World of Verbals: Theory and Communicative Practice

THE INFINITIVE AND THE GERUND COMPARED

INFINITIVES vs. GERUNDS (1)

Some verbs may be followed by infinitives, others by gerunds. Begin by revising groups
of verbs taking the Infinitive (p.23) and the Gerund (p.59) as the direct object.

PRACTICE
1. Work with a partner to test your knowledge of the use of gerunds and infinitives. One
of you should read the beginning of the sentence and the other, without looking at the
book, should supply the correct answer using ‘to do it’ or ‘doing it’. Let one of you take
the first 20 sentences and the other work with the rest of them. Then take turns.
1. I am considering doing it. 21. I didn’t enjoy doing it.
2. He refused to do it. 22. Can you imagine doing it?
3. Did the little boy admit doing it? 23. Did you practice doing it?
4. I hope to do it. 24. I really don’t care to do it.
5. Our director postponed doing it. 25. She put off doing it.
6. When will you finish doing it? 26. She failed to do it.
7. The company expects to do it. 27. We avoid doing it.
8. We prepared to do it. 28. No one recollected doing it.
9. Did you decide to do it? 29. Did they risk doing it?
10. Keep doing it. 30. The teacher arranged to do it.
11. The cat managed to do it. 31. Did they recall doing it?
12. She agreed to do it. 32. I plan to do it
13. I dislike doing it. 33. Do you mind doing t?
14. The family anticipated doing it. 34. He pretended to do it.
15. I didn’t mean to do it. 35. The dentist wanted to delay doing it.
16. They swore to do it. 36. Can anyone learn to do it?
17. He suggested doing it. 37. Did someone offer to do it?
18. I volunteered to do it. 38. He doesn’t deny doing it.
19. He chose to do it. 39. The policeman threatened to do it.
20. She resented doing it. 40. We can’t afford to do it.

Score your correct answers ______

The results of the test: If your score is 36-40 correct answers, you are doing just great;
32-35 stand for good knowledge; 28-31 mean you have some problems; if the number
of your correct answers is less than 30, go over to p.23 and p.59 again and learn the
verbs.

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The Infinitive and the Gerund Compared

2. Circle the correct answer.

1. Young children enjoy helping / to help around the house.
2. Just imagine to go / going all that way for nothing!
3. Unfortunately, doctors failed to save / saving the girl’s life.
4. Today we are going to practice parking / to park.
5. I put off to go / going to the doctor but I wish I hadn’t.
6. We can’t afford to wait / waiting any longer, or we’ll miss the plane.
7. He said he planned to write / writing his essay tonight.
8. Did you mind to be / being away from home for so long?
9. I learnt driving / to drive when I was 17.
10. He threatened to take / taking them to court.

3. Complete the sentences. Use the correct form of the verbs in brackets.
1. Joan’s hoping to study law at Harvard. (study)
2. I finished typing the report just minutes before it was due. (type)
3. The company expects you to complete work in April. (complete)
4. Her parents are busy preparing to go on holiday. (go)
5. I keep thinking about Joe, all alone in that place. (think)
6. She managed to tell me what had happened. (tell)
7. We agreed to meet again the following Monday. (meet)
8. I dislike being the centre of attention. (be)
9. Do you swear to tell the whole truth? (tell)
10. I resent working such long hours. (work)

4. Six of the sentences below have mistakes. Find the mistakes and correct them.
1. Have you considered working as a journalist?
2. Mother flatly refused seeing to see the doctor.
3. Even Beate postponed going out to join the group of older girls in the camp.
4. It was raining heavily, and she suggested to take taking a taxi.
5. I told him to drive more slowly, but he chose ignoring to ignore my advice.
6. I pretended not seeing her, and carried on walking down the street.
7. Big companies often delay to pay payingtheir bills.
8. I offered to help her with the dishes.
9. Did he actually deny meeting to meet Jenny that night?
10. I recollect to see seeing Ryder some years ago in Bonn.

