Unit 5 - Gerunds & Infinitives

Gerunds & Infinitives


Unit 5 - Gerunds & Infinitives

Kim: I miss talking with my best friend. I remember going with him everywhere!
Ron: Why did you stop talking
Kim: We celebrated turning 30 at the same time, but then he got a new job and moved to a new city.
Ron: I remember hearing that. Have you talked to him recently?
Kim: Yes, but I regret not calling him more often.
Ron: I imagine being far apart is difficult.
Kim: It is. I enjoy spending time with him!


Unit 37 (cont.) - INFINITIVES (VERB + INFINITIVES)

Ben: Do you want to go to the movies?
Heather: No, I need to buy a new swimsuit at the store.
Ben: Oh, I forgot to tell you - I bought you a new swimsuit already!
Heather: You did?? You promised to save money for our trip!
Ben: I offered to pay for it before but you said no, so I bought it when I went shopping alone!
Heather: That's nice of you, but I refuse to accept it.
Ben: I hope to get my money back from the store when I return this.
Heather: I don't mean to make you upset, but you need to save money!

Gerunds and Infinitives: Verb+Gerund / Verb+ Infinitive

A gerund is a verb that functions as noun. For example:
- I enjoy playing tennis. I enjoy play tennis" is incorrect.
- We practice speaking English every day.
- They just bought a new swimming pool.

In English the infinitive is made of to and the verb. For example:
- I want to learn a new language.
- You forgot to close the door.

Verbs are often followed by infinitives or gerunds and choosing which to use has few fixed rules, it depends mainly on the individual verb.

Verb + Gerund

Here are some common verbs that can be followed by gerunds, but not infinitives.

admit - He admitted taking the money.
celebrate - We celebrated winning the competition.
deny - The government denied spending too little on education.
dislike - I dislike complaining.
enjoy - She enjoys meeting her friends.
finish - I finished working there last month.
imagine - I imagine being a waitress is a difficult job.
keep - Where are my keys? I keep losing them.
mind - I don't mind waiting, we've got time.
miss - I miss talking with my sisters.
remember - Do you remember going to Italy?
risk - Jeff's always late. He risks losing his job.
stop - Don't stop singing, it's really nice.
suggest - I suggest having lunch first.

Gerunds are also used after some phrasal verbs. For example:
- If you keep on doing the same thing, you'll get the same results.
- She wants to give up drinking coffee.

Verb + Infinitive

Below are some common verbs that can be followed by infinitives, but not usually gerunds.

aim - I'm aiming to finish this book by the end of March.
afford - I can't afford to buy new clothes.
agree - My boss agreed to give me a reference.
decide - We decided to have a baby.
deserve - You deserve to have a better score.
forget - Don't forget to lock the door.
hope - I hope to go to Harvard Business School.
learn - I learnt to read when I was 3 years old.
mean - I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you angry.
need - You don't need to study a lot, you need to study a little for a long time.
offer - He offered to help me carry these bags.
plan - They plan to go abroad next year.
pretend - He's pretending to be sick.
promise - She promised to be here on time.
refuse - Why do they always refuse to listen?
seem - She seems to be really intelligent.

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Grammar Exercises

Complete the sentences using a gerund or an infinitive.

Example: I strongly suggest _____ an attorney on hand before signing a contract to buy a home.
a) having b) to have - The answer is: a) having
----------

1. Do all of us need _____?
a) going b) to go

2. Beth promised _____.
a) writing b) to write

3. Joe doesn't mind _____ by himself.
a) working b) to work

4. Carol and her husband seem _____ the perfect life.
a) having b) to have

5. Do you really enjoy _____ to work on Monday morning?
a) going b) to go

6. After eating its fill, the monkey decided _____ home some food.
a) carrying b) to carry

7. The higher return you hope to achieve, the more you must risk _____.
a) losing b) to lose

8. When Nick lived in Asia, he missed _____ Christmas with his family.
a) celebrating b) to celebrate

9. I vehemently dislike _____ with morons, screw-ups, deadbeats, crooks, and liars.
a) dealing b) to deal

10. Although Susan has a good job, she can't afford _____ out of her parents' house.
a) moving b) to move
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Answers

