined to finish the marathon.
be eager
He was eager to begin.
Inglés Avanzado Ingenieros
Elena Benito Ruiz
UPV-2006
be eligible
They were not eligible to participate in the program.
be fortunate
She was fortunate to receive the research grant.
be glad
I would be glad to help out.
be happy
She was happy to see them at the party.
be hesitant
Mary was hesitant to say anything.
be liable
The mountain climber is liable to hurt himself if he doesn't use well-made equipment.
be likely
They are likely to show up at any time.
be lucky
You were lucky to have such an opportunity.
be pleased
I am pleased to meet you.
be proud
He was proud to have been chosen to lead the project.
be ready
I'm ready to go now.
be reluctant
The witness was reluctant to reveal what he had seen.
be sad
She was really sad to leave.
be shocked
He was shocked to discover the truth.
be sorry
I am sorry to have to tell you that the tickets are sold out.
be surprised
She was surprised to discover that he had never learned how to swim.
Elena Benito Ruiz
UPV-2006
Advanced English: This information is available online at www.englishpage.com/gerunds/part_3.htm I strongly recommend this reading.
Gerunds and Infinitives 13. Some verbs can be followed by a gerund or an infinitive, but with a difference in meaning. List of Verbs Followed by a Gerund or Infinitive (Different Meaning) Examples: • •
Nancy remembered getting married. NANCY HAS A MEMORY OF GETTING MARRIED. Fred remembered to bring sunblock to the beach. FRED REMEMBERED THAT HE NEEDED TO BRING SUNBLOCK.
14. Some verbs can be followed by a gerund or an infinitive with little difference in meaning. List of Verbs Followed by a Gerund or Infinitive (Similar Meaning) Examples: • •
She likes swimming. She likes to swim.
Although the difference in meaning is small with these particular verbs, and gerunds and infinitives can often be used interchangeably, there is still a meaning difference. Using a gerund suggests that you are referring to real activities or experiences. Using an infinitive suggests that you are talking about potential or possible activities or experiences. Because of this small difference in meaning, gerunds and infinitives cannot always be used interchangeably, such as in the examples below. Examples: •
The British reporter likes living in New York. HE LIVES IN NEW YORK AND HE
•
The British reporter likes to live in New York whenever he works in the United States. HE LIKES THE OPTION OR POSSIBILITY OF LIVING IN NEW YORK WHEN HE
LIKES WHAT HE EXPERIENCES THERE.
WORKS IN THE UNITED STATES.
•
I like speaking French because it's such a beautiful language. I LIKE THE EXPERIENCE OF SPEAKING LANGUAGE.
•
FRENCH,
AND THE WAY IT MAKES ME FEEL WHEN
I
SPEAK THE
I like to speak French when I'm in France. I PREFER THE OPTION OF SPEAKING FRENCH WHEN I AM IN FRANCE.
15. There are many 'be + adjective' combinations that are commonly followed by infinitives. List of Be + Adjective Combinations Followed by Infinitives
Inglés Avanzado Ingenieros
Elena Benito Ruiz
UPV-2006
Examples: • • •
They were anxious to begin. She was delighted to receive such good feedback. He is lucky to have such good friends.
16. There are also many nouns that are commonly followed by infinitives. List of Nouns Followed by Infinitives Examples: • • •
It was a good decision to move to San Francisco. His wish to become an actor was well known. Laura's desire to improve impressed me.
17. Sometimes infinitives are used to express the idea of 'in order to do something.' Examples: •
He bought the English dictionary to look up difficult words.
IN ORDER TO
LOOK UP
• •
Janine sold her car to get the money that she needed. IN ORDER TO GET Juan uses Englishpage.com to learn English. IN ORDER TO LEARN
This idea of 'in order to do something' is found in many English patterns. too + adjective/adverb + infinitive Examples: • • • •
The box is too heavy to carry. The television is too expensive to buy. Fiona ran too slowly to win the race. We arrived too late to see the beginning of the movie.
adjective/adverb + enough + infinitive Examples: • • •
She is tall enough to reach the book on the shelf. Brian was smart enough to enter college at the age of 12. Linda runs quickly enough to win the race.
enough + noun(s) + infinitive Examples: • •
He has enough money to buy his own car. Cheryl owns enough books to start her own library!
Inglés Avanzado Ingenieros
•
Elena Benito Ruiz
UPV-2006
Diane needs enough time to finish writing her book.
18. Certain expressions are followed by 'ING' forms. List of Expressions followed by Verb+ing Forms Examples: • • •
He had fun fishing. They had difficulty finding a parking place. She spent her time practicing the piano.
