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Gerunds and infinitives. Grammar III I CO – 2011 by Carlos Roberto Mora. Infinitive. The uninflected form of the verb. The infinitive form may be used alone or in conjunction with the particle to . An infinitive is the base form of a verb with -to-.
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Gerunds andinfinitives Grammar III I CO – 2011 by Carlos Roberto Mora
Infinitive • The uninflected form of the verb. • The infinitive form may be used alone or in conjunction with the particle to. • An infinitive is the base form of a verb with -to-
Infinitive (to) + Gerund • The infinitive after a verb often describes a future event. After: hope, expect, promise, want… the event in the to-infinitive comes after the activity or thought in the main verb: • I hope tosee you next week. • Gerund describes an activity. • We enjoyed seeing you last weekend.
afford / agree • learn / need • ask / decide • promise / refuse - to - • expect / fail • tell / want • hope / wish • want / decide
afford / agree • I agree togo to the USA trip this summer. • I can afford to buy this picture. learn / need • We should learn to do housework. • Humans need to drink water.
Hope / wish • I hope to meet Beckham in England. • I wish to fly up high in the sky. Want / decide • I want to do the homework today. • I decide to buy this book.
Expect / fail • We expectto pass the English exam. • We failed to do the homework. Tell / want • He wanted to tell her about his feelings.
Ask / decide • I asked my mum to go shopping with me. • I decidedto go hiking this Sunday. Promise / refuse • I promised my mother to finish my homework this weekend. • I refuse to invite Mary to my party.
No major difference in meaning • Some verbs can be followed by either the infinitive or the gerund without any major difference in meaning: • Mother Teresa startedto live/living in the slums of Calcutta from 1948. • Though she faced many problems, Mother Teresa continuedto work/working for the poor.
Gerund(general) to-infinitive(particular situation) • Some verbs are generally followed by the gerund when used in a general sense • The to-infinitive is often used for a particularsituation. • I like swimming, but I don’t like to swimon cold days.
The Gerund is formed by adding “ing” to the base form of a verb • swim swimming • eat eating • run running
The Gerund can be used… As a noun • Running is my favourite sport. (subject) • He tried running faster. (object) • She was afraid oflosing.(object of preposition)
After adjectives + preposition accustomed to capable of fond of afraid of successful in good at tired of interested in • She is accustomed to trainingfor many hours. • He is good at running the 200 meters race.
admit • avoid • delay • deny • enjoy - ing - • finish • keep • mind
Admit • My brother admitted breaking the vase. Avoid • I avoid walking on busy streets. Delay • The school delayed opening this morning.
Finish • I finish doing my homework. Keep • After 4 hours, he keeps standing there. Mind • Would you mind lending your pen to me.
Deny • I deny doing a wrong thing • I deny being late to school every day. • I deny talking during the lesson. Enjoy • I enjoy playing computer games.
After verbs… admit can’t help finish keep try enjoy advise keep dislike appreciate mind avoid understand suggest forgive • John has finished repairing his bicycle. • They enjoy walking in the evening. • Mary dislikes swimming in winter.
I enjoy to swim. Ienjoy swimming. right Which is correct ?
right I want to study . I want studying. Which is correct ?
I finish to eat . I finish eating. right Which is correct ?
right I need to study . I need studying. Which is correct ?
right I hope to study . I hope studying. Which is correct ?
I stopped to smoke. right I stopped smoking. Which is correct ?
Also… • Some verbs can be followed by either an infinitive or a gerund, with NO DIFFERENCE IN MEANING I liketo read / I likereading • Some verbs can be followed by either an infinitive or a gerund, but THEIR MEANINGS ARE NOT THE SAME I will remember to call her.(I will be sure to call her in the future.) I remember calling her.(I have the memory of calling her in the past.)
Gerunds are often used when actions are real, concrete or completed: • I stopped smoking.(The smoking was real and happened until I stopped.) Infinitives are often used when actions are unreal, abstract, or future: • I stopped to smoke. (I was doing something else, and I stopped; the smoking had not happened yet.)