Structure & Written

Expression

GERUND AND
TO-INFINITIVE
Rina Suryani Oktari
Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Syiah Kuala

Universitas Syiah Kuala

WHAT IS A GERUND?
✔ 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.

Example

• Reading helps you learn English. subject of sentence

• Her favourite hobby is reading. complement of sentence
• I enjoy reading. object of sentence Example

• He enjoys not working.

Gerunds can be made negative by adding "not."
• The best thing for your health is not smoking.

Universitas Syiah Kuala

WHAT IS AN INFINITIVE?
✔ An infinitive is 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.

Example

• To learn is important. subject of sentence

• The most important thing is to learn. complement of sentence
• He wants to learn. object of sentence
Example

Infinitives can be made negative by adding "not." • I decided not to go.

• The most important thing is not to give up.

Universitas Syiah Kuala

A GERUND OR AN INFINITIVE AS SUBJECTS OR COMPLEMENTS

✔ Both gerunds and infinitives can be used as the subject or the Example
complement of a sentence.
✔ However, as subjects or complements, gerunds usually sound • Learning is important. normal subject
• To learn is important. abstract subject
more like normal, spoken English, whereas infinitives sound
- less common
more abstract. • The most important thing
✔ In the following sentences, gerunds sound more natural and is learning. normal complement
would be more common in everyday English. • The most important thing is to
✔ Infinitives emphasize the possibility or potential for something learn. abstract complement - less
and sound more philosophical. common
✔ If this sounds confusing, just remember that 90% of the time,
you will use a gerund as the subject or complement of a
sentence.

Universitas Syiah Kuala

 A GERUND OR AN INFINITIVE AS OBJECT

✔ As the object of a sentence, it is more

Example
difficult to choose between a gerund or an
infinitive. • He enjoys swimming. "Enjoy"
✔ In such situations, gerunds and infinitives requires a gerund.
are not normally interchangeable. • He wants to swim. "Want"
requires an infinitive.
✔ Usually, the main verb in the sentence
determines whether you use a gerund or an
infinitive.

Universitas Syiah Kuala

A GERUND OR AN INFINITIVE AS OBJECT

Universitas Syiah Kuala

VERBS FOLLOWED BY EITHER GERUNDS OR NOUNS + INFINITIVES

advise • I advised seeing a doctor. • I advised them to see a doctor.

• Ireland doesn't allow smoking in bars. • Ireland doesn't allow people to smoke in
allow
bars.
• He encourages eating healthy foods. • He encourages his patients to eat healthy
encourage
foods.
• California doesn't permit fishing without a • California doesn't permit people to fish
permit fishing license. without a fishing license.

• The certificate requires completing two • The certificate requires students to

require courses. complete two courses.

• They urge recycling bottles and paper. • They urge citizens to recycle bottles and
urge
paper.

Universitas Syiah Kuala


forget
I forgot to meet him.
(I didn’t meet him because I forgot to do it.)
I forgot meeting him.
(I don’t have the memory of meeting him before.)
go on
He went on to learn English and French.
(He ended one period of time before this.)
He went on learning English and French.
(He continued learning the languages.)
quit
She quit to work here.
(She quit another job in order to work here.)
She quit working here.
(She quit her job here. She doesn’t work here
anymore.)
regret
I regret promising to help you.
(I’m sorry that I made the promise.)
I regret to tell you that we can't hire you.
(I’m telling you now, and I’m sorry.)
Universitas Syiah Kuala
VERBS FOLLOWED BY A
GERUND OR INFINITIVE WITH
A CHANGE IN MEANING
remember
She remembered to visit her grandmother.
(She didn’t forget to visit.)
She remembered visiting her grandmother.
(She had memories of this time.)
stop
I stopped to call you.
(I interrupted another action in order to call you.)
I stopped calling you.
(I stopped this activity. Maybe we had a fight.)
try
I tried to open the window.
(I attempted this action but didn’t succeed.)
I tried opening the window.
(This was one option I sampled. Maybe the room was hot.)
 Choose the correct answer for each gap below, then click the "Check"
EXERCISE 1 button to check your answers.

1. Dan enjoys (to read/ reading) science fiction.

2. Cheryl suggested (seeing/ to see) a movie after work.
3. I miss (working/ to work) in the travel industry. Maybe I can get my old job back.
4. Where did you learn (to speak/ speaking) Spanish? Was it in Spain or in Latin America?
5. Do you mind (helping/ to help) me translate this letter?
6. He asked (to talk/ talking) to the store manager.
7. You've never mentioned (living/ to live) in Japan before. How long did you live there?
8. If he keeps (to come/ coming) to work late, he's going to get fired!
9. Debbie plans (studying/ to study) abroad next year.
10. I agreed (helping/ to help) Jack wash his car.

