Gerunds Gerunds

and and

InfinitivesInfinitives

Gerunds and infinitivesGerunds and infinitives can function as:can function as:

NOUNSNOUNS((subjects, objects, subject subjects, objects, subject

complements)complements) As subjects, they take a As subjects, they take a

singular verb. singular verb. Only Gerunds can be Only Gerunds can be object object

of the preposition.of the preposition.

To form To form gerundsgerunds, use, usethe the basebase form + form + inging

(don’t’ forget the rules for spelling of ing form of verbs)(don’t’ forget the rules for spelling of ing form of verbs)

I enjoy learning EnglishI enjoy learning English

To form negative gerunds, To form negative gerunds, use use

not + gerundnot + gerundNot speakingNot speaking English well English well is my biggest problem in is my biggest problem in

this country.this country.

GerundsGerunds used as used as subject of the subject of the

sentence.sentence.

DancingDancing is fun. is fun.

GerundsGerunds used as used as objectsobjects

He enjoys He enjoys workingworking with with children.children.

Verbs that take only Verbs that take only GerundsGerunds

• AppreciateAppreciate• AvoidAvoid• DelayDelay• DenyDeny• DiscussDiscuss• DislikeDislike• EnjoyEnjoy• ExcuseExcuse• FinishFinish• understandunderstand

• KeepKeep• MentionMention• MindMind• MissMiss• PostponePostpone• QuitQuit• RecallRecall• RecommendRecommend• ResentResent• suggestsuggest

GerundsGerunds used as used as object of the object of the prepositionpreposition

I am thinking I am thinking aboutabout takingtaking the children to Mexico.the children to Mexico.

Common preposition Common preposition combinations followed by combinations followed by

gerundsgerunds• Be excited Be excited aboutabout, complain , complain about,about, talk talk

about,about, think think aboutabout, worry , worry aboutabout• Apologize Apologize forfor, blame , blame for, for, famousfamous for for• Believe Believe inin, interested , interested inin, succeed , succeed inin• Take care Take care ofof, instead , instead ofof, be accused , be accused ofof• Insist Insist on, on, countcount on, on, concentrateconcentrate on on• Keep Keep fromfrom, prevent , prevent from, from, profitprofit from from• In addition In addition toto, look forward , look forward toto, be , be

used used toto

By + gerundBy + gerundYou get good grades You get good grades by by studying hard.studying hard.

go + gerundgo + gerundRecreational activities: camping, dancing,Recreational activities: camping, dancing,sightseeing, swimming, skiing, fishing, jogging,sightseeing, swimming, skiing, fishing, jogging,

I willI will go fishinggo fishing with you with you tomorrowtomorrow..

Some expressions Some expressions are used with are used with

gerundsgerunds

Be busy, can’t help, have fun, Be busy, can’t help, have fun,

it’s no use, it’s not worthit’s no use, it’s not worth

To form To form infinitivesinfinitives use useto + base form of the verbto + base form of the verb

I want I want to danceto dance

To form negative To form negative infinitivesinfinitives useuse

Not + infinitiveNot + infinitiveHe decided He decided not to gonot to go to the to the

party.party.

InfinitivesInfinitives in the in the subject positionsubject positionTo liveTo live in the United States is my in the United States is my

dreamdreamIt isIt is my dream my dream to liveto live in the in the

United States.United States.

Verbs that take Verbs that take infinitivesinfinitives

Verb + infinitivesVerb + infinitives – – agree, appear, decideagree, appear, decidehope, intend, learn, offer, plan, seem, tend, hope, intend, learn, offer, plan, seem, tend,

wait, can affordwait, can affordVerb + Noun phrase + infinitiveVerb + Noun phrase + infinitive – – cause, cause,

convince, force, invite, order, persuade, convince, force, invite, order, persuade, remind, tell, trust, warn, advise, remind, tell, trust, warn, advise, encourageencourage

