Gerunds and InfinitivesGerunds and Infinitives
Use of English Use of English
Secondary 6 / 7Secondary 6 / 7
What is infinitive? What is infinitive?
A A verbverb that will that will never change in formsnever change in forms
With regard to number, person or tense With regard to number, person or tense
Usually Usually used with the particle used with the particle ““toto””..
e.g. I wish e.g. I wish to getto get into a good university. into a good university.
How does it look like? How does it look like?
e.g. e.g. ““TakeTake”…”…
SimpleSimple PerfectPerfect ContinuouContinuouss
Active Active To takeTo take To have To have takentaken
To be To be takingtaking
PassivPassivee
To be To be takentaken
To have To have been been takentaken
To have To have been takingbeen taking
Negative Negative
Not + Not + ““toto”” infinitive infinitive e.g.e.g. He advised us He advised us notnot to goto go
swimming tomorrow. swimming tomorrow. Compare:Compare:
He advised us He advised us not to gonot to go swimming tomorrow. swimming tomorrow.
(He gave us advice: don(He gave us advice: don ’’t go swimming tomorrow)t go swimming tomorrow)
He He did not advise us to godid not advise us to go swimming tomorrow. swimming tomorrow.
(He did not suggest us to go swimming tomorrow.) (He did not suggest us to go swimming tomorrow.)
Bare infinitive:Bare infinitive: Infinitive Infinitive without without ““toto”” –– When will we use When will we use
it? it? Modal auxiliary verbs (e.g. Shall, Will, Can, etc.)Modal auxiliary verbs (e.g. Shall, Will, Can, etc.)
e.g.e.g. Sandy Sandy will comewill come to the party. to the party.
Verbs of feeling and perceptions (e.g. hear, Verbs of feeling and perceptions (e.g. hear, smell, see, notice, etc.)smell, see, notice, etc.)
e.g.e.g. I I sawsaw him him walkwalk in the park. in the park.He He was seenwas seen to walkto walk in the park. in the park.
(Passive)(Passive)
““MakeMake”” and and ““LetLet”” He He letslets us us gogo with you. with you. Her jokes Her jokes mademade us us laughlaugh. .
Bare infinitive:Bare infinitive: Infinitive Infinitive without without ““toto”” –– When will we use When will we use
it?it? ““Had betterHad better”” / / ““would ratherwould rather”” / / ““can do nothing can do nothing
butbut”” e.g.e.g. YouYou’’d (had) better dod (had) better do your your
assignment now.assignment now.
II’’d (would) rather stayd (would) rather stay here a bit here a bit longer.longer.
As I was locked in the room, I As I was locked in the room, I could do could do nothing but shoutnothing but shout for help. for help.
““NeedNeed”” / / ““DareDare”” e.g.e.g. She She needsneeds not not dodo it herself. it herself.
He He dareddared not not lielie to his wife. to his wife.
When do we use infinitives? When do we use infinitives?
Subject Subject e.g.e.g. To drive after drinking tooTo drive after drinking too
muchmuch is dangerous. (Subject) is dangerous. (Subject)
(It is dangerous (It is dangerous to drive afterto drive after drinking too muchdrinking too much.) .)
After adjective After adjective e.g.e.g. He is not He is not happyhappy to beto be alone. (After alone. (After
adjective)adjective)
When do we use infinitives?When do we use infinitives?
After question tags (e.g. When, what, After question tags (e.g. When, what, how, etc.)how, etc.) e.g.e.g. II’’m not sure m not sure whatwhat to cookto cook first. first.
Absolute constructionAbsolute construction e.g.e.g. To be honestTo be honest, I don, I don’’t enjoy doing t enjoy doing
this.this.
Gerunds: What does it look Gerunds: What does it look like?like?
A A verbverb that has that has changed into its present changed into its present continuous formcontinuous form
Functioning as a nounFunctioning as a noun
Naming certain kinds of activities, hobbies Naming certain kinds of activities, hobbies and behaviourand behaviour
e.g. I enjoy staying in bed in the morning.e.g. I enjoy staying in bed in the morning.
