GERUND AND INFINITIVE

   * GERUND AND INFINITIVE*

1. Gerund = the –ing form of a verb which functions as a noun (e.g. talking, typing, studying)
2. Infinitive = to + the simple form of a verb which functions as a verb (e.g. to talk, to type, to study)

1.   A. GERUND

  Look at the examples below :

  Chatting is my hobby.      (Can you guess what function of gerund is sentence is represented by the word “chatting?)

  I like chatting.                 (How about this one?)

  She is chatting.

B.  A gerund can exist after :

      1. Possessive Pronoun

           E.g. : His moving here gives some benefits for his career.

      2. Preposition

           E.g. : I’m interested in studying English with you.

C. Verbs + gerund :

Enjoy                quit (give up)                 avoid                         consider (think about)

Appreciate         finish (get through)        postpone (put off)    discuss (talk about)

Mind                 stop*                            delay                          mention

Keep (keep on)  suggest                         fancy                         imagine

Regret               admit                            deny                           practice

Note  : * can also be followed by an infinitive of purpose, see the examples :

(1)      Stop + gerund : When the professor entered the room, the students stopped talking.

(2)      Stop + infinitive of purpose : While I was walking down the street, I ran into an old friend. I stopped to talk to him. (I stopped walking in order to talk to him).

2.  A. INFINITIVE

Verb + to infinitive :

Agree     offer       decide   appear   forget     threaten   fail    need

Refuse    attempt  plan       seem     learn       hope     afford  want

Promise  manage  arrange  pretend  encourage   tend      hope ask,etc

            Look at the examples below :

1.         He promised to be here by ten.

2.         I hope to pass the proficiency test in a good mark.

3.         Mira offered to give a ride to me.

A.Choose the best answer!

1.  Learning a foreign language is a long process.

2.  The guide encouraged the tourists to visit the Prado Museum in Madrid.

3.  Did you hear the governor is thinking about running for the president?

4.  (Your) losing weight has made you a different person.

5.  You can’t go to England without going to Buckingham Palace.

6.  Would you mind not smoking?

7.  When students live in dormitories, they get used to washing their own clothes.

8.  The director solved the problem by requesting the customers’ advice.

9.  Mrs. Barkley called the police because she was worried about being robbed by thieves.

10.The team celebrated their defeating of the strongest opponents in the league.