Unit 7 – Grammar explanation

Gerunds and infinitives

We use gerunds (verb + ing):

• After certain verbs - I enjoy singing

Here are some of the most common verbs that are usually followed by the gerund.

• enjoy: I enjoyed living in France.

• fancy: I fancy seeing a film tonight.
• discuss: We discussed going on holiday together.
• dislike: I dislike waiting for buses.
• finish: We've finished preparing for the meeting.
• mind: I don't mind coming early.
• suggest: He suggested staying at the Grand Hotel.
• recommend: They recommended meeting earlier.
• keep: He kept working, although he felt ill.
• avoid: She avoided talking to her boss.

• After prepositions - I drank a cup of coffee before leaving

• As the subject or object of a sentence - Swimming is good exercise

We use 'to' + infinitive:

• After certain verbs - We decided to leave

Here are some common verbs followed by 'to' and the infinitive.

• agree: She agreed to give a presentation at the meeting.

• ask*: I asked to leave early / I asked him to leave early.
• decide: We decided to go out for dinner.
• help*: He helped to clean the kitchen / he helped his flatmate to clean the kitchen.
• plan: She plans to buy a new flat next year.
• hope: I hope to pass the exam.
• learn: They are learning to sing.
• want*: I want to come to the party / I want him to come to the party.
• would like*: I would like to see her tonight / I would like you to see her tonight.
• promise: We promised not to be late.

*We can use an object before the infinitive with these verbs.

• After many adjectives - It's difficult to get up early

 • To show purpose* - I came to London (this is what I did) to study English (this is why
I did it).

*We can use to + infinitive to say why we do something. It tells the other person the reason.
We need to have a normal verb as well.

We use the bare infinitive (the infinitive without 'to'):

• After modal verbs (can, could, may, might, will, would, must, shall, should, ought to).
– I can meet you at six o’clock.
• After 'let', 'make' and (sometimes) 'help' - The teacher let us leave early.
• After some verbs of perception (see, watch, hear, notice, feel, sense) - I watched
her walk away.
• After expressions with 'why' - why go out the night before an exam?

Difference in meaning when using gerunds or ‘to’ + infinitive.

Some verbs have different meanings when they are followed by a gerund or an infinitive.

Forget

GERUND INFINITIVE

looks back in the past looks into the future

He'll never forget spending so much money Don't forget to spend money on the tickets.
on his first computer.

Go on

GERUND INFINITIVE
to continue with the same thing to change the activity
Go on reading the text. Go on to read the text.

Mean

GERUND INFINITIVE
sth. has to be done to get a result intend to do sth.
You have forgotten your homework again. I meant to phone your mother, but my
That means phoning your mother. mobile didn't work.
Regret

GERUND INFINITIVE
You did sth in the past and you are not to tell bad news and you are not happy
happy about it. about it.
I regret being late for school. We regret to inform you that the flight has
been delayed for another two hours.

Remember

GERUND INFINITIVE
looks back in the past looks into the future
I remember switching off the lights when I Remember to switch off the lights when
went on holiday. you go on holiday.

Stop

GERUND INFINITIVE
to stop with an activity to stop in order to do sth.
I stopped smoking. I stopped to smoke.

Try

GERUND INFINITIVE
to test sth. to do sth. that is not easy
I tried taking an aspirin, but it didn't help. Try to be quiet when you come home late.

The following words are a little trickier.

Like

I like reading books. = I like to read books.

There is normally no difference in meaning.

• Use the Gerund when like is used in the sense of 'enjoy'.

Example: I like riding my bike.

• Use the Infinitive when you do sth. in the sense of a habit.

Example: I like to do my homework in the afternoon. (I think, it is good to do my
homework in the afternoon).
Mind the following examples:

• I like watching films.

• I would like to watch the film.

Be afraid

Use the Gerund when you worry about sth.

• I'm afraid of having an accident.

In other cases, there is no difference in meaning whether we use Gerund or Infinitive.

• I'm afraid to go by bike on this road. = I'm afraid of going by bike on this road.

Need

If we use a Gerund after need, then the sentence has a passive meaning:

• The window needs cleaning.

Used to

The form to be used to + Gerund means that the person is familiar with sth.

• He is used to smoking. (He still smokes.)

The form used to + Infinitive means that the person did sth. in the past.

• He used to smoke. (He does not smoke any more.)

Attention!

• He is used to smoke. (This sentence is wrong.)

Subject and object questions.

Use Explanation Structure/Example

SUBJECT Who or What performs the action Question word + main verb +
QUESTIONS (the subject) (complement)?
- Who gave you the sweets? - Grandma.

OBJECT How, When, Where... the subject QW + auxiliary verb + subject + main
QUESTIONS performs an action verb + (complement)?
- Where does your sister live? - In
Chicago.