Verbs that come directly after the infinitive Verbs that come directly after the infinitive or have a noun phraseor have a noun phrase – – ask, beg, choose, ask, beg, choose, expect, need, want, would like, promiseexpect, need, want, would like, promise

Adjectives followed Adjectives followed by by infinitivesinfinitivesAfraid, amazed, anxious, Afraid, amazed, anxious,

ashamed, careful, delighted, ashamed, careful, delighted, eager, fortunate, glad, happy, eager, fortunate, glad, happy,

lucky, pleased, ready, sad, sorrylucky, pleased, ready, sad, sorry, ,

Infinitive of purposeInfinitive of purpose

In order toIn order to

I came here I came here in order toin order to learn. learn.

InfinitiveInfinitive with with tootoo and and enoughenough

too + adjective or adverb + too + adjective or adverb + infinitiveinfinitive

She is She is too youngtoo young to vote. to vote.

Adjective or adverb + Adjective or adverb + enough + infinitiveenough + infinitive

They are They are old enoughold enough to vote. to vote.

GerundsGerunds often follow verbs often follow verbs that indicate that an action that indicate that an action

is happening or has is happening or has happened.happened.

The action expressed by the The action expressed by the verb comes at the same verb comes at the same time or after the action time or after the action

expressed by the gerund.expressed by the gerund.

We enjoy going to concertsWe enjoy going to concerts. .

(you can only enjoy things you are doing or have done – (you can only enjoy things you are doing or have done – not things you haven’t done yet.)not things you haven’t done yet.)

InfinitivesInfinitives often follow often follow verbs that indicate that an verbs that indicate that an

action will or could happen.action will or could happen.

The action expressed by the The action expressed by the verb comes before the verb comes before the

action expressed by the action expressed by the infinitive.infinitive.

We hope to go to the We hope to go to the concert.concert.

(You can hope for things that could happen(You can hope for things that could happennot things that have already happened)not things that have already happened)

Verbs that are followed by Verbs that are followed by a noun phrase + infinitivea noun phrase + infinitivecan also be followed by can also be followed by a a

gerundgerund..The gerund makes it The gerund makes it

general and the infinitive general and the infinitive make specific the person make specific the person

indicated.indicated.

TheyThey allow smokingallow smoking in this in this building.building.

TheyThey allowed me to smokeallowed me to smoke in thein the house.house.

These verbs are:These verbs are:

adviseadviseallowallow

encourageencouragepermitpermitrequirerequire

urgeurge

Some verbs can be followed Some verbs can be followed by both by both gerundgerund or or infinitiveinfinitive with no change in meaning.with no change in meaning.

Begin, hate, like,Begin, hate, like,start, love, prefer, continuestart, love, prefer, continue

I like I like cooking.cooking.I like I like to cook.to cook.

She started She started losing losing weightweightShe started She started to loseto lose weight. weight.

Some verbs although they can Some verbs although they can be used after both be used after both gerundsgerunds and and infinitivesinfinitives have a difference in have a difference in

meaning. meaning.

rememberrememberforgetforgetregretregretstopstoptrytrygetget

She stopped She stopped smoking.smoking.She stopped She stopped to smoke.to smoke.

They forgot They forgot buyingbuying bread bread..They forgot They forgot to buyto buy bread. bread.

Used toUsed toBe used toBe used toGet used toGet used to

Used to + base formUsed to + base formBe used to + gerundBe used to + gerundGet used to + gerundGet used to + gerund

Verbs of perceptionVerbs of perception::infinitives: from start to infinitives: from start to finishfinishGerunds: in progressGerunds: in progress

I I heardheard the children the children crycry..

I I sawsaw your friends your friends walkingwalking in the park.in the park.

Infinitive forms are not Infinitive forms are not used after the following used after the following

verbs of perception:verbs of perception:feelfeelseesee

hearhearsmellsmell

When a specific performer When a specific performer of the gerund action needs of the gerund action needs

to be indicated, to be indicated, a a possessive noun or a possessive noun or a

possessive determinerpossessive determiner is is used.used.

