Lesson 4
Some more facts about Infinitive and Gerund
When you talk about repeated actions, you can use –ing or to… after the verbs love, like, hate.
Do you like getting up early? or Do you like to get up early?
Kate hates flying. or Kate hates to fly.
But! We use –ing when we talk about a situation that already exists (or existed).
Paul lives in Berlin. He likes living there. Do you like being a student? I hated working in that office.
There is sometimes a difference: I like doing something = I do it and I enjoy it. I like cleaning the kitchen. ( = I enjoy it.)
I like to do something = I think it is a good thing to do, but I don’t necessarily enjoy it: It’s not my favourite job, but I like to clean the kitchen as often as possible.
! enjoy and mind are always followed by -ing.
Would like / would love / would hate / would preferare usually followed by to ….
I would like to have done something = I regret that I didn’t or couldn’t do it:
It’s a pity we didn’t see Val when we were in London. I would like to have seen her again.
We’d like to have gone away, but we are too busy at home. Poor old David! I would hate to havebeen in his position. I’d love to have gone to the party, but this was impossible.
Prefer to do and prefer doingare used when you say what you prefer in general:
I prefer to live in the country. or I prefer living in the country.
Study the differences in structures after prefer:
I prefer something to something else.
I prefer doing something to doing something else.
I prefer to do something rather than do something else.
Would prefer is used to say what somebody wants in a specific situation (not in general):
Would you prefer tea or coffee? – Coffee, please. Shall we go by train? – I’d prefer to drive.
Would prefer to do = would rather do: Shall we go by train? – I’d prefer to drive./ I’d ratherdrive.
When we want smb to do smth, we say “ I’d rather you did something”. We use the past, but the meaning is present: I’d rather you made dinner now.
If a preposition (in / for / about) is followed by a verb, the verb ends in –ing:
interested in…, good at…, fed up with …, advantages of …, thanks for …, how about …, instead of … , in spite of … .
Prepositions before, after, by, without are followed by –ing.
Beforegoing out, I phoned Sarah.
What did you do after leaving school?
You can also say “Before I went out…” and “… after you left school”
We use by –ingto say how something happens:
The burglars got into the house bybreaking a window and climbing in.
You can improve your English byreading more.
She made herself ill by not eating properly.
Many accidents are caused by people driving too fast.
Without + –ing:
We ran ten ten kilometers withoutstopping.
It has a stupid thing to say. I said it withoutthinking.
She needs to work without people disturbing her.(or … withoutbeing disturbed)
I have enough problems of my own withouthaving to worry about yours.
Although to is oftenpart of the infinitive, it is also a preposition:
We decided to go out. Would you like to meet after lunch? - part of the infinitive;
We drove from LondontoEdinburgh. I prefer tea to coffee. - a preposition.
If the prepositionto is followed by a verb, the verb ends in –ing:
I prefer driving to travelling by train. Are you looking forward to going on holiday?
After be / get used to we use –ing (to is a preposition):She was not used to driving on the left. Then she got used to driving on the left. Now she is usedto driving on the left.
Verb + preposition + -ing
Talk about, apologise for, succeed in, insist on, think of, dream of, approve of, decide against, feel like, look forward to + -ing.
The following verbs can have the structure Verb + object + preposition + -ing:
Congratulate smb on, accuse smb of, suspect smb of, prevent smb from, stop smb from, thank smb for, excuse smb for, forgive smb for, apologise to smb for + -ing.:
I congratulated Liz on getting a new job. You can’t stop me from doing what I want. ( You can’t stop me doing what I want – is also possible)
Some of these verbs are often used in the passive: We were accused of telling lies. The general was suspected of being a spy.
Expressions + -ing
These expressions are followed by – ing:
It’s no use / It’s no good /There’s no point in / What’s the point in / It’s (not) worth / Have difficulty / Have trouble / a waste of money / a waste of time / spend or waste (time), / be busy:
It’s no use worrying about it. It’s no good trying to persuade him. There’s no point in waiting any longer. It’s not worth taking a taxi. I had difficulty finding a place to live.I had no trouble finding the way to his house. It was a waste of time reading that book.He spent hours trying to repair the clock. I waste a lot of time day-dreaming.
We use go –ing for a number of activities (especially sports): go swimming, go sailing, go fishing, go climbing, go skiing, go jogging; also go shopping, go sightseeing.
