Gerund, to-infinitive, infinitive

Gerund, to-infinitive, infinitive

1.

Introduction

This chapter deals with verbs which take the gerund and verbs which take
to-infinitive. The section gerund, to-infinitive or infinitive without to deals
with verbs which can take both gerund and to-infinitive and explains the use
of the infinitive without to. There are also exercises with the conditionals.
Click on the logo to go back to the table of contents.
2.

GERUND

A gerund is a noun formed from a verb.

FORM
Infinitive + -ing:

Finding a nice hotel is often difficult.

The negative of a gerund is made by putting not before the gerund.

Naomi regretted not being with her brother.

USE

The gerund is used

1. AS (PART OF) THE SUBJECT OF A SENTENCE:

Paying all bills in time is important.

2. AS (PART OF) THE OBJECT OF A SENTENCE AFTER CERTAIN VERBS

admit

The thief admitted stealing the money

The manager could not face going bankrupt.

confess

escape

involve

leave off

resent
1

Gerund, to-infinitive, infinitive

appreciate

consider

excuse

involve

mention

resist

avoid

delay

fancy

its (not) worth

mind

risk

cant face

deny

feel like

its no good

miss

save

cant help

detest

finish

its no use

postpone suggest

cant help

dislike

forgive

justify

practise

theres no

cant stand

dread

give up

keep (continue)

put off

tolerate

carry on

enjoy

imagine

keep on

quit

understand

3. After prepositions

We succeeded in selling all the goods.

Mr Robberts objects to being treated like that.
3. TO-INFINITIVE

USE
Some verbs are followed by to + infinitive:

I learnt to drive when I was 18.

My boss asked the secretary to stay for dinner.

agree

cause

aim

choose

appear

claim

arrange

decide

ask

demand

attempt

expect

beg
cant afford
cant wait

fail
forget

guarantee
happen
help
hesitate
hope
learn
long
manage
need

neglect
offer
omit
plan
prepare
pretend
promise
prove

refuse
seek
seem
swear
tend
threaten
train
try
turn out

undertake
want
want
wish
would hate
would like
would love
would prefer

4. GERUND, TO-INFINITIVE OR INFINITIVE WITHOUT TO.

2

Gerund, to-infinitive, infinitive

USE:
1. Some verbs take either to-infinitive or gerund without change in
meaning:

After a while the journalists began to ask questions.

After a while the journalists began asking questions.

begin
bother

can't bear
cease

continue
fear

intend
propose

start

2. After some verbs either to-infinitive or gerund can be used. With

these words the gerund is used for statements in general, to-infinitive is
used if the statement is true in one specific situation.

I like going to trade fairs (trade fairs in general)

I like to go to the trade fair tomorrow. (one specific trade fair)

hate

like

love

prefer

3. Some verbs take the gerund when there is no object but get toinfinitive when there is an object.

We allow smoking here.

We allow our personnel to smoke here.

advise

allow

encourage

permit

recommend

4. After some verbs either to-infinitive or gerund can be used but the
meaning of the sentence changes.
Remember

Do you remember giving the documents to Frederick last week?

(referring to the past)
Do you remember to give the documents to Frederick tomorrow?
(referring to the future)

Stop
3

Gerund, to-infinitive, infinitive

We stopped buying a drink at Mr Williams shop. (we no longer buy

drinks there)
We stopped to buy a drink at Mr Williams shop. (we stopped because
we wanted to have a drink)

Go on:

The speaker went on talking about his favourite subject. (continue

with the same action)
After the speech, Richard went on to talk informally to the guests.
(do something different)

Need

Jack needs to buy a new computer (he has to buy a new one)
This computer needs repairing. (it has to be repaired)

Mean

Sorry, I did not mean to hurt your feelings. (mean = to intend)

Buying that company means making higher profits. (mean = to entail,
to have as a consequence)

Regret

We regret to inform you that the Multi Ray is no longer available. (to
be sorry about something)
I regret wasting so much time when I was a student. (to feel sorry
about something)

Try

Our Sales Manager is trying to find another job. (to attempt)

When the computer jams, try closing an application with Control-AltDelete. (to do something to solve a problem)

5. With verbs of perception (see/watch/hear/ listen/notice/feel/smell)

followed by an object, the infinitive or the gerund can be used, but there is
a difference in meaning. Use of the infinitive indicates that a complete
action was witnessed. The gerund indicates that only part of the action was
witnessed.
feel
4

hear

listen to

notice

see

smell

watch

Gerund, to-infinitive, infinitive

I watched my boss smoke a cigar.

(I started watching when he lit the cigar and stopped when my boss
stopped smoking)
I watched my boss smoking a cigar

(I only watched briefly)

I heard Mary play a song on the guitar.

(I heard the entire song)

I heard Mary playing a song on the guitar. (I heard part of the song)

6. Infinitive without to is also used after the following verbs

can /
could

had
better

may /
might

must

neednt

shall /
should

will / would

We had better solve this problem before Mr de Graaf arrives.

The government should change these regulations.