Appendix 10 Gerunds and Infinitives

GERUNDS

Exercise 1.

Read the following passage. Notice the bolded words. What is common about these
words? Have they been formed, from verbs or from nouns? Are the bolded words nouns
or verbs?

Learning English
Many people all over the world are interested in learning English. This is because knowing

English helps in getting a job. Of course, it’s not easy to learn a new language. Practicing is

the only way. The four skills in any language are listening, speaking, writing and reading. By

concentrating on these skills you can improve. However, to achieve success in mastering any

language you must speak in that language. Other skills are important too. Learners enjoy

reading a lot! It also helps in developing their vocabulary. Some learners worry about

pronouncing words correctly, while others have problems understanding spoken English.

Look at this table. Notice how gerunds are formed.

VERB GERUND
burn burning
pollute
export
+ ing polluting
exporting
survive surviving
run running

A GERUND is verb + ing = NOUN.  

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Exercise 2.

Go back the passage ‘Learning English’. Find and copy examples of gerunds being used:

a. as the subject of a verb _____________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

b. as an object of a verb _______________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

c. with a preposition __________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

Like nouns gerunds can be:

 the subject of a verb: Reading improves your vocabulary.

 the object of a verb: Doctors recommend exercising every day
 used with prepositions: Some learners worry about pronouncing words
correctly.
 

Exercise 3.

Change the verbs into gerunds and use them to construct sentences. Follow the
instructions within brackets

1. Run (subject of a verb) ___________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

2. Play (object of a verb) ___________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

3. Study(with preposition) ___________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

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 Some verbs can be used only with gerunds.

suggest dislike finish enjoy give up keep on

consider miss admit avoid mind delay

Exercise 4.

Now write your own sentences with these sets of words. It must contain a gerund.

Example: enjoy \ play\football

  I enjoy playing football with my friends at the club.

OR

Do you enjoy playing football?

1. Finish \ write \ report ___________________________________________________

2. Keep on \ try\ will succeed. _______________________________________________

3. Enjoy\watch \ TV _______________________________________________________

4. Mind \ open the window? ________________________________________________

5. Suggest \ rewrite \ report. ________________________________________________

6. Should avoid \ eat \ junk food._____________________________________________

7. Dislike \ disturb \ people _________________________________________________

8. Consider \ change \ major? _______________________________________________

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Exercise 5.

Complete this conversation using gerunds.

Suggested words:

complete, exercise, explain, get up, jog, study, walk, keep to, discuss

Ali: Hello, are you OK? You don’t look too well! are you going to bed late again?

Ahmed: You’re right! ______________ late is really affecting my health.

Ali: But why do you study so late?

Ahmed: Actually ________________ my report has been really difficult this semester,

especially _____________ deadlines.

Ali: Of course, I know you had some personal problems this semester. Have you

considered ______________ your problem with the teacher?

Ahmed: No, I haven’t thought of ________________ my problem to her.

Ali: Meanwhile don’t go to bed late. ______________early is much healthier. Do you

exercise regularly?

Ahmed: Not really

Ali: I suggest ________________ every day. Try ______________

or_______________ for half an hour every day. Exercise reduces stress and
keeps your body and mind fit.

Ahmed: Good idea! I’ll start from tomorrow!

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 Gerund also must be used after some prepositions.

Exercise 6.

Complete each sentence with an appropriate preposition and an –ing form of the given
verb. Use one of these prepositions: in, of, from, for, by.
 

1. (work) Robots are capable _______________________________ faster than

humans.
2. (do) Robots are helpful ___________________________________
repetitious work.
3. (design) _________________ robots that can function in hazardous areas,
scientists have                                                        saved many lives.
4. (go) Robots have saved humans __________________ into areas with high
nuclear radiation.
5. (collect) Robots are also ideal _______________ data from difficult environments
like the Antarctic.

• A gerund phrase is a group of words containing a gerund.

• Gerund phrases function just like gerunds as the subject / object of a verb in a
sentence.

• It can also used with a preposition.

Exercise 7.
 
Complete the sentences with a suitable gerund phrase. Rewrite the sentence.

Example: _________________is not easy. Finding water in desert areas is not easy.

 using modern technology  finding evidence to support their theories

 burning forests for agriculture  by fertilizing the soil.
 by helping trees to adapt to fires  finding water in desert areas

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 1. _____________________________________________________ leads to overfishing.

2. Volcanoes help agriculture _______________________________________________

3. ____________________________________________ is very important for scientists.

4. _________________________________leads to an increase in CO2 in the atmosphere.