19. Verbs which indicate location can often be followed by 'ING' forms. This pattern is VERB OF LOCATION + LOCATION + VERB+ING. List of Verbs of Location Examples: • • •
Sarah stood at the corner waiting for Tom. Melissa lay in bed thinking about her future. Don clung to the side of the cliff looking down.
20. In addition to simple gerund and infinitive forms, there are progressive gerund and infinitive forms, passive gerund and infinitive forms and perfect gerund and infinitive forms as well as combinations of these forms. Progressive forms are used to emphasize that an action is taking place now. Passive forms are used to emphasize that the subject of the sentence is being acted upon. Perfect gerund and infinitive forms are used to emphasize completion in both the past and the future. Study the examples below to help understand these concepts. To learn more about progressiveness, the passive voice and the perfect aspect, complete the Englishpage.com Verb Tense Tutorial. GERUND FORMS
INFINITIVE FORMS
SIMPLE
The teacher teaching.
PROGRESSIVE
Mr. Smith is really enjoying teaching his class. LOOKS THE ABOVE.
enjoys
The teacher teach.
wants
to
Mr. Smith would like to be teaching his class.
SAME AS SIMPLE FORM
PASSIVE
The students enjoy being taught.
The students want to be taught.
PERFECT
The retired teacher recalled having taught.
The teacher was expecting to have taught that already.
The students are enjoying
The students would like to
PASSIVE
+
Inglés Avanzado Ingenieros
Elena Benito Ruiz
PROGRESSIVE
UPV-2006
being taught by such an exciting new teacher.
be being taught by Mr Smith.
LOOKS
THE SAME AS THE PASSIVE FORM ABOVE.
PASSIVE PERFECT
+
The older students recalled having been taught that already.
The students were expecting to have been taught that by now.
Verbs Followed by Gerunds OR Infinitives (Different Meaning) begin
She began singing. She began to sing. WHEN 'BEGIN' IS USED IN NONCONTINUOUS TENSES, YOU CAN EITHER USE A GERUND OR AN INFINITIVE.
dread
She dreaded taking the test. USUALLY 'DREAD' IS FOLLOWED BY A GERUND.
forget
WHEN 'BEGIN' IS USED IN CONTINUOUS TENSES, AN INFINITIVE IS USED.
He dreaded to think of the consequences of his actions. 'DREAD' IS SOMETIMES USED WITH INFINITIVES SUCH AS 'THINK' OR 'CONSIDER.' IN THE SENTENCE ABOVE, 'DREADED TO THINK' MEANS 'DID NOT WANT TO THINK.'
She forgot reading the book when she was a kid.
She forgot to pay the rent this month.
WHEN 'FORGET' IS USED WITH A GERUND, IT MEANS 'TO FORGET THAT YOU HAVE DONE SOMETHING.' THE
WHEN FORGET IS USED WITH AN INFINITIVE, IT MEANS 'TO FORGET THAT YOU NEED TO DO SOMETHING.' THE SENTENCE ABOVE MEANS THAT SHE FORGOT THAT SHE NEEDED TO PAY THE RENT.
SENTENCE ABOVE MEANS THAT SHE READ THE BOOK WHEN SHE WAS A KID, AND THAT SHE HAS FORGOTTEN THAT FACT.
keep
She is beginning to sing.
She kept talking.
The attackers kept hostages to prevent the police from entering.
'KEEP' IS NORMALLY USED WITH A GERUND TO MEAN THAT YOU CONTINUE DOING AN ACTION.
'KEEP' CAN ALSO BE USED WITH AN OBJECT FOLLOWED BY AN INFINITIVE, BUT THEN THE INFINITIVE TAKES ON THE MEANING OF 'IN ORDER TO... .' IN THE SENTENCE ABOVE, THE ATTACKERS KEPT HOSTAGES IN ORDER TO PREVENT THE POLICE FROM ENTERING.
Inglés Avanzado Ingenieros
need
Elena Benito Ruiz
The house needs cleaning. WHEN 'NEED' IS USED WITH A GERUND, IT TAKES ON A PASSIVE MEANING. THE SENTENCE ABOVE MEANS 'THE HOUSE NEEDS TO BE CLEANED.'
regret
I regretted being late to the interview. 'REGRET' IS NORMALLY USED WITH A GERUND.
remember
start
UPV-2006
He needs to call his boss. He needs him to call his boss. 'NEED' IS USUALLY USED WITH AN INFINITIVE OR AN OBJECT + AN INFINITIVE.
