Gerunds and infinitives

Gerunds and Infinitives

['ʤer(ə)nd] [ɪn'fɪnətɪv]

VERB PATTERNS

VERB PATTERNS IN ENGLISH

VERB + TOINFINITIVE

PATTERNS

WITHOUTCHANGE

OF MEANING

WITH CHANGE

OF MEANING

VERB + TO INFINITIVEor GERUND

VERB + OBJECT +INFINITIVE WITHOUT TO

VERB + OBJECT + TO INFINITIVE

THE INFINITIVE

She mademe cry.

She stopped smoking.

She stoppedto smoke.

I started to cry.

I want her to go to the

cinema.

I want to goto the

cinema.

=

I started crying.

An Infinitive is the basic form of a verb. You can use an infinitive as the subject, the complement, or the object of a sentence.Examples:•To learn is important. subject of sentence•The most important thing is to learn. complement of sentence•He wants to learn. object of sentenceInfinitives can be made negative by adding "not."Examples:•I decided not to go.•The most important thing is not to give up.

Full Infinitive or Infinitive with to (1)

The infinitive with to is used:• After certain verbs which can be

followed by to-infinitive or by a noun or pronoun:

I want to go to the movies,• or verb + object + to infinitive:

I want him to come with me to the movies,

where HIM act as the subject of the infinitive.

The following verbs, among others, admit these constructions:Verbs of thinking and feeling:Choose

DecideExpect

HateHope

IntendLearn

LikeMean / Plan / Prefer / would like / would loveVerbs of saying:Agree / promise /refuseOther common verbs are:Arrange / attempt / fail / help / manage / tend / try / want


To express the infinitive of purpose: I went to the theatre to book the tickets.

He bought the English dictionary to look up difficult words.

Janine sold her car to get the money that she needed.

Juan uses Englishpage.com to learn English.

The corresponding negative is often constructed with in order not to or so as not to: I came in quietly in order not to/so as not to wake up the children.


• After nouns, when the infinitive functions as a modifier of the noun:

A book to read.

Nouns Followed by Infinitivesadvice His advice to continue was good.appeal The appeal to reduce pollution was ineffective.attempt Her attempt to locate them was unsuccessful.chance In Britain, you will have a chance to improve your English.decision The decision to increase taxes was not popular.desire His desire to get a good job motivated him.dream Her dream to become an actress was never realized.goal His goal to run a marathon seemed unrealistic.motivation Her motivation to enter university impressed them.need Bob's need to be the center of attention was irritating.opportunity The opportunity to live in New York interested Sandra.order They followed the general's order to retreat.permission Permission to enter the area was difficult to get.plan Sandy's plan to move to Madrid bothered her parents.preparationNASA's preparations to launch on Monday moved forward.proposal Her proposal to host the party impressed the committee.recommendation His recommendation to close the school upset the community.refusal Debra's refusal to help did not go unnoticed.reminder Her reminder to review the vocabulary helped me pass the test.request Their request to participate was granted.requirement Their requirement to speak four languages was unreasonable.suggestion His suggestion to leave seemed like a good idea.tendency His tendency to tap his desk during a test annoyed me.wish Her wish to be treated normally was respected.way One way to improve your English is to read novels.

After adjectives, when the infinitive functions as a modifier of the adjective: This word is easy to spell.

They were anxious to begin.She was delighted to receive such good feedback.He is lucky to have such good friends.


There are many "be + adjective" combinations that are commonly 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.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.


• After certain adverbs such as enough and too: This suitcase is too big for me to carry.

“too + adjective/adverb + infinitive”• 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”

• 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”

• He has enough money to buy his own car.• Cheryl owns enough books to start her own library!• Diane needs enough time to finish writing her book.

After:the first Gagarin was the first to fly in a spaceship.the last Peter was the last to watch the film.the next He is the next to get his passport.


After verbs such asto know,to teach,to learn,to showfollowed by an interrogative word +

infinitive (with the value of a subordinate noun clause):

I know where to go.



After several verbs (hear, feel, see, and make) in the passive voice:

She was made to open her suitcase at the airport. Where her acts as the subject of the infinitive.

NB: Although in the active voice we use the bare infinitive:

We made her open the case.


• In impersonal passive sentences: The Official Language School is believed to have a great number of students.

• There are also a number of independent constructions which also use the to-infinitive:

To sum up, to cut a long story short! to tell (you) the truth! to say nothing of! (не говоря уже о) to put it mildly (мягко выражаясь) to say the least of it (по меньшей мере) to begin/start with! (начнем с того, что) etc.


