GERUND versus INFINITIVE

Exercise 1. Complete the sentences with the gerund or the infinitive of the verbs in brackets.

1. Can you fancy …………………… (win) $100 from Mr Brown at cards?

2. Do you enjoy …………………… (dance) ?

3. I refuse …………………… (participate) in the meeting?

4. You should avoid …………………… (hurt) Mrs Clark’s feelings.

5. I promise …………………… (return) the books soon.

6. I’m sorry I can’t stand …………………… (watch) television every day.

7. Would you mind …………………… (bring) a bottle of champagne?

8. When I am abroad, I will certainly miss …………………… (see) my friends.

9. I am against …………………… (make) any complaints.

10. It’s no use …………………… (cry) over spilt milk.

11. People used …………………… (make) fire by …………………… (rub) two sticks together.

12. He was fined for …………………… (drive) without lights.

13. After …………………… (read) this article you will give up …………………… (smoke).

14. Is there anything here worth …………………… (buy)?

15. They agreed …………………… (divide) the profits regularly.

16. I don’t feel like …………………… (work), what about …………………… (go) to a disco instead?

17. I’m afraid I can’t stand …………………… (sit) on chairs like that one.

18. She didn’t really fancy …………………… (go) to the cinema, so she stayed at home.

19. I hope …………………… (meet) a lot of interesting people while I’m there.

20. I used …………………… (enjoy) …………………… (listen) to pop music, but my testes have

changed.

21. She promised …………………… (let) me know the results as soon as they came out.

22. In the winter months I miss …………………… (lie) in the sun on the beach.

23. Excuse me, but would you mind …………………… (open) the door for me?

24. I think I would like …………………… (lie) down for a bit, if that’s alright.

25. Do you mind …………………… (wait) for the steak a few minutes longer?

26. The main idea is …………………… (prevent) the other team …………………… (score) more

goals.

hear, listen to, notice, see, watch, feel + sb + doing • It is used to describe an incomplete action, that is to say that somebody saw,

heard, etc. only a part of the action, e.g. I listened to James singing a song. (I listened to part of the song. I didn’t listen to the whole song.)

hear, listen to, notice, see, watch, feel + sb + do • It is used to describe a complete action, something that somebody saw, heard,

etc. from beginning to end, e.g. I listened to James sing a song. (I listened to the song from the beginning to end.)

Exercise 3. Put the verbs into the gerund or the bare infinitive (without to).

1. I watched her …………………… (get up) and …………………… (walk) slowly out of the room.

2. I heard the phone …………………… (ring) twice and then stop.

3. Tim and Jill …………………… (stand) outside the butcher’s as he was driving to work.

4. Jane stopped to watch the river …………………… (flow) down the mountainside.

5. Listen to the wind …………………… (blow) through the trees.

6. We heard the workmen …………………… (drill) the road as we were eating breakfast.

7. The witness saw the burglar …………………… (break into) the house and steal the television.

8. Listen to he …………………… (sing) the song and then tell us what you think of it.

Exercise 4. Put the verbs in brackets into the gerund or the infinitive.

1. A: Mum, this programme’s nearly finished. Can’t I go on …………………… (watch) TV for a

while?

B: No, I want you to do your Maths homework and then go on …………………… (write) your

English essay. You haven’t even started it yet and it’s due tomorrow.

2. A: Why don’t we stop …………………… (get) something to eat on the way home?

B: OK, but we should really stop …………………… (spend) money on junk food.

3. A: Did you remember …………………… (tell) him about the party?

B: I don’t remember …………………… (tell) him, but I’m sure I did.

4. A: Do you regret …………………… (offer) him the job?

B: Yes, I regret …………………… (say) he’s not a reliable employee.

5. A: Did you mean …………………… (park) so far away?

B: Yes, otherwise it would mean …………………… (pay) to get into a car park.

6. A: I’ve been trying …………………… (contact) Mr Isaacs all morning.

B: Why don’t you try …………………… (phone) his club?

7. Do you remember …………………… (meet) her at my house last year?

8. Please remember …………………… (wipe) your feet before coming in.

9. I completely forgot …………………… (lock) the front door last night.

10. Don’t forget …………………… (bring) your bathing suit with you.

11. I regret …………………… (inform) you that your injury will prevent you from playing any more

matches this season.

12. He regrets …………………… (argue) with the referee as it resulted in his being sent off the pitch.

13. the cyclist had to stop …………………… (mend) a flat tyre during the race.

14. You should sop …………………… (smoke) if you want to enter the marathon next year.

Exercise 5. Complete the sentences by putting the verbs in brackets into the gerund or the infinitive.

