GERUNDS AND INFINITIVES
I) VERBS THAT ARE NORMALLY FOLLOWED BY THE GERUND
acknowledgeadmit
adore
anticipate
appreciate
avoid
celebrate
confess
consider
contemplate / delay
deny
describe
detest
discuss
dislike
dread
endure
enjoy
fancy / finish
imagine
involve
keep
justify
mention
mind
miss
omit
postpone
practise/practice / quit
recall
recommend
regret
report
resent
resume
risk
suggest
tolerate
understand
Examples:
1) I adore reading your books.
2) They anticipated winning the election.
3) I detest going to discos.
4) We postponed making any decision in the meeting.
5) I quit smoking.
6) Do you recall seeing someone like that?
7) I enjoy exercising.
8) I’ve considered joining a gym.
WATCH OUT: There are many common expressions with go + gerund. These expressions usually describe activities, such as shopping, fishing, skiing, swimming, and camping. For example:
We often go swimming in the lake.
Yesterday I went shopping for a new pair of running shoes.
II) VERBS THAT ARE FOLLOWED BY THE INFINITIVE
1) Certain verbs can be followed by an infinitive (to + base form of the verb) / I want to get married.I asked Annie to help me.
2) Some of these verbs are followed directly by an infinitive.
agree, begin, fail, plan, refuse, seem / He decided to write to Annie.
I hope to get a quick reply.
3) Some verbs need an object (noun or pronoun) before the infinitive.
advise, encourage, order, tell, urge, warn / I invited Mary (object) to celebrate with us.
I reminded her (object) to come.
They urged John (object) to call her.
4) Some verbs can be followed by either: 1) an infinitive or 2) an object + infinitive.
ask, expect, help, need, want, would like / He wants to leave. He’s tired.
He wants you to leave. You’re tired.
5) Form a negative infinitive by placing not before the infinitive. / Lee remembered not to call after 5:00.
(Lee didn’t call after 5:00)
Ana told me not to go to class.
(Ana: “Don’t go. The teacher is sick.”)
Van told me not to give up.
(Van: “Don’t give up.”)
Van didn’t tell me to give up.
(Van didn’t say anything.)
III) VERBS WHICH CAN BE FOLLOWED BY THE GERUND OR INFINITE
With NO change in meaning:
begin / continue / hate / like / love / neglect / prefer / start / tryExample:
1) He began to learn English when he was eight. / He began learning English when he was eight.
2) I hate to leave early. / I hate leaving early.
With a change in meaning:
forget / remember / stopExample 1:
I forgot to feed the cat. (The cat is hungry. He has not been fed.)
I forgot feeding the cat. (The cat is ok. I fed him and then forgot about it.)
Example 2:
Marta forgot to meetRichard. (Marta has plans to meet Richard, but she didn’t meet him because she forgot about the plans.)
Marta forgot meeting Richard. (Marta met Richard, but afterwards she didn’t remember the event.)
Example 3:
Richard remembered to mail the invitation. (First he remembered. Then he mailed the invitation. He didn’t forget.)
Richard remembered mailing the invitation. (First he mailed the invitation. Then he remembered that he did it.)
Example 4:
Marta stopped to eat ice cream. (She stopped another activity in order to eat some ice cream.)
Marta stopped eating ice cream. (She doesn’t eat ice cream anymore.)
IV) VERBS AFTER PREPOSTIONS
against / at / after / by / on / instead of / about / of / without / for / inExamples:
1) I am against smoking in public places.
2) She is good at speaking English.
3) I went home after leaving the party.
4) You can improve your English by using the Internet.
5) We need to keep on going.
6) You should tell the truth instead of lying all the time.
7) We can talk about going home.
8) I’m tired of hearing excuses.
9) You can’t learn English without making mistakes.
10) Do you have ideas for improving life on campus?
11) She believes in(not) compromising.
EXERCISE. Infinitive or Gerund ?After a main verb, you may need to use an infinitive or a gerund.
1) Do you want ______the new exhibition?
in visiting
to visit
visiting
visit
2) I adore ______coffee cake.
in eating
to eat
eating
eat
3) I was too tired ______anything.
to doing
to do
doing
do
4) I am looking forward ______University in September.
to start
start
starting
to starting
5) Would you rather ______in the country or in the city?
in living
to live
living
live
6) I started ______German when I was 40.
in learning
to learn
learn
on learning
7) You are not allowed ______in pubs and restaurants in Ireland.
smoking
to smoke
smoke
at smoking
8) I don't mind ______until you have finished.
to wait
wait
to waiting
waiting
9) We managed ______the report finished in time for the meeting.
get
to get
getting
with getting
10) I am afraid ______.
of flying
at flying
in flying
with flying
11) The rowing team expects ______at least a silver medal.
win
to win
of winning
winning
12) He has never been able to get used ______in England after spending all that time abroad.
to living
living
to live
with living
13) I used ______in Nottingham.
to live
living
live
at living
14) Would you like ______to the cinema with me?
going
went
to go
in going
15) The company decided ______its production plant to China.
on moving
with moving
move
to move
16) She arranged ______them at the airport.
meeting
to meet
meet
in meeting
17) We ought ______an answer to the customer asap.
to get
get
getting
in getting
18) You should give up ______.
with smoking
smoking
on smoking
at smoking
19) He never hesitates ______anyone who needs it.
helping
help
to help
in helping
20) We are tired ______her complain all the time.
of hearing
to hear
hear
with hearing
21) I regret ______my exams.
fail
to fail
failing
in failing
22) She risked ______herself.
hurting
to hurt
hurt
for hurting
23) He told me ______myself.
to help
helping
to helping
help
24) I wish ______a phone call.
for making
to make
make
making
25) I intend ______a new assistant.
hire
to hiring
on hiring
to hire
Sources:
FUCHS, Marjorie. & BONNER, Margaret. Grammar Express. For self-study and classroom use. Person Education Company: Longman, 2002.