Gerunds and Infinitives

Definitions
 Gerund

A gerund is made using the base form of a verb plus the –

ing ending. Examples:

* Dance + -ing = dancing * Study + -ing = studying

* Drink + -ing = drinking * Jump + -ing = jumping

Gerunds can work as nouns, after certain verbs, phrases,

and prepositions.

Noun: Doing exercise in the morning is good for your health.

Prepositions: I am worried about working there.
 Full Infinitive

It is made using the preposition TO before the base form

of a verb. Examples:

* TO + Dance = to dance * TO + Study = to study

* TO + Drink = to drink * TO + Jump = to jump

Infinitives go after some verbs, and some structures:

 It + to be + adjective + full infinitive
It’s important to study hard.
 Subject + to be + adjective + full infinitive
She is honored to be here.
 Bare Infinitive

It is made using only the base form of a verb. Examples:

* dance * study * drink * jump

This form of the verb is used after most modal verbs and
after let, make, would rather, and had better:
 Modals:
Michael must stay home for the quarantine.
 Would rather:
Michael would rather stay home than get sick
with covid-19 .
Sometimes when you want
to express something, you
need to use more than one
verb… but we do not always
use the same structure.
Some verbs can be followed by a gerund
(the base form of a verb plus the –ing
ending.
GERUND: PLAY + -ING = PLAYING

or an infinitive (the base form of a verb

that generally uses the preposition TO
before it).

INFINITIVE: TO + PLAY
 “
Common Verbs Followed by
Gerunds
▸ Avoid ▸ Fancy
▸ Admit ▸ Finish
▸ Celebrate ▸ Give up
▸ Consider ▸ Keep
▸ Confess ▸ Mind
▸ Discuss ▸ Suggest
▸ Enjoy ▸ Understand
Let’s see this in sentences…
My teacher avoids giving students too much
homework.

Teenagers admit complaining about

everything.

People consider staying at home a good

option to prevent covid-19 from spreading.

People fancy being outside after the pandemic

situation gets under control.
Common Verbs Followed by
Infinitives
▸ Agree ▸ Need
▸ Appear ▸ Plan
▸ Decide ▸ Prepare
▸ Demand ▸ Promise
▸ Determine ▸ Request
▸ Expect ▸ Tend
▸ Mean ▸ Want
Let’s see some examples…
My dear students agreed to work from home.

We decided to buy a new fridge.

People promised to help each other face the

problems.

Men and women tend to lie about their age.

Verbs Followed by
Gerunds and
Infinitives
There are some verbs that can be followed by
gerunds and infinitives and the meaning of the
sentence does not change.

Begin Continue Hate

Like Love Hate
I like to dance salsa music.

I like dancing salsa music.

There are other
verbs that can be
followed by Place your screenshot here

gerunds or
infinitives, but the
meaning changes.
 Gerund or Infinitive with
change in meaning
▸ Forget ▸ Try ▸ Stop

I tried to open the window.

(I attempted this action but didn’t succeed.)

I tried opening the window.

(This is one option I sampled. Maybe the
room was hot.)