We regret to inform you that your position at the company is being eliminated. 'REGRET' IS SOMETIMES USED WITH INFINITIVES SUCH AS 'TO INFORM.' IN THE SENTENCE ABOVE, 'WE REGRET TO INFORM YOU' MEANS 'WE WISH WE DID NOT HAVE TO TELL YOU (BAD NEWS).'
I remember mentioning the meeting yesterday.
He remembered to turn off the lights before he left.
WHEN 'REMEMBER' IS USED WITH A GERUND, IT MEANS 'TO REMEMBER THAT YOU HAVE DONE SOMETHING.' THE SENTENCE ABOVE MEANS THAT I MENTIONED THE MEETING, AND THAT I REMEMBER THE FACT THAT I DID THAT.
WHEN 'REMEMBER' IS USED WITH AN INFINITIVE, IT MEANS 'TO REMEMBER THAT YOU NEED TO DO SOMETHING.' THE
Marge started talking really fast. Marge started to talk really fast.
Marge is starting to talk really fast.
WHEN 'START' IS USED IN NONCONTINUOUS TENSES, YOU CAN EITHER USE A GERUND OR AN INFINITIVE.
SENTENCE ABOVE MEANS THAT HE REMEMBERED THAT HE NEEDED TO TURN THE LIGHTS OFF.
WHEN 'START' IS USED IN CONTINUOUS TENSES, AN INFINITIVE IS USED.
I started to learn Russian, but it was so much work that I finally quit the class. IN OTHER SITUATIONS, AN INFINITIVE MEANS THAT YOU DID NOT COMPLETE OR CONTINUE AN ACTION.
stop
try
He stopped smoking for health reasons.
He stopped to rest for a few minutes.
'STOP' IS NORMALLY USED WITH A GERUND.
WHEN 'STOP' IS USED WITH AN INFINITIVE, THE INFINITIVE TAKES ON THE MEANING OF 'IN ORDER TO.' IN THE SENTENCE ABOVE, HE STOPPED IN ORDER TO REST FOR A FEW MINUTES.
She can't find a job. She tried looking in the paper, but there
She tried to climb the tree, but she couldn't even get off the
Inglés Avanzado Ingenieros
Elena Benito Ruiz
was nothing. She tried asking friends and family, but nobody knew of anything. She also tried going shop to shop, but nobody was hiring. 'TRY + GERUND' MEANS TO TRY OR TO EXPERIMENT WITH DIFFERENT METHODS TO SEE IF SOMETHING WORKS.
She tried eating the snake soup, but she didn't like it. 'TRY + GERUND' IS OFTEN USED WHEN YOU EXPERIMENT WITH SOMETHING, BUT YOU DO NOT REALLY LIKE IT OR WANT TO DO IT AGAIN.
UPV-2006
ground. WHEN YOU 'TRY TO DO' SOMETHING, YOU WANT TO DO IT, BUT YOU DO NOT SUCCEED IN ACTUALLY DOING IT. IN THE SENTENCE ABOVE, AN INFINITIVE IS USED BECAUSE SHE CANNOT SUCCESSFULLY CLIMB THE TREE.
Try not to wake the baby when you get up tomorrow at 5 AM. AN INFINITIVE IS ALSO USED IF YOU ARE ASKING SOMEONE TO TRY SOMETHING THEY MAY OR MAY NOT BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH
Be + Adjective Combinations Followed by Infinitives be amazed
He was amazed to discover the truth.
be anxious
She was anxious to start her new job.
be ashamed
He was ashamed to admit he had lied.
be bound
She is bound to be elected class president.
be careful
They were careful not to reveal the winner of the prize until the end.
be certain
She is certain to get the job.
be content
The student was content to receive second place in the competition.
be delighted
We were delighted to be invited to the wedding.
be determined
He was determined to finish the marathon.
be eager
He was eager to begin.
Inglés Avanzado Ingenieros
Elena Benito Ruiz
UPV-2006
be eligible
They were not eligible to participate in the program.
be fortunate
She was fortunate to receive the research grant.
be glad
I would be glad to help out.
be happy
She was happy to see them at the party.
be hesitant
Mary was hesitant to say anything.
be liable
The mountain climber is liable to hurt himself if he doesn't use well-made equipment.
be likely
They are likely to show up at any time.
be lucky
You were lucky to have such an opportunity.
be pleased
I am pleased to meet you.
be proud
He was proud to have been chosen to lead the project.
be ready
I'm ready to go now.
be reluctant
The witness was reluctant to reveal what he had seen.
be sad
She was really sad to leave.
be shocked
He was shocked to discover the truth.
be sorry
I am sorry to have to tell you that the tickets are sold out.
be surprised
She was surprised to discover that he had never learned how to swim.