GERUNDS AND INFINITIVES

Learning how to use gerunds and infinitives is one of the most challenging aspects of learning
English. For this reason, a deep explanation of all their uses is advisable.

1 GERUND
It is a verb form which ends in –ing. It can work as a noun or as an object in a sentence. A
gerund can act as a noun, as an adjective or as a verb.

2 Gerund usages
1) Gerunds can act as subjects of sentences to refer to actions or general facts:

• Taking up a new sport is not easy.

• Eating vegetables is very healthy.

2) After prepositions:

• Lucy doesn’t like his style of playing.

• He entered without knocking.

3) After go when we talk about physical activities:

• They go skiing every winter.

• He never goes fishing.

4) After some expressions such as:

• Be used to/ get used to (remember the previous grammar point)

 I’ve lived here for ten years now so I’m used to driving in the city.

 He’s not used to working at night so he sometimes falls asleep.

 Have you got used to driving on the left yet?

 She is getting used to waking up early for her new job.

• can’t help

 That is disgusting, and therefore one can't help feeling oneself unworthy.'

• can’t stand

 I can't stand parking the car in the city.

• don’t mind/ wouldn’t mind

 I don’t mind going home on foot.

 I wouldn't mind getting a cup of coffee.

• feel like
 I feel like going to the movies

• it’s no use
  It's no use arguing about it.

• look forward

 I look forward to working with Parliament to achieve those aims

• it is (not) worth

5) As a direct object with some verbs:

• Consider: Would you consider buying a new car?

• continue: Please, continue singing it’s really pleasing.

• deny: She denied having stolen the necklace.

• detest: Normally, we all detest going to week end lectures.

• dislike: It’s not normal to dislike eating ice cream

• enjoy: I enjoy doing sport.

• finish: Have you finished cooking the meat yet?

• hate: After all this time, I can’t believe we still hate going by that bus line.

• like: He thought he would like going fishing with his father in law.

• love: She loved singing really loud under the shower.

• prefer: In general, those students prefer staying in class rather than going to the
playground.

• recommend: We strongly recommend reporting the incident to the police

• suggest: So instead I suggested taking her out to dinner for a change

• admit: I'd be ashamed to admit feeling jealous

• avoid: Women have to dress modestly, to avoid being harassed by the locals.

• fancy: It was very rude to fancy talking like that so soon after his death.

• give up: He is thinking of giving up teaching.

• go on: Unemployment is likely to go on rising this year.

• imagine: She couldn't imagine living in a place like that.

• involve: Nicky's job as a public relations director involves spending quite a lot of
time with other people.

• keep on: You need to keep on running faster an d faster each day.

• practice: She practices singing very early in the morning

• miss: He just missed being struck

• risk: Pregnant women who are heavy drinkers risk damaging the unborn foetus.
 • resist: She cannot resist giving him advice.

3 Gerunds in negative sentences = NOT + verb –ing

• He hated not passing his exams.

• He resisted not eating sweets.

4 ‘TO’ INFINITIVE
It is a verb form preceded by to and its uses are very varied.

1) After some adjectives and adverbs:

• She was glad to see her.

• It was difficult for us to pass the exam. (for + object+ ‘to’ inf.)

• It is very kind of you to help me. (of + object+ ‘to’ inf.)

• I woke up early to arrive to the train station on time.

2) After nouns:

• It is a pleasure to meet you.

• It is time to go home.

3) To express purpose:

• She bought me this book to learn English.

• This tool is to make holes on the wall.

4) After wh- words:

• I don’t know where to go or what to do.

5) After would + like/ love/ prefer:

• I would love to go with you.

• I would prefer to stay here longer.

6) After expressions with too and enough:

• He is too short to reach the top shelf.

• He isn’t tall enough to reach the top shelf.

7) After some verbs such as:

• Agree: We finally agreed to pay it back.

• appear: he aircraft appears to have crashed near Katmandu.

• choose: They knew that discrimination was going on, but chose to ignore it.

• decide: She decided to do a secretarial course.

• expect: The talks are expected to continue until tomorrow.

 • hope: I hope to get a job within the next two weeks.

• learn: He decide to give up smoking.

• plan: They plan to marry soon.

• promise: I promise not to leave soon.

• refuse: She refuses to understand the whole situation.

• seem: The calming effect seemed to last for about ten minutes.

• want: The dog wants to escape every morning.

• wish: If you wish to go away for the weekend, our office will be delighted to make
hotel reservations.

• afford: We couldn't afford to buy a new rug.

• attempt: The only time that we attempted to do something like that was in the city
of Philadelphia.

• fail: The Workers' Party failed to win a single governorship.

• help: He has helped to raise a lot of money.

• manage: Somehow, he'd managed to persuade Kay to buy one for him.

• need: A baby does not need to wear shoes until he starts to walk.

• offer: Peter offered to teach them water-skiing.

• prepare: He had to go back to his hotel and prepare to catch a train for New York.

• pretend: Sometimes the boy pretended to be asleep.

• promise: He promised to study harder.

• decide: He decided to try Japanese food.

5 VERBS FOLLOWED BY GERUNDS AND INFINITIVES

• begin: He stood up and began to move around the room.
He stood up and began moving around the room.

• forbid: She was shut away and forbidden to read.

She was shut away and forbidden reading.

• intend: I didn't intend to come to Germany to work.

I didn't intend coming to Germany to work.

• propose: And where do you propose to build/building such a huge thing?

• start: They started to answer/answering the letters

• remember/ forget/ regret: Five years later she regrets to have/having given up her
home.

• verb + ‘to’ infinitive = future action

 • Remember to post the letter.

+ -ing = past action

• He remembered seeing that film.

• He will never forget flying the Alps.

• I regret buying this dress.