• In the construction: For + a noun or pronoun in the accusative + infinitive: This coffee is very hot for her to drink.

• With the immediate future (going to): I’m going to eat in a Japanese.

• With to have to / ought to / used to: He has to wake up now if he doesn’t want to miss the train./ I used to visit my grandparents on Sunday when I was a child.

• With the structure to be to to express a command or arrangement: He is to go right now.

Bare/Plain Infinitive or Infinitive Without to (1)

AFTER MODALS

after auxiliaries/modalscan He can run very fast.could As a boy he could run very fast.may I may fly to Africa this summer.might I might fly to Africa this summer.must I must go now.mustn't You mustn't smoke here.needn't You needn't go.shall We shall sing a song.should We should sing a song.will She will cook a meal for his birthday.would She would cook a meal for his birthday.


• With verbs of perception, such as to hear, to see, to watch, to feel, to notice, to observe, to overhear (подслушивать) :

I saw Pablo and Javier enter.She feels the rain fall on her face.

I heard Peter sing a song.Mandy noticed the boy climb the tree.

They saw him climb up the roof.He watched the thieves steal a car.

• Nevertheless, in the passive the infinitive is used

with to: They were seen to enter.

NB: There is a difference between the infinitive and the –ing form. The infinitive suggests that we see or hear the whole of an action or event. An –ing form, on the other hand, suggests that we hear or see an action in progress.

A progressive form can suggest repetition.I saw her throwing stones at the dog.

NB: Only –ing forms can be used after can see, can hear, can smell etc.I could smell something burning.I could hear her crying.

Look atLook at can be followed by an object + -ing form. In American English, object + infinitive is also possible.

Look at him eating!Look at him eat!

Help(didn’t) dare + (to) Infinitive

Dare (not usually used in the progressive tenses) to be brave enough to do something She said it as loudly as she dared.dare (to) do something He didn't dare (to) say what he thought.They daren't ask for any more money.(LITERARY) She dared not breathe a word of it to anybody.Dare to be different!There was something, dare I say it, a little unusual about him.

Dare usually forms negatives and questions like an ordinary verb and is followed by an infinitive with to. It is most common in the negative: I didn’t dare to ask. He won’t dare to break his promise.You told him? How did you dare?I hardly dared to hope she’d remember me.In positive sentences a phrase like not be afraid is often used instead: She wasn’t afraid (= she dared) to tell him the truth. It can also be used like a modal verb especially in present tense negative forms in British English, and is followed by an infinitive without to: I daren’t tell her the truth.In spoken English, the forms of the ordinary verb are often used with an infinitive without to: Don’t you dare tell her what I said! I didn’t dare look at him.

help somebody (to) do something The college's aim is to help students (to) achieve their aspirations.This charity aims to help people (to) help themselves.Come and help me lift this box.help (to) do something She helped (to) organize the party.

somebody can (not) help (doing) something| somebody can not help but do somethingused to say that it is impossible to prevent or avoid somethingI can't help thinking he knows more than he has told us.

The verbs dare and need can also be followed by the infinitive with to. In such sentences we use do to make questions and negatives.I dared not call you. = I didn't dare to call you. These two sentences have the same meaning, only the form is different.NB:You needn't listen to him. (You don't have to listen to him.) ≠ You don't need to listen to him. (There is no need to listen.) These two sentences are different in the form and meaning, too.

Usage note: need There are two separate verbs need. Need as a main verb has the question form do you need?, the negative you don’t need and the past forms needed, did you need? and didn’t need. It has two meanings: 1. to require something or to think that something is necessary: Do you need any help? ◇ I needed to get some sleep. 2. to have to or to be obliged to do something: Will we need to show our passports? Need as a modal verb has need for all forms of the present tense, need you? as the question form and need not (needn’t) as the negative. The past is need have, needn’t have. It is used to say that something is or is not necessary: Need I pay the whole amount now?

need Need can be used in the following ways:as a transitive verb (followed by a noun or pronoun object): I need a drink. ♦ Do you need anything? (followed by an infinitive with 'to'):She needs to rest. ♦ You don't need to worry. (followed by 'to' without a following infinitive): You can stay longer if you need to.as a modal verb (usually followed by an infinitive without 'to'): This is the only thing you need do.The modal verb need is mainly used in questions and negatives, which are formed without 'do': Need I pay now? ♦ You need not worry. In American English, except for a few phrases such as 'need I say more?', the modal verb is used only in formal language and some journalism.The negative need not is often shortened to needn't in conversation and informal writing. The modal verb need does not change its form, so the third person singular of the present tense does not end in '-s': He need not take the exam.The ordinary transitive verb need has a regular past tense needed: They needed to be careful.The modal verb need has no past tense, but it can be used in the pattern need not have/needn't have followed by a past participle, to show that although someone did something, it was not necessary: You needn't have waited for me.The ordinary transitive verb has a future tense will need: You will need to show your passport.In many cases, especially in questions and negatives using the simple present tense followed by an infinitive, there are two possible patterns: Need I come with you? = Do I need to come with you? ♦ He needn't come. = He doesn't need to come.