5 Fill in the blanks with either the gerund or the infinitive form of the verb from
the box

1. Do you think he’s gone away to avoid talking to the police? talk
2. Companies cannot risk losing customers through computer problems. lose
3. Jill volunteered to go with me to the hospital. go
4. Have you arranged meeting Mark this weekend? meet

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find meet be ask accept feel

World of Verbals: Theory and Communicative Practice

5. I think we’ve fixed everything, and I don’t anticipate to find any more problems. find
6. I wouldn’t care meeting him in a dark alley. meet
7. Diana admitted being hurt by what I had said. be
8. I’ve been meaning to ask you if you want to come for a meal next week. ask
9. If you decide to accept our offer, let me know. accept
10. Howard sighed. He could not recall ever feeling this tired before. feel

6. Work in pairs. In turn choose the verbs from the box below to make short exchanges
on the suggested topics. Be careful to use the gerund and the infinitive correctly.
Model: – You must avoid walking home in the dark.
– Don’t worry! I’ve decided to take a taxi.

choose avoid decide arrange agree want manage enjoy

promise try can’t stand don’t mind afford consider expect
suggest offer imagine resent
 borrowing money  watching reality shows
 going to nightclubs  going window-shopping
 cooking  browsing the Internet

The Gerund is also used after some set expressions.

She spent a fortune redecorating the I’m busy … have a hard time …
house. What’s the use of …? spend time …
What’s the use of telling them What about … ? waste no time … doing
How about …? be used to …
everything we know?


7. Complete the sentences using a suitable expression from the box above.
1. ___________________ studying for her finals.
2. ___________________ going to the beach this afternoon?
3. ___________________ doing the dishes every day.
4. ___________________ finding himself another girlfriend.
5. ___________________ decorating the house if we’re going to sell it?
6. ___________________ playing jazz.
7. ___________________ learning how to solve the problem.

8. Use all the expressions in the box above in sentences of your own.
Model: – She spent a long time talking on the telephone, so she didn’t finish her chores.

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GO BEYOND IT
When choosing between the infinitive and the gerund, remember that prepositions are
followed by Gerunds, and many adjectives, adverbs and nouns are followed by
Infinitives.

1. a) Read the following extract of the editorial about gun control from a U.S.
magazine. Complete it with infinitives or gerunds making use of the verbs in brackets.
Pay attention to the words in bold type.

... Americans have long had an five days before ________ 5

international reputation for
being (be) in love with their
guns. But it seems like they are
finally getting fed up with
________ 1 (become) victims of
a growing epidemic of gun
violence. In fact, according to
the recent opinion polls,
majority of voters are now in
favor of Congress’s ________
2 (pass) more laws ________ 3
(control) handguns, the most
frequently used firearms.
The Brady law, passed in 1994
after years of debate, seemed
like a victory for gun control at
the time. This law requires
would-be gun owners ________
4 (wait)
(purchase) a handgun. The purpose
of the waiting period is ________ 6
( give) police time ________ 7
(check) that the prospective
customer does not have a
criminal record. It also prevents
people from ________ 8 (commit)
impulse crimes as it gives people
time to stop ________ 9 (think)
things through before ______ 10
(act) rashly. Now some critics realize
that this law doesn’t go far enough
_______ 11 (curb) gun violence. For
one thing, criminals easily succeed
in ________ 12 (get) hold of more
than 200 million firearms already
out there. ...
by Gegard Tailor

Source: Focus on Grammar. P.156.

b) Al Richards is one of the readers who do not agree with the opinion about gun
control given in the editorial. Complete the letter on the next page with infinitives or
gerunds making use of the verbs in brackets. Name the syntactic functions of the
verbals.

