Verb as complement

: A verb complement is the arrangement of one verb as the object of another verb. Some verbs can take another verb as the complement instead of a noun. Sometimes the verbs functioning as the complement must be in the infinitive (to + verb) and sometimes it must be in the gerund ( verb + ing) form.

The following verbs are always followed by the infinitive if the complement is a verb.
agree attempt claim decide demand desire expect fail forget have hesitate hope intend learn mean need offer plan prepare pretend propose refuse seem tend try want wish

- The president will attempt to reduce inflation in the next four years. - The soldiers are preparing to attack that country. - I decided to refuse the invitation.

Verbs that are always followed by the gerund.

Other verbs must always be followed by the gerund. These verbs include: admit appreciate avoid cant help consider delay deny enjoy finish mind miss postpone practice quit recall regret report resent resist resume risk suggest

- He admitted stealing the jewels. - I enjoyed studying English at School. - She is considering buying a new phone because her phone was broken

Note : These sentences are made negative by adding the negative particle not before the infinitive or gerund. - John decided not to buy the car. - We regretted not going to the party last night.

The following verbs can be followed by either the infinitive or the gerund with no change in meaning.
begin like cant stand love dread continue prefer start hate

- He started to study after dinner OR He started studying after dinner. - Joan hates to ride her bicycle to school OR Joan hates riding her bicycle to school.

Verbs + prepositions followed by the gerund

approve of give up rely on worry about be better of insist on succeed in count on keep on think about depend on put off think of

The following expressions contain the preposition to. The word to in these expressions must not be confused with the to in the infinitive. These verb + preposition expressions must also be followed by the gerund. object to look forward to confess to

- He insisted on taking the bus instead of the plane. - Corry confessed to stealing the jewels. - Apria is thinking of going to Bali next holiday.

Adjective + prepositions followed by gerund

accustomed to capable of devoted to fond of involved in responsible for worried about - She is addicted to watching TV. - That actor is famous for being extremely weird. addicted to committed to disappointed with frightened of known for scared of afraid of concerned about discouraged by guilty of opposed to terrified of anxious about content with excited about happy about proud of tired from bored of dedicated to famous for interested in remembered for tired of

noun + preposition followed by gerund

advantage of doubt about opportunity of trouble for chance of hope of possibility of way of choice between idea of problem of danger of interest in reason for difficulty in method of risk of

- The main reason for taking the course is to improve your language skills. - He has the problem of swimming too slow. - This is a simple method of finding solutions.

Adjectives that can be followed by infinitives

Infinitives are often used after adjectives which express peoples reactions and feelings. Common examples are: pleased, glad, surprised, happy, anxious, shocked, afraid etc.

She was anxious to go home. I was surprised to get her letter. I am glad to meet you.

Other adjectives that can be followed by infinitives include: right, wrong, stupid, certain, welcome, careful, due, fit, able, likely and lucky.

I was stupid to trust him. They are certain to win. You are welcome to stay as long as you like.

Verbs Followed by Gerunds OR Infinitives (Different Meaning)

begin She began singing. She began to sing. WHEN "BEGIN"
IS USED IN NONCONTINUOUS TENSES, YOU CAN EITHER USE A GERUND OR AN INFINITIVE.

She is beginning to sing. WHEN "BEGIN" IS USED IN CONTINUOUS TENSES, AN INFINITIVE IS USED.

dread

She dreaded taking the test. USUALLY "DREAD" GERUND.

IS FOLLOWED BY A

He dreaded to think of the consequences of his actions. "DREAD" IS SOMETIMES USED WITH INFINITIVES SUCH AS "THINK" OR "CONSIDER." IN THE SENTENCE ABOVE, "DREADED TO THINK" MEANS "DID NOT WANT TO THINK." She forgot to pay the rent this month. WHEN
MEANS FORGET IS USED WITH AN INFINITIVE, "TO FORGET THAT YOU NEED TO DO SOMETHING." THE SENTENCE ABOVE MEANS THAT SHE FORGOT THAT SHE NEEDED TO PAY THE RENT. IT

forget

She forgot reading the book when she was a kid. WHEN "FORGET" IS USED WITH A GERUND, IT MEANS "TO FORGET THAT YOU HAVE DONE SOMETHING." THE SENTENCE
ABOVE MEANS THAT SHE READ THE BOOK WHEN SHE WAS A KID, AND THAT SHE HAS FORGOTTEN THAT FACT.

keep

She kept talking. "KEEP"

IS NORMALLY USED WITH A

The attackers kept hostages to prevent the police from entering. "KEEP"
CAN ALSO BE USED WITH AN OBJECT FOLLOWED BY AN INFINITIVE, BUT THEN THE INFINITIVE TAKES ON THE MEANING OF ORDER TO...