"b", "b", "a", "b", "b", "b", "a", "a", "a", "b"


Timothy: I like working at my new job.
Ashley: I like to work there, too. I wish our boss allowed eating during work.
Timothy: I wish he allowed us to eat during work, too. I always get hungry!
Ashley: He loves making people starve, I think!
Timothy: I know he loves to make me starve!

Gerunds and Infinitives: Verb + Gerund or Infinitive

Some verbs can be followed by an infinitive or a gerund. These verbs in turn can be subdivided into two groups, verbs with little difference in meaning, and verbs with a distinct change in meaning.

Verb + Gerund or Infinitive: Little difference in meaning.

Here are some common verbs that can be followed by gerunds or infinitives with little change in meaning. A change of meaning may still exist however, as there are almost limitless combinations of verbs and gerunds/infinitives.

begin - She began to sing. - He began working here last year.
bother - Don't bother to wash the dishes. I'll do it. - Don't bother washing the dishes. I'll do it.
continue - You can continue to live here for 6 months. - You can continue living here for 6 months.
start - I started to learn the clarinet when I was 8. I started learning the clarinet when I was 8.

love / like / hate /prefer

These four verbs use the gerund for situations or actions in progress. The infinitive is used for factual information.

hate
- I hate working at my new job (I'm workng there now.)
- I hate to work on Sundays. (specific time and situation)

like
- I like playing the piano. (I like the process andfeeling of playing the piano.)
- I like to play the piano. (It's a fact I like to play the piano.)

love
- I love living in the country. (I'm probably living there now.)
- I love to live in the country. (Generally speaking I like the country, maybe I'm not living there now.)

prefer
- I prefer to study by myself. (Sounds factual)
- I prefer studying by myself. (Sounds more personal, perhaps I'm studying now.)

These verbs are also often used with would and the infinitive, and refer to specific situations. For example:
- I would love to go to China.
- We would prefer to meet at 7.00.

Allow / permit

Allow and permit have one pattern for gerunds and another for infinitives.
allow + gerund - My teacher doesn't allow eating in class.
allow + object + infinitive - My teacher doesn't allow us to eat in class.
permit + gerund - My teacher doesn't permit eating in class.
permit + object + infinitive - My teacher doesn't permit us to eat in class.

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Grammar Exercises

Complete the sentences using a gerund or an infinitive.

Example: The Rules Committee allowed each candidate _____ for five minutes.

a) talking b) to talk - The answer is: b) to talk
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1. Our teacher doesn't allow _____ in Study Hall.
a) talking b) to talk

2. This license permits _____ under certain conditions.
a) driving b) to drive

3. Would you be willing to allow me _____ my own opinion?
a) having b) to have

4. Should we permit foreigners _____ campaign contributions?
a) making b) to make

5. For the protection of our campers, we cannot permit _____.
a) wandering b) to wander

6. Our work schedules do not permit us _____ our children long distances.
a) driving b) to drive

7. You'll be surprised how preparing ahead will allow _____ some extra fun too.
a) having b) to have

8. How can you permit your children _____ around New York at the dead of night?
a) wandering b) to wander

9. This knife has a particularly fine blade that allows _____ precise cuts and incisions.
a) making b) to make

10. Group work allows students _____ about their understandings and discoveries with peers.
a) talking b) to talk
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Answers

"a", "a", "b", "b", "a", "b", "a", "b", "a", "b"


Frank: Do you remember meeting me two years ago?
Diane: No, I don't think I know you.
Frank: Yes, we met and we talked about sports for three hours!
Diane: Oh, yes! I remember you now! How are you?
Frank: I'm great! How is your family?
Diane: They're great. It was good to see you!
Frank: Remember to call me so we can watch a football game together!
Diane: Sounds good!