• With some other verbs and expressions that govern a bare infinitive, for instance, to make, to let, had better, had rather, had sooner, need hardly, cannot but, etc.:

You had better clean up your room.Susan would rather study for her exam tomorrow.I would sooner read a book than watch this film.

Why not ask your neighbour for help?Why should we go by car?

Why should we not go by car?


• In noun predicate clauses, when the subject is a pseudo-cleft* [ˈsjuːdəʊ]

sentence, both constructions are possible:

What you’ve done is (to) spoil our plans.

* pseudo-cleft (also pseudo-cleft sentence) - a sentence which resembles a cleft sentence by conveying emphasis or politeness through the use of a relative clause, such as: what we want is money representing “we want money”

Some verbs are followed by a noun plus an infinitive. In some situations, the noun is required. In other situations, the noun is optional. Examples:•The police ordered the man to stop. noun is required•She asked to leave. noun is optional•She asked him to leave. noun is optional

Verb + Required Noun + Infinitiveadvise* I advised them to see a doctor.allow* Ireland doesn't allow people to smoke in bars.cause He caused her to make a mistake.convinceNed convinced me to quit my job.enable Financial aid enabled the students to pay such expensive tuition fees.encourage* He encourages his patients to eat healthy foods.force The commander forced the soldiers to march in the rain.get (cause to) Isabelle got Mike to wash her car.hire Mr. Donelly hired Sarah to work as a receptionist.invite We invited them to join us.order The police ordered him to put his hands in the air.permit* California doesn't permit people to fish without a fishing license.remind They reminded me to pay the bills before the end of the month.Require*The certificate requires students to complete two courses.tell He told me to shut up.urge* They urge citizens to recycle bottles and paper.warn She warned him not to be late.

* = verb followed by a gerund OR a noun + an infinitive

Verb + Optional Noun + InfinitiveNotice in the examples below that the verbs can be followed by an infinitive or a noun plus an infinitive. When a noun is added, it usually changes who or what is performing the action. To understand this better, look at the first verb "ask" and its examples. In the first sentence, she is asking if she herself can leave. In the second sentence, she is requesting that a man leave. Study the examples below and consider how the optional noun changes the meaning.ask She asked to leave. She asked him to leave.choose I chose to help out. I chose him to help out.expect They expect to arrive early. The expect him to arrive early.Need* I need to clean the house. I need her to clean the house.prepare They prepared to take the test. They prepared her to take the test.promise She promised to stop smokingShe promised him to stop smoking.threaten He threatened to leave forever. He threatened her to leave forever.want I want to study Spanish. I want my son to study Spanish.wish I wish to stay. I wish him to stay. rare formwould like

* = verb followed by a gerund OR an infinitive with a difference in meaning

VERB + TO INFINITIVE

AGREE

WOULD LIKE

DECIDEHOPEFORGETLEARNPROMISEPLANREFUSEWANT

WOULD PREFERWOULD HATE

WOULD LOVE

TO DO

She agreed to come with us.

She learnt to drive a car.

They decided to divide the profits equally.

They want to go to the football match.

We would like to visit Japan in 2006.

He forgot to leave the car keys on the table.

I promise to wait.

VERB + OBJECT + TO INFINITIVE

ALLOW

WOULD LIKE

ASKHELPNEEDINVITEORDERREMIND

TELLWANT

WOULD PREFERWOULD HATE

WOULD LOVE

TO DOWe would like you to come with us.

She told me to go there.

They allowed us to go to the party.

We want the students to visit the new museum.

He asked us to leave by half past seven.

I ordered Mary to wait.Peter & John

the students

Mary

us

her

VERB PATTERNS IN ENGLISH

PATTERNS

WITHOUTCHANGE

OF MEANING

WITH CHANGE

OF MEANING

VERB + GERUNDor TO INFINITIVE

THE GERUND

She stopped to smoke.

She stoppedsmoking.

I started crying.=

I started to cry.