Universitas Syiah Kuala

 Choose the correct answer for each gap below, then click the "Check"
EXERCISE 2 button to check your answers.

1. I hope (to graduate/ graduating) from college next June.

2. The models practiced (to walk/ walking) with a book balanced on their heads.
3. Mandy has promised (to take/ taking) care of our dog while we are on vacation.
4. Mr. Edwards chose (to accept/ accepting) the management position in Chicago rather than the position in
Miami.
5. I don't know what she wants (doing/ to do) tonight. Why don't you ask her?
6. Frank offered (helping/ to help) us paint the house.
7. Sandra decided (to study/ studying) economics in London.
8. Witnesses reported (to see/ seeing) the bank robber as he was climbing out of the second-story window.
9. Stephanie dislikes (to work/ working) in front of a computer all day.
10. Mrs. Naidoo appears (to be/ being) the most qualified person for the job.

Universitas Syiah Kuala

 GERUNDS WITH POSSESSIVE FORMS

✔ Gerunds can often be modified with possessive forms such as his,

her, its, your, their, our, John's, Mary's, the machine's, and so on.
✔ This makes it clearer who or what is performing the action.

Example

• I enjoyed their singing. They were singing.

• She understood his saying no to the offer. He said no.
• Sam resented Debbie's coming late to the dinner. Debbie came late to the dinner.
• We discussed the machine's being broken. The machine is broken.

Universitas Syiah Kuala

VERBS FOLLOWED BY NOUNS + INFINITIVES

✔ Some verbs are followed by a noun plus an infinitive.

✔ In some situations, the noun is required.
✔ In other situations, the noun is optional.

Example

• The police ordered the man to stop. noun is required

• She asked to leave. noun is optional
• She asked him to leave. noun is optional

Universitas Syiah Kuala

VERBS FOLLOWED BY NOUNS + INFINITIVES

✔ Some verbs are followed by a noun plus an infinitive.

✔ In some situations, the noun is required. In other situations, the
noun is optional.

Example

• The police ordered the man to stop. noun is required

• She asked to leave. noun is optional
• She asked him to leave. noun is optional

Universitas Syiah Kuala

VERB + REQUIRED NOUN + INFINITIVE

advise I advised them to see a doctor. invite We invited them to join us.
Ireland doesn't allow people to smoke in The police ordered him to put his
allow order
bars. hands in the air.
cause He caused her to make a mistake. California doesn't permit people to
convince Ned convinced me to quit my job. permit fish without a fishing license.
Financial aid enabled the students to They reminded me to pay the bills
enable
pay such expensive tuition fees. remind before the end of the month.
He encourages his patients to eat
encourage The certificate requires students to
healthy foods. require complete two courses.
The commander forced the soldiers to
force tell He told me to shut up.
march in the rain.
get (cause to) Isabelle got Mike to wash her car. They urge citizens to recycle bottles
urge and paper.
Mr. Donelly hired Sarah to work as a
hire She warned him not to be late.
receptionist. warn

Universitas Syiah Kuala

VERB + OPTIONAL NOUN + INFINITIVE

ask She asked to leave. She asked him to leave. • Notice in the examples that the
verbs can be followed by an
choose I chose to help out. I chose him to help out. infinitive or a noun plus an
infinitive.
expect They expect to arrive early. The expect him to arrive early.
• When a noun is added, it usually
I need to clean the house. I need her to clean the house. changes who or what is performing
need
the action.
prepare They prepared to take the test. They prepared her to take the test. • To understand this better, look at
the first verb "ask" and its
promise She promised to stop smoking She promised him to stop smoking. examples.
• In the first sentence, she is asking if
threaten He threatened to leave forever. He threatened her to leave forever.
she herself can leave. In the second
I want to study Spanish. I want my son to study Spanish.
sentence, she is requesting that a
want man leave. Study the examples and
I wish to stay. I wish him to stay. rare form consider how the optional noun
wish
changes the meaning.
would like We would like to start now. We would like him to start now.

Universitas Syiah Kuala

 VERBS FOLLOWED BY EITHER GERUNDS
OR NOUNS + INFINITIVES

✔ Some verbs are usually followed by a gerund, BUT they can also be
followed by a noun plus infinitive.
✔ Using a noun plus infinitive will usually change who is performing
the action.
Example

• I advised taking the train. in general

• I advised him to take the train. He will take the train.

Universitas Syiah Kuala

VERBS FOLLOWED BY EITHER GERUNDS
OR NOUNS + INFINITIVES

advise I advised seeing a doctor. I advised them to see a doctor.

