Gerund & To Infinitive

A. Gerund

Gerund is the –ing form of a verb(Example: talking, playing, understanding). The

functions of gerund is to replace noun, so sometimes in the sentences you can find a

gerund replacing noun.

Gerund as the object of preposition. a. We talked about going to Canada

forour vacation.

b. Steve is in charge of organizing the

meeting.

c. I’m interested in learning more about

your work.

“to” is a preposition, not part of an

infinitive form, so a gerund follows.

d. I’m used to sleeping with the window

open.

e. I look forward to going home next

home next month.

f. They object to changing their plans at

this late date.

Negatife form: “not” precedes a gerund. g. We talked about not going to the

meeting, but finally we decided we

should go.

Verbs that Usually Followed By a Gerund

Kata kerja yang Biasanya Diikuti Oleh gerund

a. I enjoy playing tennis. Gerunds are used as the objects of certain

verbs.

Enjoy is not followed by an infinitive.

INCORRECT: I enjoy to play tennis.

b. Joe quit smoking. (b) and (c) have the same meaning, and

c. Joe gave up smoking. followed by gerunds.

Examples List:

a. Enjoy

b. Appreciate

c. Mind

d. Quit(Give up)

e. Finish(Get through)

f. Stop*

g. Avoid

h. Postpone(Put off)

i. Delay

j. Keep(Keep on)

k. Consider(Think about)

l. Mention

m. Suggest

*More examples for “Stop”:

a. Stop + gerund : When the professor entered the room, the students stopped talking.

(The room become quiet)

b. Stop + infinitive : While I was walking down the street, I ran an old friend. I stopped

to talk to him. (I stopped walking in order to talk to him)

Go + Gerund

a. Did you go shopping?

b. We went fishing yesterday.

“Go” is followed by a gerund in certain

expressions, for most part, recreational

activities.

Examples List:

a. Go birdwatching

b. Go boating

c. Go bowling

d. Go camping

e. Go canoeing

f. Go fishing

g. Go dancing

h. Go hiking

i. Go hunting

j. Go jogging

k. Go mountain climbing

l. Go running

m. Go sailing

n. Go shopping

o. Go sightseeing

p. Go skating

q. Go skiing

r. Go sledding

s. Go swimming

t. Go tobogganing

u. Go window shopping

B. Infinitive

Infinitife is the “to + the simple form of a verb(Example: to talk, to play, to

understand.

Example of the sentences:

a. Verb + Infinitive

1. I hope to see you again soon.

2. He promised to be here by ten.

3. He promised not to be late.

b. Verb + (Pro)Noun + Infinitive

1. Mr. Lee told me to be here at ten o’clock.

2. The police ordered the driver to stop.

c. Verb + Infinitive

1. I was told to be here at ten o’clock.

2. the driver was ordered to stop.

d. Negative form:

Just add “not” before the infinitive. Like, “He promised not

to eat before finishing his task”.

Examples List of Verb + Infinitive:

a. Hope to p. Need to

b. Plan to

c. Intend to*

d. Decide to

e. Promise to

f. Agree to

g. Offer to

h. Refuse to

i. Seem to

j. Appear to

k. Pretend to

l. Ask to

m. Expect to

n. Would like to

o. Want to

Examples List of Verb + (Pro)Noun + Infinitive:

a. Tell someone to

b. Advise someone to**

c. Encourage someone to

d. Remind someone to

e. Invite someone to

f. Permit someone to

g. Allow someone to

h. Warn someone to

i. Require someone to

j. Order someone to

k. Force someone to

l. Ask someone to

m. Expect someone to

n. Would like someone to

o. Want someone to

p. Need someone to

“Intend” is usually followed by an infinitive.

Example : I intend to go to the meeting.

But sometimes may be followed by a gerund.

Example : I intend going to the meeting.

** A gerund is used after “advise” if there is no (pro) noun

object. Compare:

1. He advised me buying a Trueno AE86 car.(Gerund)

2. He advised me to buy a Trueno AE86 car. (Infinitive)

Common Verbs That followed By infinitive:

1. Verb +Infinitive or Gerund(With No Difference In Meaning)

* Begin * Prefer*

* Start * Hate

* Continue * Can’t stand

* Like * Can’t bear

* Love

Example:

a. It began to rain/It began raining.

b. I started to work/I started

working.

c. It as beginning to rain.

There is no difference of the meaning, if

the sentence uses a gerund or an infinitive.

2. Verb + Infinitive or Gerund( With a Difference In Meaning)

* Remember * Regret

* Forget * Try

Example:

a. Arthur always remembers to lock

the door.

b. Patrick often forgets to lock the

door.

c. I remember seeing the Alps for

the first time.

d. I’ll never forget seeing the Alps

for the first time.

Remember + infinitive = remember to

perform responsibility, duty, or task.

Forget + infinitive = forget to perform a

responsibility, duty, or task.

Remember + gerund = remember(recall)

something that happened in the past.

Forget + gerund = forget something that

happened in the past.

e. I regret to tell you that you failed

the test.

f. I regret lending him some money.

He never paid back.

Regret + infinitive = regret to say, to tell

someone, to inform someone of some bad

news.

Regret + gerund = regret something that

happened in the past

g. I’m trying to learn English. Try + infinitive = make an effort.

h. The room was hot. I tried opening

the window, but that didn’t help. So

I tried turning on the fan, but I was

still hot. Finally, I turned on the air

conditioner.

Try + gerund = experiment with a new or

different approach to see if it works.

* Patterns of using “prefer”:

a. Prefer + gerund = I prefer staying home to going to the concert.

b. Prefer + infinitive = I prefer to stay home than (to) go to the

concert.