VERB + GERUND

I love singing.

A gerund is a noun made from a verb by adding "-ing.“ A GERUND is a verb in its "ing" form (the present participle); for example, raining, dancing, laughing, thinking, creating, running, and so on. By definition, they are activities - either physical or mental. These words function as NOUNS in a sentence You can use a gerund as the subject, the complement, or the object of a sentence.Examples:•Reading helps you learn English. subject of sentence•Her favorite hobby is reading. complement of sentence•I enjoy reading. object of sentenceGerunds can be made negative by adding "not."Examples:•He enjoys not working.•The best thing for your health is not smoking.

Gerunds can often be modified with possessive forms such as his, her, its, your, their, our, John's, Mary's, the machine's, and so on. This makes it clearer who or what is performing the action.Examples:•I enjoyed their singing. They were singing.•She understood his saying no to the offer. He said no.•Sam resented* Debbie's coming late to the dinner. Debbie came late to the dinner.•We discussed the machine's being broken. The machine is broken.•*resent [rɪ'zent] негодовать, возмущаться; обижаться

• There are some verbs which can also be followed by the to-infinitive or gerund with a slight difference in meaning. Let’s compare these two sentences:

– I like going to the beach. It expresses a general or habitual action.

– I like to go to the beach early in the morning. It expresses specific or isolated actions.

LIKE TO DO VS LIKE DOINGIn I like skiing the important bit is the like. You're talking about something you enjoy, and not saying much about the skiing. You might like doing it, watching it on TV, or you might just like the idea of it, because of all the clothing and those fancy goggles you wear.

In I like to ski you're saying something about what you enjoy, but you're also saying something about skiing, ie that it's an activity that you actually do. I like to ski is not appropriate if you just watch it on TV.

In other words:I like skiing = I like skiingI like to ski = I like skiing + I skiLike to do - мне нравится совершать это действие; я делаю это, когда есть возможность для удовольствия или поддержания заведенного мною порядка.Like doing - получать удовольствие от процесса, действия или состояния, причем состояние может быть побочных эффектом других действий (I like being married, I like being a student). В отношении хобби, увлечений структуры практически равнозначны. I like to do it - мне нравится это делать, и я это делаю, когда есть возможность. I like doing it - мне доставляет удовольствие сам процесс делания.

Some verbs can be followed by a gerund or an infinitive with little difference in 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 likes what he experiences there.•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 works in the United States.•I like speaking French because it's such a beautiful language. I like the experience of speaking French, and the way it makes me feel when I speak the language.•I like to speak French when I'm in France. I prefer the option of speaking French when I am in France.Verbs Followed by Gerunds OR Infinitives (Similar Meaning)can't bear He can't bear being alone. He can't bear to be alone.can't stand Nancy can't stand working the late shift. Nancy can't stand to work the late shift.cease The government ceased providing free health care. The government ceased to provide free health care.continue She continued talking. She continued to talk.hate He hates cleaning dishes. He hates to clean dishes.like Samantha likes reading. Samantha likes to read.love We love scuba diving. We love to scuba dive.neglect He neglected doing his daily chores. He neglected to do his daily chores.prefer He prefers eating at 7 PM. He prefers to eat at 7 PM.propose Drew proposed paying for the trip. Drew proposed to pay for the trip.

REMEMBER

• Remember to buy the newspaper on your way back home. It reminds somebody to do something he / she may easily forget or it also refers to something that one must do in the future.

• I remember visiting my grandmother when I was a little girl. Somebody did something in the past and now he / she remembers what he / she did.

FORGET

• He has forgotten to take his coat with him. The person does not remember to do something.

• Don’t forget to lock the door (warning not to forget a future event - more common)

• I haven’t forgotten meeting my husband. The person remembers something he / she did in the past. This use is generally in the negative form.

• I'll never forget kissing my first love ((not) forgetting an event from long ago)

TRY

• He tried to read for a bit. It means the same as to

attempt.• I tried to finish the exercise but couldn’t. (try, in

spite of difficulty - more common)• When you have hiccups, try holding your

breath, if it doesn’t work try drinking some water. The subject makes an experiment or do

something to see if it has an effect.• Have you tried dying your hair? (try an action as

an experiment/suggestion)

STOP

• He stopped to buy a bunch of flowers to his mother. It expresses purpose.

• I stopped to buy a cup of coffee (stop in order to do something else)

• He has stopped smoking. He has not continued doing what he / she did. (end of any process - more common)

REGRET

• I regret to tell you that you haven’t passed your driving test. The introductory subject is sorry that one must do something. At the same time that the introductory subject is regretting what he / she is saying the that-clause subject knows about the information.

