-ING, TO OR 0 INFINITIVE?-ING, TO OR 0 INFINITIVE?

USING -ING, TO OR ZERO INFINITIVE

Using the Gerund (-ing Using the Gerund (-ing Form)Form)

1.1. As the Subject of a As the Subject of a sentence:sentence:

- Going outGoing out is fun. is fun.- ReadingReading is my favourite hobby. is my favourite hobby.- Walking to schoolWalking to school is good exercise. is good exercise.

(We would use the Infinitive in Spanish/ (We would use the Infinitive in Spanish/ Galician)Galician)

2. After PREPOSITIONS:2. After PREPOSITIONS:

- Thanks Thanks for writingfor writing..- She She insisted on drivinginsisted on driving my car. my car.- I I apologized for beingapologized for being late. late.- Keep on tryingKeep on trying!!- We’re We’re tired of waitingtired of waiting..

3. After some expressions:3. After some expressions:- I I can’t (couldn’t) helpcan’t (couldn’t) help falling in love falling in love

with you (as Elvis said).with you (as Elvis said).- I I can’t stand can’t stand getting upgetting up early.early.- II don’t mind / Would you mind don’t mind / Would you mind opening opening

the window?the window?- I I look forward tolook forward to visiting India next visiting India next

year.year.- We We feel likefeel like going to the theatre in May. going to the theatre in May.- It’s no useIt’s no use calling her. She never calling her. She never

answers.answers.- He He is/ got used tois/ got used to being a teacher. being a teacher.

4. As the Direct Object of 4. As the Direct Object of Verbs such as:Verbs such as:

Love, like, hate, prefer, enjoy, dislike,Love, like, hate, prefer, enjoy, dislike,

miss, suggest, continue, finish, miss, suggest, continue, finish, recommend:recommend:

- I I miss lyingmiss lying on the beach. on the beach.- Don’t you Don’t you love travellinglove travelling??- I I suggested gettingsuggested getting her a present. her a present.

Using the TO InfinitiveUsing the TO Infinitive

1. After some adjectives and adverbs:1. After some adjectives and adverbs:- She was She was sad to leavesad to leave- I’m happy to seeI’m happy to see you. you.

Especially when they take Especially when they take TOOTOO or or ENOUGHENOUGH::

- He’s He’s too shy to speaktoo shy to speak..- You’re not You’re not old enough to driveold enough to drive..

2. After some verbs such as:2. After some verbs such as:Agree, allow, appear/ seem, choose, Agree, allow, appear/ seem, choose, decide, expect, hope, learn, plan, decide, expect, hope, learn, plan, promise, refuse, want AND would promise, refuse, want AND would like/ love/ hate/ prefer: like/ love/ hate/ prefer:

- I- I’d love to dance’d love to dance right now. right now. - - Would you like to comeWould you like to come to the to the

party?party? - I - I want to gowant to go out this evening. out this evening. - She - She decided to leavedecided to leave..

3. After the Object of verbs 3. After the Object of verbs such as:such as:

Advise, persuade, invite, teach, warn, Advise, persuade, invite, teach, warn, want:want:

- They They want us to leavewant us to leave..- They They invited me to goinvited me to go..- What did they What did they teach you to doteach you to do there? there?- She She advised him to forgetadvised him to forget about her. about her.

Using the “Zero” InfinitiveUsing the “Zero” Infinitive

1. After All Modal Verbs 1. After All Modal Verbs (except OUGHT TO):(except OUGHT TO):

- I I can’t meetcan’t meet you later. you later.- May I comeMay I come in? in?- You You shouldn’t beshouldn’t be so critical. so critical.

2. After verbs of perception 2. After verbs of perception (hear, see, feel, …) , make (hear, see, feel, …) , make and let:and let:

- I I heard you talkheard you talk..- They They saw you crysaw you cry..- His parents His parents made her staymade her stay at home. at home.- They won’t They won’t let me golet me go away. away.

Verbs followed by ING or To Verbs followed by ING or To InfinitiveInfinitive

1. No change in meaning:1. No change in meaning:Begin, start, forbid, intend, proposeBegin, start, forbid, intend, propose

- She She began to pack/packingbegan to pack/packing..- I I intended to phone/phoningintended to phone/phoning you you- They have They have forbidden to forbidden to

smoke/smokingsmoke/smoking

2. Changing the meaning:2. Changing the meaning: STOP: STOP: - I I stopped workingstopped working and went home. and went home. (dejar de hacer)(dejar de hacer)- I - I stopped to havestopped to have lunch. (Pararse a) lunch. (Pararse a)

REMEMBER/ FORGET/REGRET:REMEMBER/ FORGET/REGRET: - I - I remember calling youremember calling you yesterday yesterday

(something PREVIOUS)(something PREVIOUS) - Don’t - Don’t forget to callforget to call me later. (something to me later. (something to

do LATER).do LATER).- I - I regret arguingregret arguing with her yesterday. with her yesterday.

More practice at:More practice at:

http://englishteachermargarita.blogspot.comhttp://englishteachermargarita.blogspot.com//