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To the Editor:
With the laws we already have, it should be harder for criminals to
obtain (obtain) guns than ever before. As we all know, this is not
true. Who, then, is affected by these laws? Sportspeople who enjoy
_________ 1 (hunt), _________ 2 (collect), and ________ 3 (shoot)
at targets. Law-abiding people, anxious _________ 4 (protect)
their homes, businesses, and families.
Let’s look at the record for gun-control legislation. New York
City has some of the strictest gun-control laws in the United
States, yet it also struggles ________ 5 (control) one of the worst
problems with illegal guns. If you are a criminal in New York, it is
easy _______ 6 (you/buy) a gun. But law-abiding citizens find it
almost impossible _______ 7 (get) permission _________ 8
(carry) a gun ________ 9 (protect) themselves.
Until we solve the problem of crime in our streets, we must resist
our lawmakers’ _________ 10 (impose) stricter controls on guns
for personal protection. Instead, we should challenge them
________ 11 (find) the real causes of violence. Unfortunately,
social problems are complex. It takes time, effort, and money
_______ 12 (solve) them. ________ 13 (blame) guns is the easiest
way out.
We are fortunate _________ 14 (have) the protection of the U.S.
Constitution, which guarantees U.S. citizens the right _________
15 (bear) arms. Before interfering with the basic law of the land,
we need _________ 16 (seek) other ways of ________ 17 (curb)
gun violence. Some remedies are fairly obvious: we can
_________ 18 (teach) gun owners _________ 19 (handle) guns
safely. We can remind them _________ 20 (lock up) firearms at
home. Remember, guns don’t kill people; people do.
Al Richards

Richmond, Virginia
c) In the letter above, underline the ideas you agree with.

2. Reflect on the following questions and share your ideas with your peers. Use
infinitives and gerunds.
 What do you think about the problem of gun control in your country?
 Would you like the government to control firearms sales? Why/Why not?

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The Infinitive and the Gerund Compared

 Do you think it is safe to live in a place where everyone can easily get a gun?
These verbs might be helpful: to force, to prevent from, to enable, to encourage, to discourage from, to
make it easier (more difficult, safer, more dangerous, etc.).

3. In a group, make a list of steps you would propose that the Government should take
to solve the problem of gun control in this country. Discuss the ideas with other groups.

INFINITIVES vs. GERUNDS (2)

Some verbs can be followed by either Infinitives or Gerunds with no basic difference in
meaning, as in Groups A and B below and with a slight difference in meaning as in Group
C.
GROUP A: VERB + GERUND or VERB + Pronoun + INFINITIVE
(with no difference in meaning)
advise encourage recommend Verbs in group A when used in the passive
allow permit require teach form or followed by a (pro)noun object take
We were permitted to stay here. Infinitives. They can also take Gerunds if
He permitted us to wait in the other room. they are not followed by a (pro)noun object.
We don’t permit smoking here.

GROUP B: VERB + INFINITIVE or GERUND
(with no difference in meaning)
begin start continue intend Verbs in group B can be followed by either
Infinitives or Gerunds with no difference in
It began raining or It began to rain. meaning.
It was beginning to rain.
However, with these verbs we normally do
I’m starting to learn Swahili.

NOT use two -ing forms together. If the
main verb is in the progressive the Infinitive
is used.

GROUP C: VERB + INFINITIVE or GERUND

(with little difference in meaning)
like hate (loathe) Verbs in group C can be followed by either
love can’t stand Infinitives or Gerunds with little difference
prefer can’t bear
in meaning.
I like looking round antique shops. (in general) With verbs from this group the distinction
I’d like to visit you in your new house. (a specific between the Gerund and the Infinitive
action at a specific time) corresponds to the distinction between the
I hate disturbing busy people. = I feel sorry when I general and the specific.
disturb people. (in general)
I hate to disturb you, but I have to. = I don’t like
to do it. (now)

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World of Verbals: Theory and Communicative Practice

I prefer to listen to music rather than dance. (now)

I prefer listening to music to dancing. (in general)


PRACTICE

1. Some of the following sentences can be changed without any difference in meaning.
What are they?
Model: It began to rain. (This can be changed to It began raining.)
1. I hate getting up early.
2. They were beginning to understand each other.
3. It began to rain.
4. She never allowed us to take our toys to the park.
5. You don’t think I will allow smoking in my rooms!
6. Then the baby started crying.
7. I refused to go to his party.
8. They continued playing even though the light was bad.
9. I don’t mind taking him on a trip.
10.I’d love to come to your party.
11. I dislike having to commute to work by public transportation.
12. I intend spending the night there.