• He regrets not going to university. Someone is sorry that one has (not) done something in the past, that is, he didn’t go to university and now he regrets it.

MEAN

• I meant to call you, but in the end I forgot to. It means the same as intend.

• Working as an air-hostess means travelling a lot. It means the same as involve.

PREFER/RATHER

• We can have the following structures:– I prefer to visit Chaplin exhibition rather than (to)

go to the EOI (Present tense)– I prefer visiting Chaplin exhibition to going to the

EOI (Present tense) – I prefer tea to coffee (one thing to another thing)– I would prefer to go skiing rather than (to) go

fishing but– I would rather go skiing than go fishing.

VERB + GERUND

ADORE *

KEEP ON

CAN’T STANDCARRY ONDON’T MINDENJOYFINISHGIVE UPGO ONHATE *

LIKE *LOOK FORWARD TO

PREFER *

DOING

We like driving cars.

They hated studying English.

They gave up smoking last week.

They kept on interrupting us.

We are looking forward to meeting Paul.

I can’t stand listening to hip-hop.

She loves ice-skating.

LOVE *

* These verbs can also take the TO INFINITIVE, but with a slight difference in meaning.

- With the GERUND, they show a general activity: I like cooking.- With the TO INFINITIVE, they show a specific activity: I like to cook paella on Sundays.

ICI

VERB + TO INFINITIVE or GERUND(WITH CHANGE OF MEANING)

I remembered to post the letter.

I tried to sleep.

I stopped to smoke.

I remembered posting the letter.

= I have a memory now of a pastaction: posting the letter.

= I reminded myself to post the letter.

I stopped smoking.

= I didn’t go on in order to have a cigarette. = I gave up the habit.

REMEMBER

STOP

TRY I tried counting sheep.

REGRET

GO ON

I regret to inform you that wecannot offer you the job.

= I wanted to sleep but it was difficult. = It was a possible way ofgetting to sleep.

I regret telling him that secret.

= I know that you will beunhappy when I tell you.

= I told him; now I realisethat it was a bad idea.

I went on to talk about the exams. I went on talking for two hours.

= I changed subjects. = I continued doing the same thing.

VERB + TO INFINITIVE or GERUND(WITHOUT CHANGE OF MEANING)

She began to read the book.

We’ll continue to study hard.

She began reading the book.BEGIN

CONTINUE We’ll continue studying hard.

START I started to cook the meal. I started cooking the meal.

=

=

=

There are many "go + gerund" expressions used for adventure sports and individual recreational activities. Examples:•I go swimming every weekend.•Would you ever go skydiving?Go + Gerund Listgo boatinggo bowlinggo bungee jumpinggo campinggo canoeinggo climbinggo dancinggo fishinggo hikinggo horseback ridinggo huntinggo jogginggo kayakinggo mountain climbinggo paraglidinggo parasailinggo rollerbladinggo runninggo sailinggo scuba divinggo shoppinggo sightseeinggo skateboardinggo skatinggo skiinggo skinny-dippinggo skydivinggo sleddinggo snorkelinggo snowboardinggo spearfishinggo surfinggo trekkinggo water skiinggo window shoppinggo windsurfing

Remember that there are many "adjective + preposition" combinations and "noun + preposition" combinations in English as well. Once again, you don't have to memorize these resources, you just need to remember that gerunds are used after prepositions!Examples:•Sandy is scared of flying. adjective + preposition•Nick is anxious about taking the examination. adjective + preposition•His interest in becoming a professional snowboarder was well known. noun + preposition•Thomas' story about seeing a grizzly bear was really exciting. noun + preposition

Adjective + Preposition Combinations Followed by GerundsThe following is ONLY A SAMPLE LIST of the most commonly used adjective + preposition combinations that can be followed by gerunds.accustomed toHe is accustomed to having his own office.addicted to She is addicted to watching TV.afraid of She is afraid of speaking in public.anxious about Norma is anxious about making the presentation.bored of I am bored of doing the same old job.capable of He is capable of winning a gold medal.committed to She is committed to improving her English.concerned about Nancy was concerned about being late.content with Tim is content with winning second place.dedicated to The organization is dedicated to ending poverty.devoted to The money will be devoted to protecting the environment.disappointed with Fiona was disappointed with coming in third place.discouraged by He was discouraged by not getting the job.excited about The researcher was excited about going to Africa.famous for That actor is famous for being extremely weird.fond of She is fond of having picnics.frightened of She is frightened of being alone at night.guilty of The banker was guilty of stealing money.happy about He was happy about winning the lottery.interested in She is interested in becoming a doctor.involved in He was involved in making the movie.known for She was known for causing problems.opposed to They are opposed to building a new road in the park.proud of He was proud of having completed the marathon.remembered for She is remembered for protecting mountain gorillas.responsible for He is responsible for causing the damage.scared of Tina is scared of being alone at night.terrified of The surfer is terrified of being attacked by a shark.tired from She is tired from working all day.tired of Margaret is tired of making dinner every night.worried about The hikers were worried about not having enough water.

