GERUND, FULL INFINITIVE or BARE INFINITIVE 3rd YEAR ADULTS

A.-GERUND
Gerunds are nouns formed from verbs. You form gerunds by adding -ing to the infinitive. You can
use gerunds:
 As the subject/ object or complement of a sentence
Shopping is boring. I hate shopping. What I really hate is shopping.
When we use a verb after a preposition:
I'm tired of waiting here.
 After certain verbs, e.g. ADORE, ADVISE, ALLOW, AVOID, CONSIDER, DELAY, DENY,
DESCRIBE, DETEST, DISLIKE, ENJOY, ESCAPE, FACE, FANCY, FINISH, FORGIVE, IMAGINE,
INVOLVE, KEEP, MENTION, MIND, MISS, PRACTISE, RESIST, RISK, *SUGGEST, UNDERSTAND.
He finished studying in 1997. I miss going out with my friends.
(*I suggest going to the park=I suggest we (should) go to the park=I suggest we went to the park)
 After certain verb phrases, e.g. IT'S NO USE, CAN'T STAND, FEEL LIKE, IT ISN'T WORTH,
CAN’T HELP ... It isn’t worth worrying about the future.
B.-BARE INFINITIVE (WITHOUT TO)
You can use the bare infinitive in the following:
 When we use a verb after one of these verbs followed by an object: verb + object + bare
infinitive): HELP (also + Full Inf.), LET, *MAKE My parents made me eat fruit for lunch.
*BUT!! I was made TO EAT fruit for lunch (by my
parents).
 When we use a verb after one of these modal verbs: CAN, COULD, MUST, MAY, MIGHT,
SHALL, SHOULD, OUGHT TO, NEEDN'T, ... I can speak German
C.- FULL INFINITIVE (WITH TO)
We use the infinitive ill the following:
 When we want to express purpose, in answer to the question What…for? /Why..? or after WH-
words.
I came here to learn English. I don’t know what to do.
When we use a verb after some adjectives: easy, difficult, happy, disappointed, surprised,
shocked... It's easy (for them) to understand this.
 When we use after certain verbs: AGREE, AIM, APPEAR, ARRANGE, ATTEMPT, CHOOSE,
DECIDE, DESERVE, EXPECT, HAPPEN, HOPE, INTEND, LEARN, MANAGE, OFFER, PLAN,
PREPARE, PRETEND, PROMISE, REFUSE, SEEM, WISH …
They arranged to meet at 7
 After one of these verbs followed by an object (verb + object + infinitive):
ADVISE, CHOOSE, ALLOW, ASK, ENABLE, EXPECT, FORBID, HATE, HELP, INVITE, LIKE, NEED,
ORDER, PERMIT, PERSUADE, PREFER, REMIND, TEACH, TELL, WANT, WARN …
They persuaded him to go to the party.
 VERB + GERUND + INFINITIVE
They refer to a definite moment in the past, a memory you keep They refer to important actions that the subject is supposed
FORGET in your mind or you don’t. to do.
and I still remember meeting my wife for the first time. Remember to send the invitations on time!
REMEMBE I will never forget visiting London when I was 4. She forgot to take her medicine and she’s now in hospital.
R
It refers to something you experiment about, to see if it works. It refers to an action that requires some effort for the
TRY Try taking some aspirin for your headache. subject, I’m trying to work out
the solution to this problem, but it’s useless.
It refers to a past situation which the subject is not very It refers to something unpleasant the subject has to do.
satisfied or proud of at present. (It was a bad idea) (Bad news to give)
REGRET I regret buying that expensive car. I regret to tell you that your flight has been cancelled.
(I wish I hadn’t bought …/ I shouldn’t have bought …)
It means giving up, interrupting an action. It means interrupting an action in order to do something
STOP Will you stop shouting? else. She stopped her walk to have a rest.

It means continuing, keeping on with an action. It means continuing but with a change in the action.
GO ON He went on chatting and chatting all night long. (Non-stop) After revising the grammar, the teacher went on to set our
homework. (They were still in class)
It refers to the meaning of an action = INVOLVE It means to have the intention to do something = INTEND
MEAN Being a marketing manager means making new clients for the company. I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings, sorry.
involves making intend to hurt
It shows a passive meaning. Something or someone is in need It shows an active meaning. The subject needs to take
of an action.
Your hair needs cutting.
= some action. You need to cut your hair.
(Your hair needs to be cut.)
NEED

LIKES and Verbs such as like, love, hate, prefer,... when followed by _ing But when followed by an infinitive, show a specific
DISLIKES show a general idea. I love eating popcorn. situation.
I love to eat popcorn in front of the TV.
VERBS of Verbs such as hear, smell, feel, see...- when followed by _ing But when followed by a BARE infinitive, show that the
SENSES show that the subject can sense part of an action. subject can sense a complete action.
From my window, I could hear the bird singing. I saw him steal the money.
PROBLEMATIC VERBS