2. Fill in the blanks with either gerunds or infinitives. Explain your choice.
1. I don’t find anything obviously wrong, Harry. But, I’d advise you to take (you/take) it
easy for a week or two. I’d advise _________ 1 (not, do) any strenuous exercises.
2. There has been a bomb scare in central London. The police advise _________ 2
(everybody/stay) clear of the area. You are recommended _________ 3 (not, travel) by
tube as the service has been suspended. We recommend _________ 4 (take) the bus, but
only if your journey is essential.
3. We were kept at the police station for two hours and then we were allowed ________ 5 (go).
4. Many parents don’t allow _________ 6 (eat) in front of the TV set.
5. ‘Where would you recommend _________ 7 (I/go)?’ - ‘Gee, I don’t know. But I
wouldn’t recommend _________ 8 (eat) in that restaurant. Their food is awful.’
6. Carol’s parents always encourage _________ 9 (she/ study) hard at school.
7. This enterprise doesn’t permit _________ 10 (photograph) on its premises.
8. My Granny always permitted _________ 11 (I/stay) up late if there was an interesting
show on TV.
9. Employees are required _________ 12 (work) on Saturdays.
10. The law requires _________ 13 (wear) a seat belt.

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The Infinitive and the Gerund Compared

3. Complete the sentences with the correct forms of the verbs in brackets. Explain your
choice. There is one passive form here. Who will be the first to find it?
1. I am afraid of flying. When a plane begins moving (move) down the runway, my heart
starts racing 1 (race). Oh-oh! The plane is beginning to move 2 (move) and my heart is
starting to race 3 (race).
2. Most children like going 4 (go) to the Zoo. There they like feeding 5 (feed) animals,
watching 6 (watch) birds and reptiles.
3. She began singing 7 (sing) when a child. She came over to the piano and began
singing 8 (sing).
4. I don’t like interrupting 9 (interrupt) people. I wouldn’t like to interrupt 10 (interrupt)
him, he seems very busy.
5. Nowadays most children prefer watching 11 (watch) television to listening 12
(listen) to the radio.
6. I hate talking 13 (talk to) like a child. I hate to say 14 (say) it, but I was glad when he
went home.
7. He may not like going 15 (go) to the doctor, but he certainly loves to complain 16
(complain) about his aches and pains.

GO BEYOND IT
1. Read the poem. Find and underline every gerund.
On Sunday afternoons in the middle of July
I like sitting in the sun just looking at the sky.
I like listening to the birds singing in the trees – in July.
I hate going to work when the sun shines,
Or standing in the rain.
I hate queuing at a bus stop,
Or trying to read a paper on a train.
On cold December mornings I like walking through the snow.
I like watching all the people as off to work they go.
I like dozing in a chair, without a care – in December.
On rainy April days I just like staying at home.
I like reading a book or simply being alone.
I like thinking of you, and all the things that you do – in April.
But most of all I like loving you.
You’re a Sunday afternoon, a December morning, too.
You’re an April day, sunshine in June - You’re you.
The poem is taken from Пароятникова А.Д., Полевая М.Ю. P.33.

2. Compose a poem dedicated to what you like, hate, avoid, enjoy, mind, fancy, feel like
doing:
 in the middle of July  on rainy April days
 on cold December mornings  on misty October evenings

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INFINITIVES vs. GERUNDS (3)

Some verbs can be followed by either Infinitives or Gerunds with a change in meaning,
as in Group D.
GROUP D: VERB + INFINITIVE or GERUND
(with a difference in meaning)
remember mean The following verbs may take either
forget stop (quit) Infinitives or Gerunds, but the
regret go on meaning of the verb changes,
try depending on which verbal is used.
remember I remembered to buy the tickets. Remember + Inf. means to remember to
 perform responsibility, duty, or task,
not forget to do sth.
I remember telling you about that. Remember + Ger. means to remember
(recall) something that happened in the

past.
forget Sam often forgets to lock the door. Forget + Inf. means to forget to
 perform a responsibility, duty, or task,
I’ll never forget seeing the Alps. fail to remember to do sth.
 Forget + Ger. means to forget
something that happened in the past,
not recall a past event.
regret We regret to inform you that we are unable Regret + Inf. means to regret to say, to
to offer you the job. tell someone, to inform someone of
 some bad news, be sorry to.
I regret saying that you were wrong. Regret + Ger. means to regret
 something that happened in the past,
have second thoughts about sth
already done.
try Please try to be quiet when you come Try + Inf. means to make an effort,
home. Everyone will be asleep. attempt, do one’s best, to take action
 in order to do or get something that
one may not be able to do or get.
If a photocopier is out of order try Try + Ger. means to experiment with a
pressing the green button first. new or different approach to see if it
 works, to discover if it is suitable,
successful, enjoyable etc.
mean I meant to visit Brazil. Mean + Inf. stands for to intend to do
 something.
A trip to Brazil meant spending Mean + Ger. stands for to have
much more money. something as a result, involve.


