Gerunds and infinitives Grammar III I CO – 2011 by Carlos Roberto Mora

Infinitive The uninflected form of the verb. The infinitive form may be used alone or in conjunction with the particle to. An infinitive is the base form of a verb with -to-

Infinitive (to) + Gerund The infinitive after a verb often describes a future event. After: hope, expect, promise, want… the event in the to-infinitive comes after the activity or thought in the main verb: I hope to see you next week. Gerund describes an activity. We enjoyed seeing you last weekend.

afford / agree learn / need ask / decide promise / refuse - to - expect / fail tell / want hope / wish want / decide

afford / agree I agree to go to the USA trip this summer. I can afford to buy this picture. learn / need We should learn to do housework. Humans need to drink water.

Hope / wish I hope to meet Beckham in England. I wish to fly up high in the sky. Want / decide I want to do the homework today. I decide to buy this book.

Expect / fail We expect to pass the English exam. We failed to do the homework. Tell / want He wanted to tell her about his feelings.

Ask / decide I asked my mum to go shopping with me. I decided to go hiking this Sunday. Promise / refuse I promised my mother to finish my homework this weekend. I refuse to invite Mary to my party.

No major difference in meaning Some verbs can be followed by either the infinitive or the gerund without any major difference in meaning: Begin Continue Start Intend Mother Teresa started to live/living in the slums of Calcutta from 1948. Though she faced many problems, Mother Teresa continued to work/working for the poor.

Gerund (general) to-infinitive (particular situation) Some verbs are generally followed by the gerund when used in a general sense The to-infinitive is often used for a particular situation. I like swimming, but I don’t like to swim on cold days.

The Gerund is formed by adding “ing” to the base form of a verb swim  swimming eat  eating run  running

The Gerund can be used… As a noun Running is my favourite sport. (subject) He tried running faster. (object) She was afraid of losing. (object of preposition)

After adjectives + preposition accustomed to capable of fond of afraid of successful in good at tired of interested in She is accustomed to training for many hours. He is good at running the 200 meters race.

admit avoid delay deny enjoy - ing - finish keep mind

Admit My brother admitted breaking the vase. Avoid I avoid walking on busy streets. Delay The school delayed opening this morning.

Finish I finish doing my homework. Keep After 4 hours, he keeps standing there. Mind Would you mind lending your pen to me.

Deny I deny doing a wrong thing I deny being late to school every day. I deny talking during the lesson. Enjoy I enjoy playing computer games.

After verbs… admit can’t help finish keep try enjoy advise keep dislike appreciate mind avoid understand suggest forgive John has finished repairing his bicycle. They enjoy walking in the evening. Mary dislikes swimming in winter.

I enjoy to swim. I 　enjoy swimming. right Which is correct ?

I want to study . right 　 I want studying. Which is correct ?

I finish to eat . 　 I finish eating. right Which is correct ?

I need to study . right 　 I need studying. Which is correct ?

I hope to study . right 　 I hope studying. Which is correct ?

I stopped to smoke. right 　 I stopped smoking. Which is correct ?

I like to read / I like reading Also… Some verbs can be followed by either an infinitive or a gerund, with NO DIFFERENCE IN MEANING I like to read / I like reading Some verbs can be followed by either an infinitive or a gerund, but THEIR MEANINGS ARE NOT THE SAME I will remember to call her. (I will be sure to call her in the future.) I remember calling her. (I have the memory of calling her in the past.)

Gerunds are often used when actions are real, concrete or completed: I stopped smoking.  (The smoking was real and happened until I stopped.)   Infinitives are often used when actions are unreal, abstract, or future: I stopped to smoke.  (I was doing something else, and I stopped; the smoking had not happened yet.)

Summary table for (to) infinitive and gerund Gerund (-ing forms) Use as subject Eg: To smoke is bad for you. Use as subject (more common) Eg: Smoking is bad for you. To say why we do things (purpose) Eg: I got up early to catch the 7am train. After prepositions (on, in, before, for, without, after…etc.) Eg: You can’t live without eating. Eg: Thank you for listening. 3. After some verbs (expect, afford, want, need, prepare, refuse, choose, fail, learn, promise, hesitate...etc) Eg: I expect to pass the exams. 3. After some verbs (eg: dislike, enjoy, practise, mind, avoid, consider, discuss, finish, keep, miss, suggest, keep, can’t help…etc) Eg: I’ll finish studying in June.

Summary table for (to) infinitive and gerund Gerund (ing forms) 4. After some adjectives and nouns: Adj = easy, happy, glad, nice, excited, ready, difficult, dangerous ...etc; Noun = work, money to spend, something to drink, different ways to protect her.…etc) Eg: She is ready to leave. (adj) Eg: I am glad to see you. (adj) Eg: I’ve got work to do. (n) After phrasal verbs: Eg: I am not good at dancing. Eg: I am not interested in singing. Eg: John will give up smoking. 5. Some verbs can be followed by either gerund or (to) infinitive: Eg: I love going to school/I love to go to school 5. Eg: Begin, continue, hate, love, start…etc.

Summary table for (to) infinitive and gerund Gerund (ing forms) 6. Used in general sense (Eg: love, like, hate, prefer..etc) Eg: I like swimming. Used in particular situations Eg: I don’t like swimming on cold days. No + gerund Eg: No money, no talking. * Some words can use both to-infinitive and gerund with the same meaning. (Eg: love, like, begin, start, intend, continue..etc) Stop + gerund. Eg: Stop talking, stop writing, stop walking…etc. * Some words can use both to-infinitive and gerund with different meaning. (Eg: remember, try..etc)