GERUNDS and INFINITIVES

VERB + GERUND
A gerund is the ing form of a verb. It is used as a noun.

verb gerund
(a) I enjoy walking in the park
In (a): walking is a gerund. It is used as the object of the verb enjoy.

The verbs in the list are followed by gerunds. The list also contains phrasal
verbs (e.g., put off) that are followed by gerunds.

COMMON VERBS ARE FOLLOWED BY GERUNDS
enjoy (b) I enjoy working in my garden.
finish Ann finished studying at midnight.
stop (d) It stopped raining a few minutes ago.
quit (e) David quit smoking.
mind (f ) Would you mind opening the window?
postpone (g) I postponed doing my homework.
put off (h) I put off doing my homework.

Continue Verb + Gerund
keep (on) (i) Keep (on) working. Dont stop.
consider (j) Im considering going to Singapore.
think about (k) Im thinking about going to Bali.
discuss (l) They discussed getting a new car.
talk about (m) They talked about getting a new house.

The verbs in the list are NOT followed by to + the simple form of a verb (
an infinitive).
incorrect: I enjoy to walk in the park.
incorrect: Bob finished to study.
incorrect: Im thinking to go to Hawaii.

Negative form: not + gerund
(n) I considered not going to class.

GO + -ING
Go is followed by a gerund in certain idiomatic expression about
activities.
(a)Did you go shopping yesterday?
(b)I went swimming last week.
(c)Bob hasnt gone fishing in years.
Notice: There is not to between go and the gerund.
incorrect: Did you go to shopping?

COMMON EXPRESSIONS WITH GO + ING
go boating go dancing go jogging go (window) shopping
go bowling go fishing go running go (water) skiing
go camping go hiking go sailing go skydiving
go swimming go (ice) skating go sightseeing

VERB + INFINITIVE
Some verbs are followed by an infinitive :
AN INFINITIVE = to + the simple form of a verb
(a)Tom offered to lend me some money.
(b)Ive decided to buy a new car.
Negative form: not + infinitive
Ive decided not to keep my old car.

COMMON VERBS FOLLOWED BY INFINITIVES:
want hope decide seem learn (how)
need expect promise appear try
would like plan offer pretend
would love intend agree (cant) afford
mean refuse forget (cant) wait

VERB + GERUND OR INFINITIVE
Some verbs are followed by either a gerund or an infinitive. Usually there
is no difference in meaning. (a) and (b) have the same meaning.
(a)It began raining.
(b)It began to rain
COMMON VERBS FOLLOWED BY EITHER A GERUND OR AN INFINITIVE
begin like* hate continue
start love* cant stand

Compare:
Like and love can be followed by either a gerund or an infinitive:
I like going to/to go to movie. I love playing/to play chess.
Would like and would love are followed by infinitives:
I would like to go to a movie tonight. Id love to play a game of chess
right now.
PREPOSITION + GERUND
A preposition is followed by a gerund, not an infinitive.
(a)Kate insisted on coming with us.
(b)Were excited about going to Tahiti.
(c)I apologized for being late.
In (a): The preposition (on) is followed by a gerund (coming).

COMMONG EXPRESSIONS WITH PREPOSITION FOLLOWED BY
GERUNDS:
be afraid of (doing something) forgive (someone) for plan on
apologized for be good at be responsible for
believe in insist on stop (someone) from
dream about be interested in thank (someone) for
be excited about look forward to be tired of
feel like be nervous about worried about/
be worried about
USING BY AND WITH TO EXPRESS HOW SOMETHING IS DONE
By + a gerund is used to express how something is done.
(a)Pat turned off the tape recorder by pushing the stop button.
By or with followed by a noun is also used to express how something is
done.
(b) Mary goes to work by bus.
Andre stirred her coffee with a spoon.

BY IS USED FOR MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION AND COMMUNICATION
by (air) plane* by subway* by mail by air
by boat by taxi by (tele)phone by land
by bus by train by fax by sea
by car by foot (or on foot) by email

OTHERS
by chance by mistake by check (but in cash)
by choice by hand** by credit card
Continue by and with
WITH IS USED FOR INSTRUMENTS OR PARTS OF THE BODY
I cut down the tree with an ax (by using an ax).
I swept the floor with a broom.
she pointed to a spot on the map with her finger.

* airplane = American English; aeroplane = British English
** by subway = American English; by underground, by tube = British
English
*** The expression by hand is usually used to mean that something was
made by a person, not by a machine.
The rug was made by hand. ( A person, not a machine, made this rug.)
Compare: I touched his shoulder with my hand.
USING GERUNDS AS SUBJECTS; USING IT + INFINITIVE
(a) Riding horses is fun.
(b) It is fun to ride horses
Coming to class on time is important.
(d) It is important to come to class on time.
(a) and (b) have the same meaning.
In (a): A gerund (riding) is the subject of the sentence.*
Notice: The verb (is) is singular because a gerund is singular.
In (b): The word it is used as the subject of the sentence. The word it has
the same meaning as the infinitive phrase at the end of the
sentences: it means to ride horses.

*It is also correct (but less commong) to use an infinitive as the subject of
a a sentence: To ride horses is fun.
IT + INFINITIVE: USING FOR (SOMEONE)
(a) You should study hard.
(b) It is important for you to study hard.
(a) and (b) have a similar meaning.
Notice the pattern in (b)
it is + adjective + for (someone) + infinitive phrase

Mary should study hard.
(d) It is important for Mary to study hard.
(e) We dont have to go to this meeting.
(f ) It isnt necessary for us to go the meeting.
(g) A dog cant talk.
(h) It is important for a dog to talk.

GERUNDS and INFINITIVES

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VERB + GERUND

A gerund is the ing form of a verb. It is used as a noun.

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