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The Infinitive and the Gerund Compared

stop(quit) He stopped (in order) to have coffee. The Infinitive after stop (quit) gives the
 reason or purpose of the performed
action.
He stopped (quit) having coffee The Gerund after stop (quit) tells what
because it made him very nervous. action is finished.

go on After discussing the economy, the Go on + Inf. means to do or say
minister went on to talk about politics. something new, finish doing sth and
 start doing sth else; then, afterwards.
We must change our ways. We can’t go Go on + Ger. means to continue doing
on living like this. the same thing.


PRACTICE

1. Complete the following sentences with infinitive or gerund forms of the verbs in
brackets. Comment on your choice.
1. After the volleyball game, we all stopped to have (have) a cup of coffee, but Joanne
didn’t join us. She said that she had stopped drinking 1 (drink) coffee because the
caffeine bothered her.
2. Everyone at work was surprised when John quit to take 2 (take) a long vacation in South
America. He said that we should quit being 3 (be) so responsible and take off for
faraway places, too!
3. I tried everything but the baby still wouldn’t stop crying 4 (cry). I tried
holding 5 (hold) him. I tried feeding 6 (feed) him. I tried burping 7 (burp) him. I tried
changing 8 (change) his diapers. Nothing worked.
4. ‘I’ll never forget carring 9 (carry) my wife over the threshold when we moved into our
first home.’
5. The children were shouting and screaming, but he went on talking 10 (talk) to Tom
as if nothing were going on around.
6. She regretted not listening 11 (not, listen) to her father’s advice. He was right.
7. ‘Did you remember to buy 12 (buy) a Monopoly game?’
‘Of course, I didn’t remember to buy 13 (buy) one. I didn’t know you wanted it.’
‘You knew, but you forgot to get 14 (get) one. I distinctly remember telling 15 (tell)
you to buy 16 (buy) one this morning. This means to postpone 17 (postpone)
our party tonight.’
‘You meant to tell 18 (tell) me, but you forgot. I didn’t forget!’
8. After the interval in the concert, Pavarotti went on to sing 19 (sing) an aria from Tosca.
9. We regret to tell 20 (tell) you that your request for a tax refund has been rejected.

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10. You could see the doctor today but as you haven’t got an appointment it would mean
waiting 21 (wait) for a couple of hours in the waiting-room.
11. What do you mean to do 22 (do) with all that money?
12. Oh no! I totally forgot to turn off 23 (turn off) the cooker.

2. Match the two parts of the sentences. Use either the gerund or the infinitive of the
verbs in brackets. Explain your choice.
Model: After talking about their schoolmates, they went on to do their homework. (c)
1. After talking about their schoolmates a) (post) that letter?
they went on
2. Our company regrets b) (be) careful about which foods to buy.
3. Did you remember c) (do) their homework.
4. What do you mean d) (work) until he was 91.
5. Because it made him gain weight, he e) (tie) my shoe.
stopped
6. They decided they would try f) (witness) that terrible fire.
7. In order not to get depressed, I tried g) (bring) home a huge Christmas tree.
8. He went on h) (turn) off their headlights.
9. I now regret i) (inform) you that your bank account was
blocked.
10. Someone’s forgotten j) (do) with all that money you got?
11. I’ll never be able to forget k) (live) in America for a while.
12. I remember my father l) (tell) myself it didn’t matter.
13. Dieting also means m) (leave) school so young.
14. When I almost fell down, I stopped n) (eat) chocolate.

1)
2) i - informing
3)
4) j - to do
5) n - eating
6) c
7) l
8) d
9) m
10) h
11) f
12) e
13) b
14)

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3. Fill in the correct form of the infinitive or the gerund.

