Card 1

Gerunds and Infinitives Part 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 compliment or the object of a sentence.

Examples:

 Reading helps you learning English (subject of sentence)

 Her favourite hobby is reading (complement of sentence)
 I enjoy reading (object of sentence)

Gerunds can be made negative by adding ‘not’

 He enjoys not working

 The best thing for your health is not smoking

INFINITIVES are the “to” form of the verb. The infinitive form of “learn” is “to learn”. You can use an
infinitive as the subject, the compliment 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’
 I decided not to go
 The most important thing is not to give up.

Remember, the main verb in the sentence determines whether you use a gerund or an infinitive!

We use Gerunds (verb +ing):

 After certain verbs (vezi lista mai jos);

 After prepositions;
 As the subject or object of a sentence (ex. Swimming is good exercise)

We use “to”+Infinitive:

 After certain verbs (vezi lista mai jos);

 After many adjectives; (ex. It’s difficult to get up early);
 To show purpose (ex. I came to London to study English);

We use the BARE INFINITIVE (the infinitive without “to”):

 After modal verbs (ex. I can meet you at 6 o’clock);

 After “let”, “make” and sometimes “help”; (ex. The teacher let us leave early)
 After some verbs of perception: see, watch, hear, notice, feel, sense (ex. I watched her walk
away);
 After expressions with “why” (ex. Why you go out the night before an exam?);
 The most common verbs that are usually followed by the gerund:

Enjoy Miss
Fancy Appreciate
Discuss Delay
Dislike Postpone
Finish Practice
Mind Consider
Suggest Can’t stand
Recommend Can’t help
Keep Risk
avoid admit

The most common verbs followed by “to”+Infinitive

Agree Can afford

Ask Manage
Decide Prepare
Help Demand
Plan Choose
Hope Offer
Learn Wait
Want Would hate
Would like Would love
promise seem

Exercise 1

1. I don’t fancy _________________________ (go) out tonight.

2. She avoided ________________________( tell) him about her plans.
3. I would like __________________________(come) to the party with you.
4. He enjoys _________________________ (have) a bath in the evening.
5. She kept ______________________(talk) during the film.
6. I am learning ________________________(speak) English.
7. Do you mind _____________________ (give) me a hand?
8. She helped me _______________________ (carry) my suitcase.
9. I’ve finished ______________________ (cook). Come and eat!
10. He decided ________________________ (study) Biology.
11. I dislike ______________________ (wait).
12. He asked ____________________(come) with us.
13. I promise ______________________(help) you tomorrow.
14. We discussed _______________________ (go) to the cinema, but in the end we stayed at
home.
15. She agreed ______________________ (bring) the pudding.
16. I don’t recommend ____________________ (take) the bus, it takes forever!
17. We hope _______________________ (visit) Amsterdam next month.
18. She suggested _____________________(go) to the museum.
19. They plan _______________________-(start) college in the autumn.
20. I don’t want _______________________(leave) yet.