Gerunds Vs Infinitives

What (the h***) is the gerund?

• A gerund is the ING form of the verb.

• Examples:• Playing• Swimming• Going• Running• Being

When do we use the GERUND?

• After certain verbs

• Instead of a noun

• After prepositions

1. After certain verbs

• Enjoy• I enjoy reading• I was enjoying reading• She has enjoyed reading• You will enjoy reading• We have been enjoying reading

Certain verbs are followed by the gerund

• After ‘enjoy’ ‘fancy’ ‘discuss’ ‘dislike’ ‘finish’• The second verb is ALWAYS in the

gerund• I enjoy reading• I fancy watching movies• We discussed going on holiday together• I dislike waiting for buses• We’ve finished preparing for the meeting

Certain verbs are followed by the

gerund • Mind

I don’t mind coming early• Suggest

• He suggested staying home (NOT suggested to)

• Recommend• He recommended meeting earlier

• Kept• He kept working although he felt ill.

• Avoid• She avoided talking to her boss

Another way we use a gerund

• After certain verbs

• Instead of a noun

• After prepositions

Examples

• Smoking isn’t allowed here

• Swimming is very good exercise

A third way to use gerunds

• After certain verbs

• Instead of a noun

• After prepositions

Examples

• I drank a cup of coffee before leaving.

• It’s a good idea to brush your teeth after eating

Gerunds after prepositions

in phrasal verbs• I gave up smoking.

• I agree with playing soccer.

• She complains about bullying.

• They decided against attending the meeting.

• Sara dreams of becoming a rock star.

We use ‘to+infinitive’:

• After certain verbs

• After many adjectives

• To show purpose

Ecamples

• He decided to leave early.

Can be in any tense

Examples

• He decided to leave early.

The second verb is always with ‘to+infinitive’

More verbs that take

‘to+infinitive’• Agree

• She agreed to give a presentation.

• Ask• She asked to leave early.

• Plan• He plans to buy a new car.

• Hope• I hope to pass the exam.

• Learn• They are learning to sing.

• Want• I want to come to the party.

More examples of verbs that take the

infinitive• Would like

• I would like to see you tonight.

• Promise• I promised not to be late.

(Make negative by adding ‘not’ before the infinitive)

More examples on verbs

that take the infinitive• Pleased

• I’m pleased to meet you!

We use the ‘to+infinitive’

• After certain verbs

• After many adjectives

• To show purpose

Examples:

• Happy• I’m happy to see you!• Right

• She was right to leave early.

• Wrong• They were wrong to leave the building.

• Careful• The teacher was careful to speak clearly.

• Lucky• He was lucky to get a scholarship.

• Likely• It’s likely to snow tonight.

We use the ‘to+infinitive’

• After certain verbs

• After many adjectives

• To show purpose

(we use the infinitive to say

why we do something)• I came to the US to study.

• I went home to have lunch.• (NOT: for have lunch)

Gerund OR infinitive with NO

CHANGE IN MEANING Some verbs take either G/or INF with no change in

meaning:

• Start• It started to rain./ = It started raining.

• Continue:• I continued to work./ = I continued working

• Begin: • She began to sing/ she began singing

• Prefer:• I prefer eating at home./ I prefer to eat at home.

Gerund of infinitive WITH change in

meaning• Some verbs either take the GR or INF

but WITH change in meaning:

• Stop + gerund (when you stop the action or activity)

• Stop + ‘to+infinitive’ (when you stop something to do something else)

Examples – (Stop + Gerund)

• Stop (gerund):• She stopped working.• She stopped smoking.• She stopped studying.(=she stopped doing the verb)

Stop + ‘to+infinitive’

• I stopped to have lunch

• I stopped to say hello.

(=I stopped doing the first action because of the second)

Remember + GR/INF

• Remember + gerund (To talk about past actions)

• Remember + ‘to+infinitive)

• (when someone remembers/has to remember something they have to do)

Remember + gerund

• He remembers going to the beach.(in his head)

• I remember locking the door.

Remember + ‘to+inf’

• Please remember to buy milk!(the person needs to remember buying milk when at the store)

• He remembered to meet her. (First, he arranged a meeting with her. Then he remembered to go to the meeting.)

Try + inf

• Used when we don’t succeed in doing the action:• I tried to open the window, but it was

stuck!• (=I failed at the action)

• He tried to eat salad every day, but I often go for the Pizza. (=failed at the attempt, eating salad is the goal, but he didn’t succeed)

Try + gerund

• Used when we do the action but it doesn’t help us to achieve the goal:

• I tried opening the window, but the room was still hot.

(this mean I opened the window easily, as an experiment to see if it would make the room cooler)