THE GERUND AND INFINITIVE .

Part one:

The gerund

Form and use

The gerund has exactly the same form as the present participle: running, speaking, working etc.

It can be used in the following ways:

(a) as subject of a sentence: Dancing bored him.

(b) as complement of a verb: Her hobby is painting.

(c) after prepositions: He was accused of smuggling.

d) after certain verbs

(e) in noun compounds: a 'diving board (a board for diving off).

The gerund here carries the main stress,

The gerund as subject

As already seen, either infinitive or gerund can be the subject of a sentence when an action is being
considered in a general sense.

We can say: It is easier to read French than to speak it or Reading French is easier than speaking it.

The gerund, like the infinitive can be the subject of a clause placed after believe, consider, discover,
expect, find, think, wonder etc. After find we can omit that and the verb be, i.e. we can say: He found
that parking was difficult or He found parking difficult. But it is safer not to omit be after the other verbs.
Note the possible difference between gerund and infinitive here: He found parking difficult would mean
that he usually/always found it difficult. He found it difficult to park could refer to one particular
occasion. It could also mean that he always found i t difficult, but it is more usual to express this idea by
a gerund

The gerund is used in short prohibitions: No smoking. No mailing. No fishing. But these cannot be
followed by an object, so prohibitions involving an object are usually expressed by an imperative: Do not
touch these wires.

When a verb is placed immediately after a preposition the gerund form must be used:

What can you do besides typing? I have no objection to hearing your story again. Touch your toes
without bending your knees'. He is good at diving. She is fond of climbing. I'm not keen on gambling.
I'm too afraid of losing, He was fined for being drunk in charge of a car. I'm against saying anything/I'm
for saying nothing. I'm tired of arguing. I'm fed up waiting, (colloquial) This is a tool for opening tins.
Do you feel like going out?.

PRACTICE :

Construct your sentences using preposition + GERUND .

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BE CAREFUL

The word to

This word often causes confusion as it can be either

(A) a part of an infinitive, or

(B) a preposition.

A) to placed after the auxiliary verbs be, have, ought, used and after ' going (in expressions such as' be
going to form is part of the infinitive of the following verb and is only added to remind students that the
preceding verb takes the full infinitive

B Otherwise to placed after a verb will probably be a preposition and will be followed by noun/pronoun
or gerund.

Note these expressions: look forward to, take to, be accustomed to. be used to:

I am looking forward to my holidays/to next weekend/to it. I am looking forward to seeing you. I am
used to heat/hard work/bad food/noise/dust. ! am used to standing in queues/to it.

Be careful not to confuse I used to/he used to etc., with I am used to/he is used to etc.,

Verbs followed by the gerund

A The most important of these are: admit keep(= continue) anticipate* loathe
appreciate mean* (= involve) avoid mind(= object) consider* miss defer
pardon delay postpone deny* practise detest prevent dislike
propose* (= suggest) dread recollect* enjoy remember* (= recollect) escape
resent excuse resist fancy* (= imagine) risk finish save (sb the trouble of) forgive
stop(= cease) imagine' suggest* involve understand* *See B. The gerund is also used
after the expressions can't stand (= endure), can't help (= prevent/avoid), it's no use/good and after the
adjective worth.

. I can't understand his/him leaving his wife. I couldn't help laughing. It's no good/use arguing. Is there
anything here worth buying?

Verbs + possessive adjective/pronoun object + gerund

If the verb or verb + preposition is followed directly by the gerund, the gerund refers to the subject of
the verb: Tom insisted on reading the letter. But if we put a possessive adjective or pronoun before the
gerund, the gerund refers to the person denoted by the possessive adjective/pronoun: He insisted on
my/me reading it.

What is the difference ?

He disliked working late.

He disliked me/my working late.

I object to Raying twice for the same thing.

I object to his/him making private calls on this phone.

He resented being passed for promotion.

He resented my/me being promoted before him.

excuse, forgive, pardon and prevent are not followed directly by the gerund but take either possessive
adjective/pronoun + gerund or pronoun + preposition + gerund:

Forgive my/me ringing you up so early. Forgive me/or ringingyou up so early. You can't prevent his/him
spending his own money.

. appreciate usually requires a possessive adjective or passive gerund: I appreciate your giving me so
much OF your time. I appreciate being given this opportunity.

Possessive adjective and pronoun object compared In formal English the possessive adjective is used
with the gerund. But in informal English we very often use the pronoun. The student therefore has a
choice of forms, but is recommended to use the pronoun. With stop meaning 'prevent' the pronoun is
more usual than the possessive adjective: I can 'I stop him writing

Nouns with gerunds In very formal English the possessive case is used: I do not remember my mother's
complaining about it. But it is much more usual to omit the 's: I don't remember my mother
complaining.

The verb mind

A This verb is used chiefly in the interrogative and negative:

I don't mind walking.