adjective + prepositionWe use the Gerund after the following phrases:afraid of They are afraid of losing the match.angry about/at Pat is angry about walking in the rain.bad atgood at John is good at working in the garden.clever at He is clever at skateboarding.crazy about The girl is crazy about playing tennis.disappointed about/at He is disappointed about seeing such a bad report.excited about We are excited about making our own film.famous for Sandy is famous for singing songs.fed up with I'm fed up with being treated as a child.fond of Hannah is fond of going to parties.glad about She is glad about getting married again.happy about/at The children are not happy about seeing a doctor.interested in Are you interested in writing poems?keen on Joe is keen on drawing.proud of She is proud of riding a snowboard.sick of We're sick of sitting around like this.sorry about/for He's sorry for eating in the lesson.tired of I'm tired of waiting for you.used to She is used to smoking.worried about I'm worried about making mistakes.

Noun + Preposition Combinations Followed by GerundsThe following is ONLY A SAMPLE LIST of the most commonly used noun + preposition combinations that can be followed by gerunds.addiction to His addiction to surfing the Internet is a problem.advantage of He has the advantage of speaking English fluently.anxiety about Her anxiety about speaking in public caused her to lose the job.belief in His belief in not harming animals was something he learned from his mother.credit for She took credit for improving the filing system.dedication to His dedication to teaching was impressive.delay in The delay in processing the visa caused problems.devotion to His devotion to biking allowed him to win the competition.disadvantage of The disadvantage of flying is that you can't see the scenery along the way.experience in She has a great deal of experience in introducing new products to international markets.With the noun "experience," sometimes a gerund is added without the preposition "in." "Experience introducing new products" would also be acceptable.fear of His fear of flying made travel difficult.fondness for Her fondness for traveling led to her career in the travel industry.habit of His habit of smoking in restaurants caused many problems in California.interest in Her career as a pilot evolved out of her interest in flying.knowledge of Her knowledge of climbing helped her during the competition.love of His love of singing developed when he was a child.memory of Their memories of traveling in Africa will stay with them forever.preference for I think his preference for speaking his native language is natural.process of The process of painting such a large mural is more complicated than you might think.reaction to His reaction to winning the prize was quite funny.reason for The main reason for taking the course is to improve your language skills.regret for The criminal's regret for committing the crime did not convince the judge.report on The magazine's report on choosing the right car was not well researched.reputation for Her reputation for lying is well known.responsibility for His responsibility for completing the project on time was acknowledged by the company.story about I don't know if I believe his story about seeing a UFO.talent for His talent for learning languages was impressive.

Certain expressions are followed by "ING" forms. Examples:•He had fun fishing.•They had difficulty finding a parking place.•She spent her time practicing the piano.Expressions followed by VERB+inghave (some) problems He had some problems reading without his glasses.have a difficult time She had a difficult time hiking up the mountain.have a good time They had a good time snorkeling.have a hard time She had a hard time explaining the situation.have a problem Debbie had a problem understanding his accent.have an easy time She had an easy time selling the delicious cookies.have difficulty Wanda had difficulty translating the letter by herself.have fun The had fun skiing.have no difficulty They had no difficulty finding a discount flight to London.have no problem Francis had no problem getting from the airport to the hotel.spend one's time He always spends his time working out at the gym.waste one's time She always wastes her time playing video games.

We use the Gerund after prepositions.noun + prepositionWe use the Gerund after the following nouns:advantage of What is the advantage of farming over hunting?chance of There's a chance of catching a cold these days.choice between There's a choice between flying to London Heathrow or Stansted.danger of Peggy is in danger of making a mistake.difficulty in He has difficulty in sending SMS.doubt about He is in doubt about buying the correct software for his computer system.hope of There's little hope of catching the new Corvette.idea of I like the idea of setting up a new email account.interest inThere's no interest in writing letters.method of This is a simple method of finding solutions.opportunity of There's some opportunity of bringing her parents together again.possibility of These new wheels offer the possibility of riding tubeless.problem of He has the problem of swimming too slow.reason forThere's a real reason for winning the contest.risk of There's a risk of digging too deep.trouble for He was in trouble for stealing.way of This is a new way of building a wall.