1. Why don’t we try eating some Thai food for a change?
2. I’m sorry, I don’t remember ______________ you before.
3. Before you leave, don’t forget ______________ the plants.
4. If we want to catch the early train, it means ______________ early tomorrow morning.
5. I really regret ______________ so much money at the weekend.
6. Try ______________ some more pepper to the soup. It might taste better.
7. Please stop ______________ ! There’s a meeting in progress next door.
8. If you can’t get the stain out of your shirt, you could try ______________ salt on it.
9. I regret ______________ you that your house must be demolished.
10. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean ______________ you.
11. I couldn’t stop ______________ whether I had done the right thing.
12. When you finish this exercise, go on ______________ the composition on page 11.
GO BEYOND IT
1. Read the text and fill in the blanks with the correct form of the infinitive or the
gerund.
When I was a child we had a radio, but we didn’t have a TV set. The radio was important
to our family life. I remember sitting (sit) down in the living room after dinner to listen to
the evening news. We always remembered __________ 1 (turn) on the radio when there
were important events in the world and I remember __________ 2 (look) forward to
family evenings when we listened to our favorite comedies or quiz shows. When it was
time for them we stopped __________ 3 (work) or __________ 4 (read) to concentrate on
the programs. We each tried __________ 5 (sit) in the chair closest to the radio. I also
remember __________ 6 (get) upset whenever the radio wasn’t working well. We tried
__________ 7 (fix) it ourselves, but sometimes we couldn’t. Then we had to stop
________ 8 (have) our evenings around the radio until we could get it to a repair shop. We
tried __________ 9 (talk) to one another or __________ 10 (play) games, but we all missed
the radio entertainment. Then, a few years later, we bought our first television set.
Gradually, we stopped __________ 11 (listen) to radio programs on a regular basis.
The text is taken from Interactions II. P.323.

1. Seven of these sentences have mistakes. Tick ( ) the correct sentences and correct
those with mistakes.
1. He goes on to whistle even though it annoys everyone. _________
2. Shirley won’t accept their offer if it means to work at the weekend. _________
3. He greeted us and went on to apologize for the delay. _________
4. The little girl admitted to have taken some sweets from the shop. _________
5. I would like entertaining people at home at the weekends. _________
6. She prefers working out than sit at home doing nothing. _________
7. Brian hates to jog; he likes swimming instead. _________
8. Do you fancy ordering a pizza tonight? _________
9. Sheila stopped to take the medicine as it wasn’t doing any good. _________
10. I regret to inform you that you haven’t passed. _________
11. Tommy is very spoilt and is used to getting his own way. _________

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2. Complete the passage by using infinitive or gerund forms of the verbs in brackets.
Then read the passage again and name the syntactic functions of the infinitives and the
gerunds you have used.
Monopoly
Monopoly, Parker Brothers’ game of buying (buy) and _________ 1 (sell) real estate, was
invented in 1933 by an unemployed engineer, Charles Darrow. Darrow had lost his job at
the beginning of the Depression, and although he had continued _________ 2 (look)
everywhere, he hadn’t been able _________ 3 (find) steady work in three years. During
those years he tried _________ 4 (walk) dogs and ________ 5 (fix) electric irons
_________ 6 (make) some money. _________ 7 (keep) his spirits up, he invented things.
First, Darrow tried _________ 8 (create) better bridge score pads and _________ 9 (make)
jigsaw puzzles. Unfortunately, no one was interested in_________ 10 (buy) any of his ideas.
Finally, he began _________ 11 (dream) about the days before the Depression when he
and his wife had been able _________ 12 (afford) _________ 13 (take) vacations. He
remembered _________ 14 (visit) Atlantic City, New Jersey, and he started ______ 15
(draw) maps of the streets. From these, he developed his game.
The Darrows began _________ 16 (spend) every evening by _________ 17 (buy),
_________ 18 (rent), _________ 19 (develop) and _________ 20 (sell) ‘real estate’. There
was no television in those days, and they couldn’t afford _________ 21 (go) to the movies.
_________ 22 (play) with large amounts of money and property was entertaining, however,
even neither was real. Soon friends began _________ 23 (stop by) in the evenings
_________ 24 (try) _________ 25 (play) the game.
Darrow’s friends and neighbors asked _________ 26 (he/make) sets for them. After a
while, Darrow could not make enough sets _________ 27 (satisfy) the demand for them,
so he went to Parker Brothers with his game. At first, Parker Brothers rejected it, but that
didn’t discourage Darrow from _________ 28 (try) again. Soon, Parker Brothers made him
an offer. Today, Monopoly is the most popular game in the world. It is sold in fifteen
languages.
The text is taken from Mosaic I. P.232.

