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.

Now, work on the Now, work on the exercises!exercises!