GERUNDS AND INFINITIVES

GERUND
 USES

1. As the subject of a sentence

Playing Monopoly is not my idea of a fun weekend

Breaking up a relationship is never easy.

2. After a preposition

Lucy doesn’t like his way of thinking.

I’m tired of waiting for him.

3. After certain verbs and expressions

Admit, avoid, enjoy, deny, dislike, miss, suggest, detest, mind,

consider, finish, and feel like, fancy, involve, give up, keep on, look
forward to, risk.

I enjoy reading.

I miss seeing her.

Chris suggested going to the cinema.

I don’t feel like taking a walk.

Can’t help, can’t stand, don’t/doesn’t mind, it’s no use.

It’s no use crying .

I can’t stand talking to him.

 I don’t mind waiting for him.

I can’t help crying with some films.

INFINITIVE
 USES

1. After adjectives and adverbs

This situation is not easy to understand.

The car went too fast to see the traffic lights.

2. After some verbs

-Verbs followed by to infinitive

Want, decide, agree, promise, plan, choose, hope, expect, intend,

manage, need, offer, learn, ask, tell, refuse, order, afford, and
wish, appear, arrange, attempt, dare, deserve, fail, happen,
plan,pretend, promise, seem, threaten.

They decided to take my advice.

He ordered me to leave the room.

 I hope to finish soon.

I promise to clean my room.

- Verbs followed by object +to infinitive

advise, command, force, invite, remind, teach, allow, convince,

instruct, order, request, tell.

I advise you to prepare for the exam.

INFINITIVE OR –ING?

 Begin, start, hate, like, love, prefer can be followed by gerund or infinitive without
a different meaning.

After an hour the spectators began to leave/leaving.

I like going/to go to the country at the weekend.

But would like, would love, would prefer are followed by to infinitive.

We would like to camp near the river.