Gerund, Participle, Infinitive
Gerund, Participle, Infinitive
Gerund, Participle, Infinitive
The gerund looks exactly the same as a present participle, but it is useful to understand
the difference between the two. The gerund always has the same function as a noun
(although it looks like a verb). Some uses of the gerund are covered on this page. A
separate page deals with verbs that are followed by the gerund.
EXAMPLES
EXAMPLES
The gerund must be used when a verb comes after a preposition. This is also true of
certain expressions ending in a preposition, for example the expressions in spite of &
there's no point in.
EXAMPLES
EXAMPLES
When will you give up smoking?
She always puts off going to the dentist.
He kept on asking for money.
Jim ended up buying a new TV after his old one broke.
There are some phrasal verbs that include the word "to" as a preposition for example to
look forward to, to take to, to be accustomed to, to get around to, & to be used to. It is
important to recognise that the word "to" is a preposition in these cases because it must
be followed by a gerund. It is not part of the infinitive form of the verb. You can check
whether "to" is a preposition or part of the infinitive. If you can put the pronoun "it"
after the word "to" and form a meaningful sentence, then the word "to" is a preposition
and must be followed by a gerund.
EXAMPLES
In compound nouns using the gerund, it is clear that the meaning is that of a noun, not of
a continuous verb. For example, with the word "swimming pool" it is a pool for
swimming in, it is not a pool that is swimming.
EXAMPLES
The gerund is necessary after the expressions can't help, can't stand, to be worth, & it's
no use.
EXAMPLES
INFINITIVE
EXAMPLES
EXAMPLES
She came to collect her pay cheque.
The three bears went to find firewood.
I am calling to ask you about dad.
You sister has gone to finish her homework.
THE TO-INFINITIVE AS THE SUBJECT OF THE SENTENCE
This is a formal usage and is far more common in written English than spoken
EXAMPLES
EXAMPLES
There is a common pattern using the to-infinitive with an adjective. These phrases are
formed:
subject + to be + adjective + (for/of someone) + to-infinitive + (rest of sentence)
To use the to-infinitive when making a comment or judgement about a noun, the pattern
is:
Subject + to be + noun phrase + to-infinitive
Subject + to be + noun phrase + to-infinitive
It was a stupid place to park.
That is a dangerous way to behave.
What you said was a rude thing to say.
This is the right thing to do.
Those were the wrong kind of eggs to buy.
Jim is the best person to hire.
THE TO-INFINITIVE WITH ADVERBS
The to-infinitive is used frequently with the adverbs too and enough to express the
reasoning behind our satisfaction or insatisfaction. The pattern is that too and enough
are placed before or after the adjective, adverb, or noun that they modify in the same
way they would be without the to-infinitive. We then follow them by the to-infinitive to
explain the reason why the quantity is excessive, sufficient, or insufficient. Normally
the to-infinitive and everything that follows can be removed, leaving a sentence that
still functions grammatically.
EXAMPLES
PRESENT PARTICIPLE
The present participle of most verbs has the form base+ing. It is used in many different
ways.
EXAMPLES
I am working.
He was singing.
They have been walking.
We will be staying.
She would have been expecting me.
THE PRESENT PARTICIPLE AFTER VERBS OF MOVEMENT & POSITION
EXAMPLES
The pattern for this usage is verb + object + present participle. There is a difference in
meaning when such a sentence contains a zero infinitive rather than a participle. The
infinitive refers to a complete action while the present participle refers to an ongoing
action.
EXAMPLES
EXAMPLES
The pattern with these verbs is verb + time/money expression + present participle.
EXAMPLES
The pattern with these verbs is verb + object + present participle. With catch, the
participle always refers to an action which causes annoyance or anger. This is not the
case with find, which is unemotional.
EXAMPLES
When two actions occur at the same time, and are done by the same person or thing, we
can use a present participle to describe one of them. When one action follows very
quickly after another done by the same person or thing, we can express the first action
with a present participle.
EXAMPLES
The present participle can be used instead of a phrase starting with as, since, or because.
In this usage the participial phrase explains the cause or reason for an action.
EXAMPLES
Feeling hungry, he went into the kitchen and opened the fridge.
Being poor, he didn't spend much on clothes.
Knowing that his mother was coming, he cleaned the flat.
He whispered, thinking his brother was still asleep.