Talking About Actions (II) : Using Gerunds and Forget Regret Remember Stop Try Go On

Using gerunds and
Talking about to-infinitives with:

actions (II) ✓forget
✓regret
Book 3A ✓remember
Unit 2 ✓stop
✓try
✓go on
Mum is trying to get Jack to listen to her. Read the
conversation below. Pay attention to the gerunds and
Introduction
to-infinitives used after some of the verbs.
Mum: Would you stop playing computer games? You said you would spend more
time on your studies.
Jack: Did I say that? I don’t remember saying that.
Mum: Did you remember to tidy your room this morning? Do you ever try to keep
your promises? Now would you try turning off your computer?
Jack: …
Mum: Don’t go on ignoring me like
this. Stop it now or you’ll regret
behaving like this when I take
away your computer.
Talking about actions (II) 2

B
a
c
k
Talking about actions (II)

1 Gerunds and to-infinitives
Contents
2 Forget, regret and remember
3 Stop, try and go on
4 Practice
5 Grammar in text
6 Checkpoint

Table of contents
1 How do we talk about actions with

gerunds and to-infinitives?
We can use gerunds or to-infinitives with verbs to
describe actions.
I loved eating shark fin soup until I saw an advert

about the protection of sharks.
I loved to eat shark fin soup until I saw an advert

about the protection of sharks.
The verb love has the same meaning when it is followed

by both gerunds and to-infinitives.

Table of contents
1 How do we talk about actions with

gerunds and to-infinitives?
Most verbs (such as love) have the same meaning when they are
followed by both gerunds and to-infinitives. However, the verbs below
have different meanings.
forget
regret
remember
stop
try
go on

Table of contents
2 How do we use forget?

+ gerund We use forget + gerund to talk about something we did but do not remember.
I forgot seeing this TV ad.
We use forget + to-infinitive to talk about things we did not do because we did
not remember.
+ to-infinitive
I forgot to include the company logo in the advertisement.

Table of contents
2 How do we use regret?

+ gerund We use regret + gerund to say that we feel sorry about
something we did.
I regret buying such an expensive mobile phone.
+ to-infinitive We use regret + to say / to tell you / to inform you in

formal situations to give bad news. It means we feel sorry having to
mention something.
We regret to say that we do not have the model you asked about.

Table of contents
2 How do we use remember?

+ gerund We use remember + gerund to talk about an experience which
is still in our memory.
Jenny remembered seeing a very funny advert about a soft drink.
We use remember + to-infinitive to talk about things we still have to

+ to-infinitive
do.
You have to remember to buy some sweets for your sister.

Table of contents
Your turn!
Gerunds or to-infinitives? Choose the correct answer.
Miss Lee: Kate, have you finished yesterday’s homework?
Kate did not do her homework. How should she reply to

Miss Lee?
A.Sorry, Miss Lee. I forgot doing yesterday’s homework.

B.Sorry, Miss Lee. I forgot to do yesterday’s homework.

Table of contents
Your turn!
Gerunds or to-infinitives? Choose the correct answers.
Nathan: Kate, why did Miss Lee give you detention?

Kate: I went to see the K-pop boy band PXE yesterday,
so I didn’t do my homework. Oh, …
What is Kate likely to say next?

A. I regret not doing my homework yesterday so much!
B. I regret not to do my homework yesterday so much!

Table of contents
Your turn!
Gerunds or to-infinitives? Choose the correct answers.
Nathan: Well, Kate, I hope ...
What is Nathan likely to say?
A. you will remember doing your homework tonight!

B. you will remember to do your homework tonight!

Table of contents
2 How do we use stop?

+ gerund We use stop + gerund to refer to something we did not
carry on doing.
I stop eating after 9 o’clock at night.

This action stops.
+ to-infinitive We use stop + to-infinitive to explain why we

stopped.
The singer was thirsty so he stopped to drink a glass of water.
This action starts.

Table of contents
2 How do we use try?

+ gerund We use try + gerund when we do something to see what
the result will be.
Try asking your teacher for comments on your storyboard.
+ to-infinitive
We use try + to-infinitive when we make an effort to
do something.
I’ve tried to think of a new slogan, but I can’t come up with one.