1. On the way to London, he stopped …………………… (get) some petrol.

2. I’m sorry I forgot …………………… (send) you a birthday card.

3. She stopped …………………… (eat) chocolate because she wanted to lose some weight.

4. I hope you will remember …………………… (do) all the things I have asked you.

5. Why don’t try …………………… (open) the tin with a coin?

6. I’m sure he’s a doctor. I remember …………………… (talk) to him about his work the other day.

7. He always regretted …………………… (not go) to university.

8. I regret …………………… (say) I won’t be able to come to the wedding.

9. They were talking very loudly. I couldn’t help …………………… (overhear) them.

10. He looks so funny. Whenever I see him, I can’t stop …………………… (smile).

11. I was very tired. I tried …………………… (keep) my eyes open but I couldn’t.

12. I rand the doorbell but there was no answer. Then I tried …………………… (knock) on the door but

there was still no answer.

Exercise 6. Use an –ing form, or to + infinitive, of the word in brackets to complete each sentence.

1. You say that I’ve met Janet, but I can’t remember her.

I can’t remember …………………… (meet) Janet.

2. Please remember that you must buy some stamps.

Please remember …………………… (buy) some stamps.

3. We wanted to open the door, but we couldn’t

We tried …………………… (open) the door.

4. John met Madonna once. He’ll never forget it.

John will never forget …………………… (meet) Madonna.

5. Sheila intended to phone Peter, but she forgot.

Sheila forgot …………………… (phone) Peter.

6. Jenny had a headache. She took an aspirin, but it didn’t help.

Jenny tried …………………… (take) an aspirin for her headache.

7. I have a special soap that will probably get your hands clean.

Try …………………… (wash) your hands with this special soap.

8. It will not be easy to do all the work today.

We’ll try …………………… (finish) the work before tonight.

9. I stayed in Jane’s flat while she was on holiday. I remembered that I had to feed her cats every day.

I remembered …………………… (feed) Jane’s cats every day while she was on holiday.

10. Remember that you must invite Mary to the party next week.

Don’t forget …………………… (invite) Mary to the party next week.

Exercise 7. Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence using

the word given. Do not change the word given. You must use between two and five words, including

the words given.

1. Rita, could I borrow your dictionary?

MIND Rita, ………………………………………… me your dictionary?

2. It’s impossible for me not to laugh when he starts singing.

HELP I can’t ………………………………………… when he starts singing.

3. I don’t like playing football very much.

KEEN I ………………………………………… playing football.

4. I hate it when I’m ill.

STAND I ………………………………………… ill,

5. Andrea doesn’t usually arrive late.

UNUSUAL It ………………………………………… arrive late.

6. Do you know where they’re going to hold the Olympic Games in 2008?

PLACE Do you know where the Olympic Games are going …………………………… in

2008?

7. I can’t play tennis very well.

GOOD I ………………………………………… playing tennis.

Exercise 9. Complete the sentences with the gerund or the infinitive of the verbs in brackets.

1. Stop …………………… (argue) and start …………………… (work).

2. I suggest …………………… (hold) another meeting next week.

3. It’s difficult to get used to …………………… (eat) with chopsticks.

4. If you can’t turn the key, try …………………… (put) some oil in the lock.

5. Imagine …………………… (live) with someone who never stops …………………… (talk).

6. Would you mind …………………… (show) me how …………………… (work) the lift?

7. If a thing is worth …………………… (do) it is worth …………………… (do) well.

8. I advise you …………………… (start) …………………… (look) for a flat at once.

9. I suggest …………………… (phone) the hospitals before …………………… (ask) the police

…………………… (look) for him.

10. He hates …………………… (answer) the phone and often lets it …………………… (ring).

11. After …………………… (hear) the conditions I decided …………………… (not enter) the

competition.

12. Please go on …………………… (write); I don’t mind …………………… (wait).

Exercise 10. Fill in the correct form of the verbs in the brackets – the infinitive with or without to.

1. He shouldn't …………………… (drive) today. He's just found out that his wife wants

…………………… (divorce) him.

2. It is very easy for the Polish …………………… (be) wise after the accident has happened.

3. I was disappointed …………………… (find out) that you had refused …………………… (repair)

my mother's house. Last week you offered …………………… (help) her.

4. I think you should …………………… (try) …………………… (speak) more clearly. Nobody wants

…………………… (talk) with people who seem (be) drunk.

5. We were all afraid …………………… (touch) the spider, that came on my leg. We tried

…………………… (frighten) it. We were shouting and waiting for it …………………… (escape).

6. I'm sorry …………………… (take) you away now but it's time …………………… (come back).

7. I don't want …………………… (learn) it now. I'd rather put the exam off for a week. I'm afraid it's

impossible but you can try …………………… (ask) the headmaster.

8. It is very important for you …………………… (behave) carefully at the meeting.

9. Tom invited me …………………… (have) lunch with him but I refused …………………… (meet)

him because I had …………………… (pick up) my sister from school.

10. It was very stupid for you …………………… (sign) the contract without being able

…………………… (understand) everything in it.