3. Answer the following questions.

 Have you ever played the Monopoly game or a similar one? Did you like it? What
are the rules of the game?
 Why do you think such games are so popular in many countries?

4. a) Work in pairs. Think of your favorite game (sport, activity). Write the rules of the
game. Don’t name it. In your instructions, use as many gerunds and infinitives as
possible. Use the prompts from the box.

You should try to … Don’t forget to … You must avoid … Remember to …

Go on … Plan (arrange) to … Be prepared to … You can suggest …
You can risk (Don’t risk) …. You should plan to …

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The Infinitive and the Gerund Compared

b) Share your instructions with your peers. Let them guess what game you are
describing.
5. Read the text and use infinitive or gerund forms instead of the verbs in brackets.
Name the syntactic functions of the verbals.
A witty, kind, and handsome Parisian gentleman, Édouard Manet (1832-1883) was an
unlikely revolutionary. He seemed to stand (stand) apart from the controversy surrounding
him. He wanted only ________ 1 (gain) recognition for his art. Manet appeared _______ 2
(not, understand) why his work stimulated such a storm of criticism.
Yet Manet was a revolutionary. His paintings Déjeuner sur l’herbe and Olympia caused the
entire Parisian art world ________ 3 (shake) with amazement. Manet was the first
________ 4 (begin) the new trends in modernism. A great innovator, he disliked
________ 5 (follow) old styles. ________ 6 (he, handle) of form, color, and light shows a
completely modern way of ________ 7 (think). He was the first in the Parisian art world
________ 8 (ask): Is art simply recording of reality? Does it have ________ 9 (imitate) the
past? Are artists forbidden ________ 10 (create) their own interpretations?
The importance of Manet’s work goes beyond the quality of his painting. It anticipated
________ 11 (come) of many trends. He borrowed from the old masters but avoided
________ 12 (imitate) them. In essence, Manet was successful at ________ 13 (take) ideas
from old art and ________ 14 (redefine) these ideas in terms of the new. His struggle
________ 15 (define) his vision encouraged a generation of young artists ________ 16
(explore) their own vision of art.
The text is taken from Mosaic II. P.320.

6. a) Study any reference material (encyclopedias, the Internet) to learn some facts
about your favorite painter/sculptor/musician and his works.
b) Write a text based on the information you found (about 150 words). In the text, leave
gaps to fill in with either infinitives or gerunds (see the task to Ex. 5).
c) Exchange the texts with other students and fill in the gaps.
d) What interesting facts did you learn about different personalities? Share them with
the group.
7. Think about people’s behavior that drives you mad. Complete the sentences below.
Explain why you dislike such behavior.
1. I hate seeing people …
2. Everyone should try not to …
3. I can’t stand hearing people …
4. I try hard not to …
5. I can’t bear watching people …
6. …ing is incredibly annoying (upsetting, outrageous)
7. I expect people not to …
8. People should avoid …ing
9. People must never forget to
10. I hate not …ing

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World of Verbals: Theory and Communicative Practice

8. Work in groups. Write “a code of behavior” students and teachers should adhere to
in the University. Introduce your code to the class.
9. Work in groups. You are friends at a dinner party. It is nearly the end of the year.
Each person in the group should add a line to the conversation, using one of the verbs
in the box below. Reproduce the conversation.
Model: - I gave up smoking in November. It was very difficult. – Really! Well, next year I promise
to quit smoking as well.

give up decide feel like try learn enjoy avoid agree promise plan
forget begin arrange hope want can’t afford finish fancy
expect remember

10. a) Work in groups. Make a list of five things to worry about …

 being a teenager  starting your first job  being a celebrity

Use gerunds and infinitives.
Model: Worrying about not having enough money to buy birthday presents for relatives.
Having trouble getting up early to be in time for work.

b) Share your list with other groups.

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