GERUNDS AND INFINITIVE

What are Gerunds?

A gerund is a verb in its ing (present participle) form that functions as a noun that names an activity rather than a
person or thing. Any action verb can be made into a gerund.
 It is used as the subject of the sentence
EX Playing tennis is fun
 A gerund is the –ing form of a verb used as a noun.
EX We enjoy playing tennis
 A gerund is used in the same ways as the object of preposition
EX I always go swimming on Saturdays
He is excited about playing tennis
 Some verbs can be followed by a gerund or infinitive but with a change in meaning:
EX He remembered sending the fax. (He remembered the act of send the fax)
He remembered to send the fax. (He remembered the fax and sent it.)
Negative form: not precedes a gerund

EX We talked about not going to the meeting, but finally decided we should go

COMMON PREPOSITION COMBINATIONS FOLLOWED BY GERUNDS

Be excited about doing it keep (someone) insist on doing it
Be worried prevent (someone) from doing it
Prohibit (someone) be accustomed
complain Stop ( someone) in addition
dream about of doing it Be committed
talk believe Be devoted to doing it
think be interested in doing it Look forward
participate object
be accused succeed be opposed
be capable be used
for the purpose apologize
be guilty of doing it blame (someone)
instead forgive (someone)
take advantage have an excuse for doing it
take care have a reason
be tired be responsible
thank (someone)

I. Complete these sentences with an appropriate preposition and verb form.

Example:
1. Alice isn’t interested ____in (look) ________looking__________ for a new job.
2. Henry is excited _______about___________ (leave) _________leaving__________ for India.
3. You are capable ____of____________ (do) _____doing___ better work.
4. I have no excuse ___for_____________ (be) ____being___________ late
5. I’m accustomed ___to_______________ ( have) _____having______________ a big breakfast
6. The rain prevented us ___from____________ (complete) ______completing______ the work
7. Fred is always complaining ____about of___ (have) ______having__________ a big breakfast
8. Instead ______on_______ (study) ,studying Margaret went to a ballgame with some of her friends.
9. Thank you __for___________ (help ) _________helping___________ me carry my suitcases

VERBS THAT ARE FOLLOWED BY THE –ING FORM (GERUND).

If these verbs are followed by another verb, we use the –ing form (gerund) of the second verb:

Admit Advise Appreciate Avoid can´t help carry on

complete consider delay deny
detest discuss dislike enjoy escape fancy
finish give up hope imagine keep mention
mind miss postpone practice quit recall
recommend regret resent resist risk stop
suggest tolerate understand keep on get through put off
give up want

Common verbs that can be followed by either a gerund or an infinitive

Begin continue hate intend like love prefer start forget remember stop

Common verbs that are followed by an infinitive

Afford agree appear arrange ask care decide demand expect fail forget hope learn
manage mean offer plan prepare pretend promise refuse remember seem stop
wait want wish

I. Fill in the blanks the correct verb according with the kind of verb.
A: Would you mind going to the mall? I need some groceries.

B: Of course, but when I finish __doing____ (do) my homework.

A: Tell me, Do you practice any sport?

B: Yes, I do. I enjoy ___playing_____ (play) soccer.

A: and Have you ever played in a soccer team?

B: Yes, I have. I played in one last year, I miss _____playing____ (play) there but I didn’t have time for the
school. Now I want _____play____ (play) again but I have ____fitting_____ (fit) my schedule.

A: How do you like school?

B: I dislike ___studying____ (study) some subjects but others are very funny. Although I avoid _being__(be)
absent.

A: what would you like _____being________ ( be) when you grow up?

B: I imagine ____playing_______ (play) in a professional team. My mother doesn’t want but I consider
____studying_____ (study) at Pachuca Soccer School. Aunt, I don’t understand this section, Would you
mind ___helping____________ (help) me?

A: Let me see, for this section you must consider __writing_________ (write) verbs in past participle.

B: Yeah, I see. Ok thank you, aunt Sue. The problem is that I just know few verbs.

A: You must keep __reading_______ ( read) a lot and __listening______ (listen) to. And you could learn better.

B: Yes, you’re all right. I regret ______watching____ (watch) all the day, I am going to _studying_ (study)
more.