Gerunds and Infinitives: Distinct difference in meaning

These verbs can be followed by gerunds or infinitives but with a change in meaning.

forget / regret / remember

When these verbs are used with a gerund they refer to something that happened before a certain time. When they are used with an infinitive they refer to something that happens at or after a certain time.

forget

Forget with the gerund is often used with never for a memorable previous action.
- I'll never forget going to Japan.

Forget with the infinitive means something happens at or after a certain time.
- Don't forget to meet me at 5.00.

regret

Regret with the gerund refers to a previous action.
- I don't regret leaving my job.

Regret with the infinitive is used to give bad news in a formal, polite way. It's often used with the verbs to say, to announce, to tell you and to inform you.
- We regret to inform you the interview is cancelled.

remember

Remember with the gerund refers to a previous action.
- I remember meeting you last year. (I met you before now).

Remember with the infinitive is used for something that happens at or after a certain time.
- Please remember to close the door. (in the future please close the door.)

go on

Go on with the gerund means to continue an action in progress. For example:
- I want to go on studying here.

Go on with the infinitive means to do something new. For example:
- After university, he went on to study law.

mean

mean with the gerund shows negative consequence. For example:
- You can buy a new car, but it means spending a lot of money.

mean with the infinitive shows intention.
- He means to leave his job next month.
- I didn't mean to make you angry.

try

Try with the gerund is used for suggestions.
- "I need to lose weight." "Try exercising and eating healthy food".
- "I'm really hot." "Try sitting here, it's much cooler."

Try with the infinitive means to attempt something.
- I tried to lift it but I can't.
- I'll try to finish this by tomorrow morning.


stop

stop with the gerund means to end an action.
- I stopped eating fast food last year.
- I can't stop loving you.
- Stop being so annoying!

stop with the infinitive means to interrupt an action.
- I was walking to the subway station, and I stopped to say "Hi" to my friends.
- I was working at home, and I stopped to answer the 'phone.

come

come with the gerund means movement with a sense of surprise or excitement.
- The ball came flying toward me - it almosty hit me on the head!
- Don't come running to me! (this means don't expect sympathy)

come with the infinitive means a change in perception.
- I thought he wasn't smart, but I came to realize he's very talented.
- I didn't like teaching, but I came to like it.
come with the infinitive can also mean just reason.
- Why did you come? - I came to watch a movie.

help

help is often used with an infinitive.
- I helped to make dinner.
help is also used without to, especially in American conversational English.
- I helped make the dinner.
help is also used with with and the gerund.
- I helped with making the dinner.
These three usages have similar meanings.

Help with the gerund is also used with can't to mean a reaction beyond the subject's control.
- I can't help laughing.
- Those kids are noisy, but I can't help liking them.

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Grammar Exercises

Complete the sentences using a gerund or an infinitive.

Example: I mean _____ at the truth.

a) arriving b) to arrive - The answer is: b) to arrive
----------

1. Stop _____ mean to your sister!
a) being b) to be

2. On my way home, I stopped _____ some gas.
a) getting b) to get

3. After high school, Sally went on _____ medicine.
a) studying b) to study

4. Before you go to sleep, don't forget _____ the door.
a) locking b) to lock

5. As soon as Ann turns 18, she means _____ to Hollywood.
a) moving b) to move

6. Jason remembered _____ in to me at a party two years ago.
a) running b) to run

7. We regret _____ you that we have suspended all business activity.
a) informing b) to inform

8. We will never forget _____ called Mommy and Daddy for the first time.
a) being b) to be

9. I don't regret _____ up tennis and settling down with my wife and children.
a) giving b) to give

10. I had to go home early yesterday because my son had forgotten _____ his key.
a) taking b) to take
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Answers

"a", "b", "b", "b", "b", "a", "b", "a", "a", "b"