We use the Gerund after the following phrases:accuse of They were accused of breaking into a shop.agree with I agree with playing darts.apologize for They apologize for being late.believe in She doesn't believe in getting lost in the wood.blame for The reporter is blamed for writing bad stories.complain about She complains about bullying.concentrate on Do you concentrate on reading or writing?congratulate sb. on I wanted to congratulate you on making such a good speech.cope with He is not sure how to cope with getting older.decide against They decided against stealing the car.depend on Success may depend on becoming more patient.dream about/of Sue dreams of being a pop star.feel like They feel like going to bed.get used to You must get used to working long hours.insist on The girls insisted on going out with Mark.look forward to I'm looking forward to seeing you soon.prevent sb. from sth. How can I prevent Kate from working in this shop?rely on sth. He doesn't rely on winning in the casino.succeed in How then can I succeed in learning chemistry?specialize in The firm specialized in designing websites.stop sb. from I stopped Andrew from smoking.talk about/of They often talk about travelling to New Zealand.think of Frank thinks of playing chess.warn sb. against We warned them against using this computer.worry about The patient worries about having the check-up.

We use the Gerund after the following verbs:admit He admitted having driven too fast.avoid They avoid going on holiday on Saturdays.carry on If we carry on sleeping so badly, we may need help.consider Ralph is considering buying a new house.delay I delayed telling Max the news.deny She denies reading the book.dislike We dislike reading poems.can't help He couldn't help falling in love with her.enjoy I enjoy playing chess.finish They finished working in the garden.give up Susan gives up playing ice-hockey.imagine He imagined driving a new car.include Your responsibility includes taking reservations on the phone.involve The project will involve growing plants.justify I cannot justify paying $100 for this ticket.keep (on) They keep on running.mention Did Alex ever mention playing baseball?mind I don't mind sleeping on the couch.miss They miss playing with their friends.practise She practised playing hockey.regret* Do you regret having mentioned it?risk You risk catching a cold.suggest She suggested flying to Cairo.* After regret the to-infinitive is used when announcing bad news:We regret to inform you that the flight to Munich has been cancelled.

Gerund after special phrasesWe use the Gerund after the following phrases:to be busy He is busy reading the paper.couldn't help She couldn't help eating another apple.don't mind I don't mind telling them my opinion.feel likeWe feel like having a cup of tea.how about How about walking home instead of taking the car?it's (no) good It's no good talking to this girl.it's no use It's no use talking to the headmaster.spend one's time They spend their time reading.there's no There's no cheating anymore.there's no pointThere's no point in complaining further.what about What about going to the zoo?worth The book is worth reading.

Gerund after prepositionsWe use the Gerund after the following prepositions:after After having a shower, I waited for Steven.before The tablet must not be taken before getting up in the morning.by I manage it by working much longer than 40-hour weeks.in spite of In spite of studying a lot he didn't pass the exams.on She insisted on calling her sister.without He told the joke without laughing.

Gerund and Infinitive (no difference in meaning)We use the Gerund or the Infinitive after the following verbs:begin He began talking.He began to talk.continue They continue smoking.They continue to smoke.hate Do you hate working on Saturdays?Do you hate to work on Saturdays?like I like swimming.I like to swim.love She loves painting.She loves to paint.prefer Pat prefers walking home.Pat prefers to walk home.start They start singing.They start to sing.

We use the Gerund or the Infinitive after the following verbs. There are two possible structures after these verbs. Gerund: verb + -ingInfinitive: verb + person + to-infinitiveadvise They advise walking to town.They advise us to walk to town.allow They do not allow smoking here.They do not allow us to smoke here.encourage They encourage doing the test.They encourage us to do the test.permit They do not permit smoking here.They do not permit us to smoke here.

We use the following structures with the word recommend:recommend They recommend walking to town.They recommend that we walk to town.

* After regret the to-infinitive is used when announcing bad news:We regret to inform you that the flight to Munich has been cancelled.

GERUND FORMS INFINITIVE FORMS

SIMPLE The teacher enjoys teaching. The teacher wants to teach.

PROGRESSIVE Mr. Smith is really enjoying teaching his class.LOOKS THE SAME AS SIMPLE FORM ABOVE.

Mr. Smith would like to be teaching his class.

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.