I really appreciate I really appreciate Karen’s/herKaren’s/her writing that writing that

letter for me.letter for me.

Peter’s/hisPeter’s/his coming late coming late really annoys mereally annoys me..

YourYour neglecting your teeth neglecting your teeth will cause an earlier return will cause an earlier return

to the dentist.to the dentist.

TheirTheir denying the denying the allegation was allegation was

understandable.understandable.

I didn’t like the I didn’t like the dog’sdog’s barking all night.barking all night.

I don’t mind I don’t mind hishis leaving leaving early.early.

(formal)(formal)

I don’t mind I don’t mind himhim leaving leaving early.early.

(informal)(informal)

When an infinitive When an infinitive functions as a functions as a subjectsubject or a or a subject complementsubject complement, any , any

stated subject of the stated subject of the infinitive should be infinitive should be preceded by preceded by forfor. . If a If a

pronoun follows for, it must pronoun follows for, it must be in object form.be in object form.

When the When the subjectsubject of a of a gerund is stated, it takes gerund is stated, it takes

the possessive form.the possessive form.

For peopleFor people to see is a to see is a wonderful gift.wonderful gift.

Her desire was Her desire was for themfor them to to take a trip around the worldtake a trip around the world

They hoped They hoped for herfor her to be to be able to attend the concert.able to attend the concert.

InfinitivesInfinitives can occur in the can occur in the progressive but progressive but gerundsgerunds

cannot.cannot.To be doingTo be doing

It is used to indicate an It is used to indicate an activity in progress or activity in progress or

ongoingongoingShe had hoped to be She had hoped to be

workingworking

Both Both gerunds and gerunds and infinitivesinfinitives can occur in the can occur in the

perfect formperfect formhaving donehaving doneto have doneto have done

It is used to indicate that It is used to indicate that the activity is in the pastthe activity is in the past

We appreciate having heard We appreciate having heard her sing.her sing.

We’re fortunate to have We’re fortunate to have heard her singheard her sing

A gerund can be used in the A gerund can be used in the passive formpassive form

I dislike being told a lie.I dislike being told a lie.

HaveHavemakemake

letletare causative verbs. They are causative verbs. They

cause someone to do cause someone to do something.something.

They are always followed by They are always followed by a noun phrase + base form a noun phrase + base form

of verb.of verb.Do not use an infinitive Do not use an infinitive

after these verbs.after these verbs.She made She made meme fallfall..

She She mademade her daughterher daughter gogo to the party.to the party.

She She letlet himhim taketake the the camera.camera.

She She hadhad meme prepareprepare breakfast yesterday.breakfast yesterday.

After After causative causative verbsverbs::getget

convinceconvincepersuadepersuade

use the use the infinitiveinfinitive

She She gotgot me me to workto work..She She convincedconvinced me me to workto work..

Sense-perception verbs:Sense-perception verbs:hear, listen tohear, listen tofeel, smell, seefeel, smell, see

watch, observe, noticewatch, observe, notice

are followed by either a are followed by either a noun phrase + base or –ing noun phrase + base or –ing

form with only a slight form with only a slight difference in meaning.difference in meaning.

We saw people We saw people living living in in poverty.poverty.

We saw We saw them performthem perform

HelpHelp

can take an infinitive or can take an infinitive or base form.base form.

It can occur It can occur withwith or or withoutwithout a noun phrase.a noun phrase.

I helpedI helped them carrythem carry the the boxes.boxes.

I helpedI helped them to clean upthem to clean up after theafter the party.party.

perfect infinitive: perfect infinitive: to have to have movedmovedprogressive infinitive: progressive infinitive: to be to be workingworking

perfect progressive perfect progressive infinitive:infinitive:to have been playingto have been playing

passive: passive: to be seento be seenperfect passive: perfect passive: to have to have been chosenbeen chosen

Perfect gerund: Perfect gerund: having having movedmoved

passive gerund: passive gerund: being donebeing done

perfect passive gerund: perfect passive gerund: having been selectedhaving been selected

The End!The End!