1. A gerund is a noun made from a verb by adding "-ing.

" The gerund form of the verb "read" is

"reading." You can use a gerund as the subject, the complement, or the object of a sentence.

Examples:

Reading helps you learn English. SUBJECT OF SENTENCE

Her favorite hobby is reading. COMPLEMENT OF SENTENCE
I enjoy reading. OBJECT OF SENTENCE

2- Gerunds can be made negative by adding "not."

Examples:

He enjoys not working.

The best thing for your health is not smoking.

Infinitives

3- Infinitives are the "to" form of the verb. The infinitive form of "learn" is "to learn." You can also use
an infinitive as the subject, the complement, or the object of a sentence.

Examples:

To learn is important. SUBJECT OF SENTENCE

The most important thing is to learn. COMPLEMENT OF SENTENCE
He wants to learn. OBJECT OF SENTENCE

Infinitives can be made negative by adding "not."

Examples:

I decided not to go.

The most important thing is not to give up.

4- Both gerunds and infinitives can be used as the subject or the complement of a sentence.
However, as subjects or complements, gerunds usually sound more like normal, spoken English
(ingls falado), while(enquanto) infinitives sound more abstract. In the following sentences, gerunds
sound more natural and would be more common in everyday English. Infinitives emphasize the
possibility or potential for something and sound more philosophical. If this sounds confusing, just
remember that 90% of the time, you will use a gerund as the subject or complement of a sentence.

Examples:

Learning is important. NORMAL SUBJECT

To learn is important. ABSTRACT SUBJECT - LESS COMMON
The most important thing is learning. NORMAL COMPLEMENT
The most important thing is to learn. ABSTRACT COMPLEMENT - LESS COMMON
 Verbs that are usually followed by gerunds
Enjoy - finish - go on (= continue) - hate - like - love - (dont)mind - spend (time) start* - stop avoid

Verbs that are usually followed by infinitive

decide to - forget to - help to - hope to - learn to - need to - offer to - plan to- pretend to - promise to -
*remember to *start to *try to want to would like to

1) Choose the correct verb form.

a) I decided (to get/ getting) married.

i) Lily pretends (being/to be) an expert.

b) They forget (turning off/to turn off) the computer.

e) The children are learning (playing/ to play) the piano.

h) They spent years (to build/building) this house.

i) Taylor started (reading/to read) that book last month.

n) Dennis wants (to take/taking) the subway.

o) Karl would like (traveling/to travel) to London.

a) I enjoy (to meet/ meeting) people.

f) Lily loves (ski/skiing).

j) I couldnt stop (laugh/laughing).

f) Josh needs (to improve/improving) his French.

g) Paul offered (buying/to buy) me a drink.

d) Ann hopes (leaving/ to leave) work early today.

h) John planned (to stay/staying) more three days.

b) Did you finish (reading /to read) the article?

c) We really cant go on (live/ living) like this.

d) He hates (travelling/ to travel) by plane.

e) I like (playing/ to play) volleyball.

j) Andy promised (to tell/telling) the truth.

k) Remember (doing/to do) the shopping.

l) The baby started (laughing/ to laugh).

m) He tried (relaxing/ to relax).

c) Peter helped us (to do/ doing) the dishes.

g) Jonny doesnt mind (having/to have) a dog in the house.

k) He tries to avoid (going/to go) to the mall on Saturdays.