PASSIVE + PROGRESSIVE The students are enjoying being taught by such an exciting new teacher.LOOKS THE SAME AS THE PASSIVE FORM ABOVE.

The students would like to be being taught by Mr Smith.

PASSIVE + PERFECT The older students recalled having been taught that already.

The students were expecting to have been taught that by now.

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.

Gerund or infinitive?

1 It’s very expensive _____________ a flat in the centre. (rent) 2 Are you afraid of _____________? (fly) 3 I called the restaurant _____________ a table for tonight. (book) 4 Be careful _____________ a noise whtn you come home tonight. (not make)

5 She’s worried about _____________ the exam. (fail) 6 Everybody went on _____________ until after midnight. (dance) 7 _____________ an only child is a bit boring. (be) 8 It’s easy _____________ the way if you look at the map. (find) 9 He’s terrible at _____________ languages. (learn)

10 A Why are you learning Spanish? B _____________ talk to my in-laws. They’re Argentinian, and they don’t speak English. (be able to)

Work, to work or working?

1 I spent all weekend _____________ on the computer.2 I’ve decided _____________ abroad next year.3 You must ____________ harder if you want to get

promoted.4 My boss often makes me _____________ late.5 He isn’t very good at _____________ in team.6 I don’t mind _____________ on Saturdays if I can have a day off during the week.7 He’s gone to the UK _____________ in his uncle’s shop.8 _____________ with members of your family can be quite difficult.9 My husband promised not _____________ on my birthday.10 I used _____________ in a restaurant when I was a

student.

Both gerunds and infinitives can be used as the subject or the complement of a sentence. However, as subjects or complements, gerunds usually sound more like normal, in spoken English, whereas infinitives sound more abstract. In the following sentences, gerunds sound more natural and would be more common in everyday English. Infinitives emphasize the possibility or potential for something and sound more philosophical. If this sounds confusing, just remember that 90% of the time, you will use a gerund as the subject or complement of a sentence.Examples:Learning is important. normal subjectTo learn is important. abstract subject - less commonThe most important thing is learning. normal complementThe most important thing is to learn. abstract complement - less commonAs the object of a sentence, it is more difficult to choose between a gerund or an infinitive. In such situations, gerunds and infinitives are not normally interchangeable. Usually, the main verb in the sentence determines whether you use a gerund or an infinitive.Examples:He enjoys swimming. "ENJOY" REQUIRES A GERUND.He wants to swim. "WANT" REQUIRES AN INFINITIVE.

Инфинитив без частицы to употребляется:(а) после всех модальных глаголов, кроме модальных глаголов to have to, to be to, ought to;(b) после модальных конструкций have better, would rather, needn't, и глагола to dare;(c) после вопросительной конструкции с why, выражающей предположение о том, что что-либо бессмысленно, бесполезно или глупо: why go there? к чему (с какой стати) туда идти?;(d) после подлежащих, выраженных придаточным предложением, которое начинается с what и all: what he expected me to do was ask him about it; all he had to do was open the door;(e) в конструкции сложного дополнения с глаголами чувств: to see, to hear, to feel, to notice, to observe, to watch, to listen в форме активного залога (в форме пассивного залога со всеми этими глаголами инфинитив употребляется с частицей to: we saw him cross the street, ср., однако, he was seen to cross the street);(f) после глаголов to make и to let в конструкции Complex Object: let me think it over;(g) после глагола to help: help the old man cross the street.

Инфинитив с частицей to употребляется:1. (а) в конструкции Complex Object (smb to do smth) после глаголов to allow, to enable, to expect, to like, to mean, to prefer, to want: I expect him to come:(b) в конструкции с наречиями too и enough и последующим прилагательным: too high (for smb) to reach слишком высоко, чтобы кто-либо мог достать: easy enough to remember достаточно легко, чтобы запомнить.2. с рядом прилагательных, выражающих чувства, отношение к действию, степень качества или способ действия, таких как: able, afraid, anxious, ashamed, difficult, disappointed, eager, easy, fit, foolish, frightened, glad, likely, nice, pleasant, pleased, proper, proud, right, sad, silly, surprised, unable, willing, wrong: It's wrong to say so.3 после ряда существительных, таких как: ability, attempt, chance, desire, failure, inability, need, opportunity, unwillingness, willingness.4 с рядом глаголов для выражения цели, образуя бессоюзное словосочетание в отличие от русского языка, где в этих случаях употребляется придаточное предложение: he came to discuss the plan он пришел для того, чтобы обсудить этот план.

Gerunds and infinitives

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