Ireland doesn't allow smoking in bars. Ireland doesn't allow people to smoke in bars.
allow

He encourages eating healthy foods. He encourages his patients to eat healthy foods.
encourage

California doesn't permit fishing without a California doesn't permit people to fish without a
permit fishing license. fishing license.

The certificate requires completing two The certificate requires students to complete two
require courses. courses.

They urge recycling bottles and paper. They urge citizens to recycle bottles and paper.
urge

Universitas Syiah Kuala

Go + Gerund
go boating go horseback riding
go sailing go sledding
There are many "go + gerund" expressions used for go bowling go hunting
adventure sports and individual recreational activities. go scuba diving go snorkeling
go bungee jumping go jogging
go shopping go snowboarding
go camping go kayaking
Example go sightseeing go spearfishing
go canoeing go mountain climbing
go skateboarding go surfing
go climbing go paragliding
• I go swimming every weekend. go skating go trekking
• Would you ever go skydiving? go dancing go parasailing
go skiing go water skiing
go fishing go rollerblading
go skinny-dipping go window shopping
go hiking go running
go skydiving go windsurfing

Universitas Syiah Kuala

 VERBS FOLLOWED BY A PREPOSITION AND A GERUND

(dis)agree with boast about depend on look forward to succeed in

(dis)approve of care for dream about/of object to talk about/of
admit to complain about feel like pay for think about/of
agree with concentrate on get on with put off vote for
aim at confess to get used to put up with worry about
apologise for cope with give up rely on
believe in count on insist on resort to
benefit from decide against laugh about specialize in

Example

✔ After being stopped by the police, George admitted to having drunk two pints of beer.
✔ She apologised for not introducing herself sooner.
✔ He is always boasting about having met the president.
✔ The students complained about being made to wear a uniform to school.

Universitas Syiah Kuala

ADJECTIVES + PREPOSITIONS FOLLOWED BY GERUND

accustomed to
intent on
afraid of
interested in Example
capable of
successful in
✔ I am accustomed to having my own office.
fond of
tired of ✔ Alvaro is intent on finishing school next year.
addicted to ✔ John is afraid of getting married now.
disappointed
with
✔ She is interested in seeing this film
excited about ✔ She is capable of winning one of the awards
involved in ✔ She is successful in finalizing her tasks.
responsible for
frightened of
proud of

Universitas Syiah Kuala

NOUNS + PREPOSITIONS FOLLOWED BY GERUND

choice of
possibility of Example
excuse for
intention of ✔ George has no excuse for dropping out of school
reason for ✔ There is a possibility of acquiring this property at a good
method for (method of). price.
✔ There is no reason for leaving this early.
✔ Connie has developed a method for evaluating this problem.

Universitas Syiah Kuala

 Choose the correct answer for each gap below, then click the "Check"
EXERCISE 6 button to check your answers.

1. I can't stand (her complaining/ complaining/ to complain) all the time.

2. Our teacher won't allow (us to use/ to use/ us using) dictionaries during the test.

3. We advised (him to take/ him taking/ his to take) a taxi instead of walking to the restaurant.

4. The city doesn't allow (to park/ parking/ my parking) along curbs painted red.

5. She prefers (to make/ making/ my making) dinner because she doesn't like to cook.

6. I hope you don't mind (my smoking/ me to smoke/ smoking) while you eat.

7. John is never on time to work! I hate (his arriving/ arriving him/ to arrive) late every day.

8. Sarah urged (me to vote/ to vote/ me voting) in the next election.

9. He needs to get a visa extension immediately. The authorities won't permit (him staying/ to stay/ him to stay) in the country
without a visa.

10. Travel agents usually advise (reconfirming/ to reconfirm/ him reconfirming) flight bookings three days before departure.

Universitas Syiah Kuala

 Choose the correct answer for each gap below, then click the "Check"
EXERCISE 7 button to check your answers.

1. I enjoy (having/ not to have/not having) to get up so early in the morning. Sleeping in is great!
2. Nancy proposed (us to have/ our having/ our to have) a picnic at the beach.
3. Do you wish (our continuing/ to continue/ continuing), or would you like to stop now?
4. His car needs (him to wash/ washing/ to wash). It looks like it hasn't been washed in years.
5. Smokers risk (to get/ getting / to getting) several smoking related illnesses.
6. The astronomer told us (not looking/ looking/ not to look) into the sun during the eclipse.
7. I wish she would just quit (to complain/ my complaining/ complaining) all the time.
8. Leslie hired (a man repairing/ someone to repair/ to repair) her fence.
9. She resisted (my taking/ taking/ to take) advice from her co-workers.
10. Linda regretted (not going/ not to go/ to go) to her high school reunion.

Universitas Syiah Kuala