GERUND TO MEAN THAT YOU CONTINUE DOING AN ACTION.

"IN

." IN

THE SENTENCE ABOVE, THE

ATTACKERS KEPT HOSTAGES IN ORDER TO PREVENT THE POLICE FROM ENTERING.

need

The house needs cleaning. WHEN "NEED"

IS USED WITH A GERUND, IT TAKES ON A PASSIVE MEANING. SENTENCE ABOVE MEANS NEEDS TO BE CLEANED."

He needs to call his boss. He needs him to call his boss. "NEED"
IS USUALLY USED WITH AN INFINITIVE

THE

"THE

HOUSE

OR AN OBJECT

AN INFINITIVE.

regret

I regretted being late to the interview. "REGRET" GERUND.

IS NORMALLY USED WITH A

We regret to inform you that your position at the company is being eliminated. "REGRET" IS SOMETIMES USED WITH INFINITIVES SUCH AS "TO INFORM." IN THE SENTENCE ABOVE, "WE REGRET TO INFORM YOU" MEANS "WE WISH WE DID NOT HAVE TO TELL YOU (BAD NEWS)." He remembered to turn off the lights before he left. WHEN "REMEMBER" IS USED WITH AN INFINITIVE, IT MEANS "TO REMEMBER THAT YOU NEED TO DO SOMETHING." THE SENTENCE
ABOVE MEANS THAT HE REMEMBERED THAT HE NEEDED TO TURN THE LIGHTS OFF.

rememb er

I remember mentioning the meeting yesterday. WHEN "REMEMBER" IS USED WITH A GERUND, IT MEANS "TO REMEMBER THAT YOU HAVE DONE SOMETHING." THE SENTENCE ABOVE MEANS THAT I MENTIONED THE MEETING, AND THAT I REMEMBER THE FACT THAT I DID THAT.

start

Marge started talking really fast. Marge started to talk really fast. WHEN "START"
IS USED IN NONCONTINUOUS TENSES, YOU CAN EITHER USE A GERUND OR AN INFINITIVE.

Marge is starting to talk really fast. WHEN "START" IS USED IN CONTINUOUS TENSES, AN INFINITIVE IS USED. I started to learn Russian, but it was so much work that I finally quit the class. IN
OTHER SITUATIONS, AN INFINITIVE MEANS

THAT YOU DID NOT COMPLETE OR CONTINUE AN ACTION.

stop

He stopped smoking for health reasons.

He stopped to rest for a few minutes.

"STOP" IS GERUND.

NORMALLY USED WITH A

WHEN "STOP"

IS USED WITH AN INFINITIVE,

THE INFINITIVE TAKES ON THE MEANING OF ORDER TO." IN THE SENTENCE ABOVE, HE STOPPED IN ORDER TO REST FOR A FEW MINUTES.

"IN

try

She can't find a job. She tried looking in the paper, but there was nothing. She tried asking friends and family, but nobody knew of anything. She also tried going shop to shop, but nobody was hiring. "TRY +
GERUND" MEANS TO TRY OR TO

She tried to climb the tree, but she couldn't even get off the ground. WHEN
YOU

"TRY

TO DO" SOMETHING, YOU

WANT TO DO IT, BUT YOU DO NOT SUCCEED IN ACTUALLY DOING IT. IN THE SENTENCE ABOVE, AN INFINITIVE IS USED BECAUSE SHE CANNOT SUCCESSFULLY CLIMB THE TREE.

EXPERIMENT WITH DIFFERENT METHODS TO SEE IF SOMETHING WORKS.

Try not to wake the baby when you get up tomorrow at 5 AM. AN
INFINITIVE IS ALSO USED IF YOU ARE ASKING

She tried eating the snake soup, but she didn't like it. "TRY +
GERUND" IS OFTEN USED WHEN YOU EXPERIMENT WITH SOMETHING, BUT YOU DO NOT REALLY LIKE IT OR WANT TO DO IT AGAIN.

SOMEONE TO TRY SOMETHING THEY MAY OR MAY NOT BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH.