GERUNDS AND INFINITIVES

Base form Vs Gerund Vs Infinitive

Base Form: Infinitive without TOSHARE

Infinitive: always with TOTO SHARE

Gerund: Base form+INGSHARING

BASE FORM

After some perception verbs such as HEAR, FEEL or SEE and the verbs LET and MAKE:

I saw you leave home.My parents don’t let me stay out late

GERUNDS

As a subject of a sentence:

After prepositions:

Smoking kills.I thought of calling you, but

it was late.After having lunch, they go

to school.

GERUNDS

As a Direct Object of certain verbs:

After certain expressions:

Continue MissEnjoy PreferFinish

RecommendLike/dislike SuggestLove/hate

Can’t help Look forward to

Can’t stand Spend (time)Feel like Don’t mindIt’s no use Would mind

Be/Get used to

INFINITIVES

As a subject of a sentence (when we talk about a specific fact)

After some verbs:

To smoke now would be rude.

Agree LearnAppear/seem ManageChoose PlanDecide PromiseExpect RefuseHope

Want/wish

INFINITIVES

After certain adjectives and adverbs:

After Indirect Object of certain verbs:

BusyHappyReadyTired

SlowlyFastLowHigh

Advise TeachInvite

PersuadeTell Warn

VERBS FOLLOWED BY BOTH

Without change in meaning:

With change in meaning:

BeginProposeForbidIntendStart

StopRemeberForgetRegret

STOP

STOP + GERUND:To leave an habit

STOP + INFINITIVE:To interrupt an action for

doing something else

You should stop smoking, it will kill you!

Let’s stop here to have a drink!

REMEMBER

REMEMBER + GERUND:It refers to something done in

the past

REMEMBER + INFINITIVE:It refers to the future. We use it

when we want to say sth immportant to somenone.

I don’t remeber locking the door!

You should remember to call Mr Jones to put off the meeting.

REGRET

REGRET + GERUND:To regret something from the past.

REGRET + INFINITIVE:To make bad news public.

She regrets breaking up with him.

I regret to tell you that we don’t have any vacancy to be filled.

FORGET

FORGET + GERUND:To express that we’ve forgotten

something which was done in the past.

FORGET + INFINITIVE:To forget doing something.

I forgot talking to you!(you talked, but you don’t

remember)

I forgot to call you on your birthday.

(you didn’t call, so you didn’t remember)