How does it look like? How does it look like?
e.g. e.g. ““BreakBreak”…”…
SimpleSimple PerfectPerfect
Active Active Breaking Breaking Having brokenHaving broken
PassivePassive Being brokenBeing broken Having been Having been brokenbroken
When do we use gerunds?When do we use gerunds?
Subject Subject Hobbies (e.g. Reading, hiking, etc.)Hobbies (e.g. Reading, hiking, etc.)
e.g. e.g. ReadingReading can help us to learn more words. can help us to learn more words. Activities & behaviours (e.g. Dancing)Activities & behaviours (e.g. Dancing)
e.g. e.g. DancingDancing is a kind of performing art that is is a kind of performing art that is hard to learn.hard to learn.
Issues you want to draw readersIssues you want to draw readers ’’ attention attention (e.g. Killing)(e.g. Killing)
e.g. e.g. KillingKilling animals should not be encouraged. animals should not be encouraged.
When do we use gerunds?When do we use gerunds?
Objects Objects Providing description to the receiver of Providing description to the receiver of
the action verbthe action verb e.g. She always e.g. She always avoidsavoids gettinggetting involved involved
in the quarrels. in the quarrels.
When do we use gerunds?When do we use gerunds?
A list of verbs using gerunds afterA list of verbs using gerunds after……
AcknowledAcknowledge ge
Admit Admit
Anticipate Anticipate
Appreciate Appreciate
Avoid Avoid
Celebrate Celebrate
Defer Defer
Delay Delay
Consider Consider CanCan’’t help t help Deny Deny
Dislike Dislike
Enjoy Enjoy
Escape Escape
Excuse Excuse
Feel like Feel like
FinishFinish
Forgive Forgive
Imagine Imagine
KeepKeep
MentionMention
Mind Mind
Practise Practise
Prevent, Prevent,
ReportReport
ResistResist
SaveSave
SuggestSuggest
TolerateTolerate
UnderstaUnderstandnd
……
When do we use gerunds?When do we use gerunds?
After prepositions After prepositions As complements to the verb + As complements to the verb +
preposition combinationpreposition combination
Example: Interested Example: Interested inin, fond , fond ofof, persisted , persisted inin, confessed , confessed ofof, look forward , look forward toto
e.g. I look forward to e.g. I look forward to hearinghearing from you. from you.
Infinitives or Gerunds?Infinitives or Gerunds?
Which of the following is correct?Which of the following is correct?
I really like reading.I really like reading.
I really like to read in the library.I really like to read in the library.
Both correct! Both correct!
Infinitives or Gerunds?Infinitives or Gerunds?
GerundsGerunds
Applicable to ALL general case (i.e. It is Applicable to ALL general case (i.e. It is true in most cases)true in most cases)
With verbs such as like, hate, prefer, etcWith verbs such as like, hate, prefer, etc Example: I like Example: I like swimmingswimming. (In most . (In most
cases, I like swimming.)cases, I like swimming.)
Infinitives or Gerunds?Infinitives or Gerunds?
InfinitivesInfinitives
Only applicable to one or several Only applicable to one or several PARTICULAR situationsPARTICULAR situations
It will only happen when the special It will only happen when the special condition(s) is (are) fulfilledcondition(s) is (are) fulfilled
Example: I like to swim in winter. (i.e. I Example: I like to swim in winter. (i.e. I dondon’’t like to swim in summer) t like to swim in summer)
Exceptional CasesExceptional Cases
Verbs like begin, start, plan, propose, Verbs like begin, start, plan, propose, continue, attemptcontinue, attempt……
Gerunds and infinitives can be usedGerunds and infinitives can be used Without changing the meaningWithout changing the meaning e.g.e.g. I I start writingstart writing a book. a book.
I I start to writestart to write a book. a book.
Exceptional CasesExceptional Cases
Verbs (such as allow, advise, Verbs (such as allow, advise, acknowledge, encourage, permit, acknowledge, encourage, permit, etc.) + etc.) + an object noun + infinitivean object noun + infinitive
Action in the infinitive phrase directed to Action in the infinitive phrase directed to the objectthe object
e.g. My teacher e.g. My teacher advisedadvised meme to startto start early. early.