Task 5
I. Complete the second sentence so that means the same as first:
1. Why is it useful to have a car? What are the advantages ... …?
2. I don't intend to apply for the job.I have no intention ... … .
3. Helen has a good memory for names.Helen is good ... … .
4. Mark won't pass the exam.He has no chance.Mark has no chance ... … .
5. Did you get into trouble because you were late?Did you get into trouble ... … ?
6. We didn't eat at home. We went to a restaurant instead.Instead ... ….
7. We got into the exhibition. We didn't have to queue.We got into the exhibition without ... .
8. Our team played well, but we lost the game.
Our team lost the game despite ... .
II. Complete the sentences using one suitable word:
1.He left the hotel without …. his bill. 2. It’s a nice morning. How about … for a walk? 3. It was a long Journey. I was tired after … by train. 4. Are you looking forward towards …. on holiday? 5. We used to … in a small village, but now we live in London. 6. I feel very full after that meal. I’m not used to … so much. 7. I used to … a car, but I sold it last year. 8. It’s a waste of money … things you don’t need. 9. It’s no use … for the job, I know I wouldn’t get it. 10 Every morning I spent an hour … a newspaper.
III. Underline the correct word or phrase in the following.
1He denied telling/to tell lies.
2He denied/refused that he had told lies.
3They suggested to postpone/postponing the match to the following week.
4The weather delayed that they arrived/their arrival.
5I can't bear to see/see children suffer.
6We really can't afford buying/to buy a new washing machine.
7I look for-ward to seeing/to see you at the party.
8Before going/to go to the interview, I bought a new tie.
9I'd rather stay / to stay at home tonight, if that's all right.
10 saw someone to climb/climbing throughthe window.
IV. Write the correct form of the verbs given in brackets. Sometimes more than one answer may be possible.
Einstein:anordinary child
Einstein was not a remarkable child. Hebegan (1 take)piano lessons atthe age of six. He didn't seem(2be) particularly talented. Heliked (3 day-dream) and(4 play) … ..
He didn't enjoy(5 talk):very much; in fact, hewaited till he was three before
(6 start):to talk. In spite of not (7 have) a very exciting childhood, Einstein later appeared (8 have) a vivid memory of it.He remembered (9 be) impressed by how a compass works and by the mysterious force which made thecompass needle (10point) in a
given direction.
V. Put the verb into the correct form:
1I pretended … interested in the conversation, but really it was very boring. (be)
2 I got up and looked out of the window … what the weather was like. (see)
3 I have a friend who claims… able to speak five languages. (be)
4 I like …carefully about things before … a decision. (think, make)
5 I had a flat in the centre of town but I didn't like … there, so Idecided … .(live, move)
6.Steve used … a footballer. He had to stop … because of an injury. (be, play)
7.After … by the police, the man admitted..the car but denied … at 100 miles an hour. (stop, steal, drive)
8.A:How do you make this machine …? (work)B:I'm not sure. Try ....that button and see what happens. (press)
VI.Make sentences from the words in brackets:
1 I can't find the tickets. (I / seem / lose / them) -
2 I haven't got far to go. (it / not / worth / take / a taxi)......
3 I'm feeling a bit tired. (I / not / fancy / go / out)
4 Tim isn't very reliable, (he / tend / forget / things)
5 I've got a lot of luggage, (you / mind / help / me?)
6 There's nobody at home, (everybody / seem / go out)
7We don't like our flat, (we / think / move)
8 The vase was very valuable. (I / afraid / touch / it)
9 Bill never carries money with him. (he / afraid / robbed)
10 1 wouldn't go to see the film, (it / not / worth / see)
11 I'm very tired after that long walk. (I / not / used / walk / so far)
12 Sue is on holiday. I received a postcard from her yesterday, (she / seem / enjoy / herself)
13 Dave had lots of photographs he'd taken while on holiday, (he / insist / show / them to me)
14 I don't want to do the shopping. (I'd rather / somebody else / do / it)
VII. Complete the second sentence so that the meaning is similar to the first:
1I was surprised I passed the exam. I didn't expect … .
2Did you manage to solve the problem? Did you succeed … .
3I don't read newspapers any more. I've given up … .
4I'd prefer not to go out tonight. I'd rather … .
5He can't walk very well. He has difficulty … .
6Shall I phone you this evening? Do you want … .
7Nobody saw me come in. I came in without … .
8They said I was a cheat. I was accused … .
9It will be good to see them again. I'm looking forward .… .
10What do you think I should do? What do you advise me … .
11It's a pity I couldn't go out with you. I'd like … .
12I'm sorry that I didn't take your advice. I regret … ..
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