5. Forest fires benefit the forest _______________________________________________

INFINITIVES

An infinitive is the base form of a verb with to.

Example: to work, to study, to dream etc

Exercise 1.
 
Underline the infinitives in the following sentences. What do they express?

1. I need some files to organize my papers.

2. I need a laptop to do my presentation.

3. My father gave me some money to buy a laptop.

4. I must work hard to improve my grades.

Exercise 2.

Ask your friend a few questions. He should reply using the infinitive. Write down his
answers.

Example:

Question: Why did you go to the clinic?

Answer: I went to buy medicine for my cough.

Ask why:
1. he/she came late to class.
Q. ___________________________________________________________________
A. ___________________________________________________________________
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 2. he/she brought his laptop to class
Q. ___________________________________________________________________
A. ___________________________________________________________________

3. he/she went to the student center

Q. ___________________________________________________________________
A. ___________________________________________________________________

4. he/she went to the police station.

Q. ___________________________________________________________________
A. ___________________________________________________________________

REVISION:

Infinitives tell us ______________ something was done.

 

Like gerunds, infinitives\infinitive phrases can be used

as a subject of a verb or the object of a verb.

Examples:
To sleep is relaxing (subject)
The environmental society plans to plant more trees.(object)
To have a robot do some of the work is sometimes a relief, especially for factory
workers. (subject)
                                       Companies need to reduce CO2 emission from their factories. (object).                                                                                                                                                  
 

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Exercise 3.

Underline the infinitive phrases in the sentences below. Is the infinitive phrase the
subject or object of the sentence? Does it tell us the reason for something?

Example: Humans have invented machines to make jobs easier. – tells us the reason for
something.

1. To do the same work every day is stressful.

2. Using robots tends to reduce the importance of humans in employment.

3. Employees fear that companies may decide to replace humans with robots altogether.

4. Farmers use fertilizers to enrich the soil.

5. NASA is developing new robots to help people in space.

Exercise 4.

Use the sets of words to write sentences so that each sentence contains an infinitive.

Example: recycle \ only solution\ problem of waste disposal.

To recycle is the only solution to the problem of waste disposal.

1. Companies /use /glass containers / bottle food

______________________________________________________________________

2. Using glass containers / not help / reduce costs

______________________________________________________________________

3. Transport / glass /containers /expensive

______________________________________________________________________

4. Forests/ very important / prevent floods  

______________________________________________________________________
 
5. Recycling /helps/reduce environmental pollution.
__________________________________________________________________________  
 

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 INFINITIVES OR GERUNDS?

• Some verbs can be used only with gerunds.

• Some verbs can be used with both.

• Some common verbs followed by an infinitive or a gerund:

begin, like, stop, start, continue, prefer
• Sometimes an infinitive can be replaced by a gerund without a change in meaning,
but sometimes the meaning may change completely!

Exercise 5.

Write your own sentences, using an infinitive or infinitive phrase.

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

Exercise 6.

Rewrite the sentences replacing the gerund with an infinitive. Tick the sentences where
the meaning doesn’t change.

1. He has started preparing for his IELTS exam.

_________________________________________________________

2. Ali likes studying in the library because it’s quiet there.

_________________________________________________________

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 3. If factories continue dumping waste into the ocean, marine life will be affected.

_________________________________________________________

4. Ali prefers drinking coffee rather than tea.

_________________________________________________________

5. Ali stopped buying fish from the supermarket.

_________________________________________________________

Exercise 7.

Complete the blanks with either the gerund or the infinitive form of the verbs. In one of
the sentences both answers are possible. Use a preposition with the words marked with
a * sign.

The Importance of Tropical Forests

Of all the ecosystems, forests contribute the most in

supporting life on earth. Tropical forests enable the local

population __________________ (to continue\

continuing) their traditional lifestyles. Tropical forests

also help reduce __________________ (to flood\

flooding) by __________________ (to store\storing) water. Unfortunately deforestation has

become a major threat to people, animals and the environment. __________________

(Finding \To find) a solution to the crisis (serious problem) has been the main concern of many

organizations and governments. Greenpeace, an environmental organization has been

successful __________________ (to save\*saving) many forests and animals from

destruction. Many governments, however, need to do much more __________________

(enforcing\to enforce) the laws which have been made to reduce deforestation.

__________________ (To find\Finding) a permanent solution, the focus should be on raising

awareness of the importance of trees and __________________ (reducing\to reduce) poverty.

Source: http://uk.oneworld.net/guides/forests?gclid=CPjs7q2N5q8CFQl66wodnjjy2Q    

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