Infinitive

A Examples of infinitive forms

Present infinitive to work, to do

Present continuous infinitive to be working to be doing

Perfect infinitive to have worked, to have done

Perfect continuous infinitive to have been working to have been doing

Present infinitive passive to be done

Perfect infinitive passive to have been done

B The full infinitive consists of two words, to + verb, as shown above. But after certain verbs and
expressions we use the form without to, i.e. the 'bare infinitive'

You had better say nothing

Uses of the infinitive

A The infinitive may be used alone. We began to walk, or as part of an infinitive phrase, We began to
walk down the road.

B The infinitive may be the subject of a sentence (see 240),

C The infinitive may be the complement of a verb: His plan is to keep the affair secret.

D The infinitive may be the object or part of the object of a verb. It can follow the verb directly: He
wants to pay or follow verb + how, what: He wants to know how to pay to

F The infinitive can express purpose (see 334).

G The infinitive can be used after certain adjectives: angry, glad. happy, sorry (see 26) fortunate, likely,
lucky…….

Verbs + INFINITIVE .
: agree** be determined** pretend* aim proceed appear* fail promise*
arrange* * forget* prove* ask*' guarantee* refuse attempt happen*
remember* bother hesitate resolve*" care (negative) hope seem* choose
leam* swear* claim"1' long tend condescend manage threaten* consent
neglect trouble (negative) decide** offer try (= attempt) decline plan
undertake* demand** prepare volunteer determine** be prepared

F. Auxiliary verbs be dare have must ought will can do may need shall used (For verbs
taking object + infinitive, see 244. For verbs taking infinitive or gerund, see chapter 25.) The following
phrases can also be followed by an infinitive: be about make up one's mind* (= decide) be able +
afford occur* + to + object do one's best

DRILL

Put the verbs in brackets into the correct forms. Note that sometimes a bare infinitive will be
required.

1 I was lonely at first,' the old man admitted, 'but after a time I got used to (live) alone and even got
(like) it.'

2 Before trains were invented people used (travel) on horseback or in stage coaches. It used (take) a
stage coach three days (go) from London to Bath.

3 I meant (buy) an evening paper but I .didn't see anyone (sell) them.

4 Tom: I want (catch) the 7 a.m. train tomorrow. Ann: But that means (get) up at 6.00; and you're not
very good at (get) up early, are you?

5 He accepted the cut in salary without complaint because he was afraid (complain). He was afraid of
(lose) his job.

6 She remembers part of her childhood quite clearly. She remembers (go) to school for the first time
and (be) frightened and (put) her finger in her mouth. And she remembers her teacher (tell) her (take)
it out.

7 Did you remember (lock) the car? ~ No, I didn't. I'd better (go) back and (do) it now.

8 No, I didn't move the bomb. I was afraid (touch) it; I was afraid of (be) blown to pieces!

9 Next time we go (house-hunt), remember (ask) the agent for clear directions. I wasted hours (look)
for the last house.

10 Tom: Let's (go) for a swim. Ann: I'm not particularly keen on (swim). What about (go) for a drive
instead?
 11 The hunters expected (be paid) by the foot for the snakes they caught. This meant (take) the
snakes out of the sack and (measure them. They seemed (expect) me (do) it; but I wasn't particularly
anxious (be) the first (die) of snakebite.

12 After (spend) two days (argue) about where to go for their holiday they decided (not go)
anywhere.

13 He is talking about (give) up his job and (go) (live) in the country.

14 I was just about (leave) the office when the phone rang. It was my wife; she wanted me (call) at
the butcher's on my way home.

15 He said, 'I'm terribly sorry to (keep) you (wait).' I said, It doesn't matter at all,' but he went on
(apologize) for nearly five minutes!

16 The lecturer began by (tell) us where the island was, and went on (talk) about its history.

17 My father thinks I am not capable of (earn) my own living, but I mean (show) him that he is wrong.
18 Tom: I can't get my car (start) on cold mornings. Jack: Have you tried (fill) the radiator with hot
water? That sometimes helps.

19 Did he manage (carry) the trunk upstairs? ~ No, he didn't. He isn't strong enough (move) it, let
alone (carry) it upstairs.

20 Jack: Don't forget (take) a hacksaw with you. Ann: What's a hacksaw? And why should I (take) one
with me? Jack: It's a tool for (cut) metal. You see, Tom is bound (get) into trouble for (take)
photographs of the wrong things, and you'll be arrested with him. With a hacksaw you'll be able (saw)
through the bars of your cell and (escape).

21 Peter: Wouldn't it be better (ask) Tom (leave) his camera at home? Jack: It would be no good (ask)
Tom (do) that. It would be like (ask) a woman (travel) without a handbag.

22 I've got the loaf; now I'm looking for a breadknife (cut) it with. ~ I saw Paul (sharpen) a pencil with
the breadknife a minute ago.

23 We stopped once (buy) petrol and then we stopped again (ask) someone the way. 24 When I
caught them (cheat) me, I stopped (buy) petrol there and started (deal) with

your garage instead.