Table of contents
2 How do we use go on?

+ gerund We use go on + gerund when we continue doing the same
thing.
Judy went on talking about her work until we all fell asleep.
+ to-infinitive We use go on + to-infinitive when we move on to a new

thing.
Edward stopped complaining about the food and went on

to grumble about the waiter.

Table of contents
Your turn!
After detention, Kate is back home. Gerunds or to-infinitives? Choose the
correct answer.
Mum: Kate, you’re home at last! Why are you back so late today?
Kate: I was given detention today because I didn’t do my homework
last night.
Mum: Oh, dear! …
What is Kate’s mum likely to say next?

A. I tried telling you to finish your homework first!
B. I tried to tell you to finish your homework first!

Table of contents
Your turn!
Kate: Yes, you did. In fact, ...
What is Kate likely to say?

A. you stopped reading the newspaper just to tell me that.
B. you stopped to read the newspaper just to tell me that.

Table of contents
Your turn!
Mum: That’s why you and your brother shouldn’t complain if ...
What should Kate’s mum say?

A. I go on telling you two what to do!
B. I go on to tell you two what to do!

Table of contents
4 Let’s practise!
Now let’s put everything together!
Troy and Amy are chatting online about an awards show for
advertisements that they watched last night. Complete their
conversation with the gerund or to-infinitive form of the verbs in
brackets.

Table of contents
Troy: Did you watch the Clio Awards last night?

Amy: Yes — they were fantastic! Did you remember to record
(record) the show? I’d like to watch it again.
Troy: No, I forgot to do (do) that. You could try looking
(look) for the show on YouTube. I’m sure it’s been posted
by now.
Amy: Good idea!
Troy: Do you remember seeing (see) the advert that won
the top award?
Amy: Yeah, it was amazing, wasn’t it? I had to stop eating
(eat) my snack to watch it — that’s how engaging the ad

was!
Table of contents
Troy: I know! It was like watching a mini-film.

Amy: Afterward, I tried to describe (describe) the advert to my
mum, but it was too hard. There was just so much going
on in it!
Troy: I bet your mum regrets not watching (not watch) the
show herself.
Amy: She does! I went on to read (read) her an online review
about the advert, but it was a waste of time. It just couldn’t
capture the spirit of the ad.
Troy: Do you know which country the advert was produced in? I
forget hearing (hear) that piece of information.

Table of contents
Amy: I regret to tell (tell) you that it wasn’t produced in your

home country. 
Troy: Too bad! I was hoping it was American.
Amy: Nope — it was made here in England.
Troy: No wonder the director went on talking (talk) for such
a long time in his acceptance speech! (Just kidding!)
Amy: Not funny!
Troy: Hold on, Amy — my sister just stopped to chat (chat).
I’ll be right back ...
Amy: OK.

Table of contents
5 How is the grammar used?

The speaker uses …
Troy: Did you watch the Clio Awards last night?

Amy: Yes — they were fantastic! Did you remember to
record the show? I’d like to watch it again.
gg
Troy: No, I forgot to do that. You could try looking for the
show on YouTube. I’m sure it’s been posted by now.
remember + to-infinitive to ask if Amy recorded the show.
forget + to-infinitive to mean that she didn’t record the show.

Table of contents

Amy: Good idea!

Troy: Do you remember seeing the advert that won the
top award?
Amy: gg wasn’t it? I had to stop eating
Yeah, it was amazing,
my snack to watch it — that’s how engaging the ad
was!
remember + gerund to ask if an experience is still in

Amy’s mind.
stop + gerund to say that she wasn’t eating while

she was watching the ad.
Table of contents

Troy: I know! It was like watching a mini-film.

Amy: Afterward, I tried to describe the advert to my mum,
but it was too hard. There was just so much going on
in it! gg
Troy: I bet your mum regrets not watching the show
herself.
try + to-infinitive to mean that she made an effort to

describe the advert.
regret + gerund to say that Amy’s mum feels sorry

about something she didn’t do.
Table of contents

Amy: She does! I went on to read her an online review

about the advert, but it was a waste of time. It just
couldn’t capture the spirit of the ad.
g
Troy: Do you know which gcountry the advert was produced
in? I forget hearing that piece of information.
go on + to-infinitive to mean that Amy moved on to a new

thing.
forget + gerund to mean that he couldn’t remember

something that he did.
Table of contents

Amy: I regret to tell you that it wasn’t produced in your

home country. 
Troy: Too bad! I was hoping it was American.
g
Amy: Nope — it was madeg here in England.
Troy: No wonder the director went on talking for such a
long time in his acceptance speech! (Just kidding!)
regret + to-infinitive to give bad news.
go on + gerund to mean that the director continued talking.

Table of contents

Amy: Not funny!

Troy: Hold on, Amy — my sister just stopped to chat. I’ll
be right back ...
gg
Amy: OK.
stop + to-infinitive to explain why his sister stopped.

Table of contents
Checkpoint
I can now talk about different kinds of actions using
gerunds and to-infinitives with …
 forget .  stop.
 regret.
 try.
remember. go on.
 
Acknowledgements
We are grateful to the following for permission to reproduce copyright photographs:
Konstantin Faraktinov. Shutterstock for slide 1

bryljaev. 123rf.com for slide 1
123rf.com for slides 1, 9–11, 15–17 & 19–21
Monkey Business Images. Shutterstock for slide 2
Nuno Andre. Shutterstock for slides 2, 3, 9–11, 15–17
Petr Vaclavek. Shutterstock for slides 2–8, 12–14, 18, 22–27
WildAid for slide 4
Anton Kokuiev. Shutterstock for slide 4
Florian Augustin. Shutterstock for slide 12
mills21. Shutterstock for slide 28
Every effort has been made to trace copyright, but in the event of any accidental infringement, we shall be
pleased to come to a suitable arrangement with the rightful owner.

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Using gerunds and

Talking about to-infinitives with:

to-infinitives used after some of the verbs.

Talking about actions (II) 2

Talking about actions (II)

2 Forget, regret and remember

3 Stop, try and go on

Talking about actions (II) 3

1 How do we talk about actions with

I loved eating shark fin soup until I saw an advert

I loved to eat shark fin soup until I saw an advert

The verb love has the same meaning when it is followed

Talking about actions (II) 4

1 How do we talk about actions with

Talking about actions (II) 5

2 How do we use forget?

I forgot seeing this TV ad.

Talking about actions (II) 6

2 How do we use regret?

I regret buying such an expensive mobile phone.

+ to-infinitive We use regret + to say / to tell you / to inform you in

Talking about actions (II) 7

2 How do we use remember?

Jenny remembered seeing a very funny advert about a soft drink.

We use remember + to-infinitive to talk about things we still have to

You have to remember to buy some sweets for your sister.

Talking about actions (II) 8

Miss Lee: Kate, have you finished yesterday’s homework?

Kate did not do her homework. How should she reply to

A.Sorry, Miss Lee. I forgot doing yesterday’s homework.

Talking about actions (II) 9

Nathan: Kate, why did Miss Lee give you detention?

What is Kate likely to say next?

B. I regret not to do my homework yesterday so much!

Talking about actions (II) 10

Nathan: Well, Kate, I hope ...

What is Nathan likely to say?

A. you will remember doing your homework tonight!

Talking about actions (II) 11

2 How do we use stop?

I stop eating after 9 o’clock at night.

+ to-infinitive We use stop + to-infinitive to explain why we

The singer was thirsty so he stopped to drink a glass of water.

This action starts.

Talking about actions (II) 12

2 How do we use try?

Try asking your teacher for comments on your storyboard.

Talking about actions (II) 13

2 How do we use go on?

+ to-infinitive We use go on + to-infinitive when we move on to a new

Edward stopped complaining about the food and went on

Talking about actions (II) 14

What is Kate’s mum likely to say next?

B. I tried to tell you to finish your homework first!

Talking about actions (II) 15

Kate: Yes, you did. In fact, ...

What is Kate likely to say?

B. you stopped to read the newspaper just to tell me that.

Talking about actions (II) 16

What should Kate’s mum say?

B. I go on to tell you two what to do!

Talking about actions (II) 17

Talking about actions (II) 18