6/5/2015

KnowtheDifference:Gerundsvs.Infinitives

GerundsandInfinitives
Gerundsandinfinitivesaresometimesreferredtoasverbcomplements.Theymayfunctionas
subjectsorobjectsinasentence.

WhatareGerunds?
SpellingTip

Verbing(PresentParticiple)
Addingtomostverbs.Ex.play>playing,cry>crying,bark>barking
Forverbsthatendine,removetheeandadding.Ex:slide>sliding,ride>riding
Forverbsthatendinie,changetheietoyandadding.Ex:die>dying,tie>tying
Foraverbwhoselastsyllableiswrittenwithaconsonantvowelconsonantandisstressed,doublethelast
letterbeforeaddinging.Ex:beg>begging,begin>beginning.However:enter>entering(lastsyllableis
notstressed)

Agerundisaverbinitsing(presentparticiple)formthatfunctionsasanounthatnamesanactivity
ratherthanapersonorthing.Anyactionverbcanbemadeintoagerund.
Gerundscanappearatthebeginningofasentencewhenusedasasubject:
1. Joggingisahobbyofmine.

Gerundscanactasanobjectfollowingtheverb:
1. Danielquitsmokingayearago.

Gerundscanserveasanobjectafterapreposition:
1. Ilookforwardtohelpingyoupaintthehouse.

Note:Thesamespellingrulesthatapplytotheprogressivetensesalsoapplytogerunds.
Someverbsandverbphrasesaredirectlyfollowedagerund:
1. Paulavoidsusingchemicalsonthevegetableshegrows.

Someverbscanbefollowedbyagerundoraninfinitivewithoutcausingachangeinmeaning:
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1. Somepeopleprefergettingupearlyinthemorning.

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KnowtheDifference:Gerundsvs.Infinitives

2. Somepeopleprefertogetupearlyinthemorning

Someverbscanbefollowedbyagerundorinfinitivebutwithachangeinmeaning:
1. Herememberedsendingthefax.(Herememberedtheactofsendthefax)
2. Herememberedtosendthefax.(Herememberedthefaxandsentit.)

WhatareInfinitives?
Aninfinitiveisaverbformthatactsasotherpartsofspeechinasentence.Itisformedwithto+
baseformoftheverb.Ex:tobuy,towork.
Infinitivescanbeusedas:
anobjectfollowingtheverb:
1. Jimalwaysforgetstoeat

asubjectatthebeginningofasentence:
1. Totravelaroundtheworldrequiresalotoftimeandmoney.

anadverbmodifyingaverb:
1. Youpromisedtobuymeadiamondring.

anadjectivemodifyinganoun:
1. Tarahastheabilitytosucceed.

Someverbsaredirectlyfollowedbyaninfinitive:
1. Doyouwanttocallyourfamilynow?

Someverbsaredirectlyfollowedbyanounorpronounandthenbyaninfinitive:
1. IconvincedCatherinetobecomevegetarian.
2. Headvisedmetosellallmysharesofstock.
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Someverbscanbefollowedbyaninfinitiveoragerundwithoutcausingachangeinmeaning:
1. Willyoucontinueworkingafteryougivebirth?
2. Willyoucontinuetoworkafteryougivebirth?

Someverbscanbefollowedbyaninfinitiveoragerundbutwithachangeinmeaning:
1. Hestoppeddrinkingcoffee.(Heneverdrankcoffeeagain.)
2. Hestoppedtodrinkcoffee.(Hestoppedwhathewasdoinganddranksomecoffee.)

ExercisesGerundsandInfinitives
Choosethecorrectgerundorinfinitivefromtheparenthesisattheendofthesentence.
1. Shelikestogetupearlyinthemorning.(likes/dislikes)

1. 1.Alancantstand_________ontrains.(riding/toride)
2. Mr.Harrisenjoys_________peopleouttodinner.(inviting/toinvite)
3. Intheolddays,gentlemenchallengedtheirrivals_______.(fighting/tofight)
4. Asthefamoussayinggoes,theresnouse______overspiltmilk.(crying/tocry)
5. Jimstopped_________hisshoelace.Waitforhim.(tying/totie)
6. Mywifealwaysvolunteers___________cakesPTAmeetings.(baking/tobake)
7. Dontwastemytime___________aboutyoursalary.(complaining/tocomplain)
8. Evaishavingtrouble_________ontheexam.(concentrating/toconcentrate)
9. Pleaseallowme____________yourFacebookpage.(joining/tojoin)
10. Youwontforget_________milkonyourwayhome,willyou?(pickingup/topickup)

Answers:
riding

inviting

concentrating

tofight
tojoin

crying

totie

tobake

complaining

topickup

ReferenceListsGerundsandInfinitives
Listofcommonverbsandphrasesthatarefollowedbya
gerund
admit

advise

avoid

beusedto

canthelp

cantstand

consider

deny

discuss

dislike

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endup enjoy feellike finish forget getusedto giveup goon havedifficulty

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haveproblems havetrouble imagine

mind miss recommend remember
workat

itsnouse itsworthwhile keep

quit spendtime stop suggest

lookforwardto mention
understand wastetime

Listofcommonverbsthatcanbefollowedbyeitheragerund
oraninfinitivewithoutcausingachangeinmeaning
begin

continue

hate

intend

like

love

prefer

start

Listofcommonverbsthatcanbefollowedbyagerundor
infinitivebutwithachangeinmeaning
forget

remember

stop

Listofcommonverbsarefollowedbyaninfinitive
afford agree appear arrange ask care decide demand expect fail forget
learn manage mean offer plan prepare pretend promise refuse remember
stop volunteer wait want wish

hope
seem

Listofcommonverbsthataredirectlyfollowedbyanounor
pronounandthenbyaninfinitive
advise
instruct

allow
invite

ask cause
order pay

challenge command convince expect forbid

permit program remind teach tell urge

force

hire

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