Gerund

and
infinitive
Arifah Tenny Romdhati, S.Pd., M.Li
 Gerund
A gerund is a noun made from a verb by adding "-ing” to the base
form of the verb.
read reading
write writing
swim swimming
 SUBJECT
Swimming is healthy for you.
Reading helps you learn English.

OBJECT after certain verbs

Gerund We enjoy hiking.
Farah keep talking about her problem.

OBJECT of Prepositions
I am thinking about taking children to Mexico.
I have no intention of driving to Jakarta.
 Verbs that can be followed by gerund

Admit Deny Postpone Resist

Advice discuss Practice Resume
Anticipate Enjoy quit Risk
Appreciate Finish Recall Suggest
Avoid Keep Recommended Tolerate
Cant help Mention Regret Try
Consider Mind Report understand
Delay Miss Resent

I finished writing the report

Sasa enjoys playing tennis on weekend.
Some of two- and three-word verbs can be followed by gerund

Aid in Insist on Think about

Approve of Keep on Think of
Be better off Look forward to Worry about
Call for Object to
Confess to Put off
Count on Rely on
Depend on Succeed in
Give up

I keep on forgetting her name.

Sam confessed to eating all the cookies.
Some of the adjective + prepositions that can be followed by gerunds:

Accustomed to Intent on
Afraid of Interested on
Capable of Successful in
Fond on Tired of

Rara is accustomed to working long hours.

Merry is interested in becoming an artist.
Some of the nouns + prepositions that can be followed by gerunds:

Choice of
Excuse for
Intention of
Method of/for
Possibility of
Reason for

I have no intention of driving to Nevada

Sandra had a good excuse for arriving late.
Gerund is also used after certain expressions

Can’t stand Can’t bear Can’t help

I can’t stand her smoking in the office.

He can’t help talking so loudly.
 Infinitives
An infinitive is a verbal formed with “to” before the base form of the
verb. It can be used as noun, and adverb, or an adjective.

To eat is necessity. noun

I came home to change. adverb
He always has money to spend. adjective
 SUBJECT
To eat is a necessity.

OBJECT after certain verbs

Infinitives We agreed to go to the movie.
Tenny volunteered to work on the committee.

OBJECT after adjectives

The new computer is really easy to use.
It is dangerous to smoke near gasoline.
 Verbs that take only to infinitive
Afford Consent Hope Pretend Swear
Agree Decide Intend Promise Threaten
Appear Demand Learn Refuse Tend
Arrange Deserve Manage Regret Try
Ask Desire Mean Seem Volunteer
Attempt Expect Need Struggle Wait
Beg Fail Offer strive Want
Care Forget Plan wish
Claim hesitate prepare

We agreed to go to the movie.

Tery volunteered to work on the committee.
Did you manage to finish your project on time?
Some of the verbs that can be followed by a noun or pronoun and infinitive:
Advise Convince Hire Require
Allow Dare Instruct Teach
Ask Encourage Invite Tell
Beg Expect Need Urge
Cause Forbid Order Want
Challenge force Persuade warn
Remind

He advised me to buy a newer car.

I persuaded my father to lend me the money.
Some of the adjectives that can be followed by infinitives:
Anxious Good
Boring Hard
Common Pleased
Dangerous Prepared
Difficult Ready
Eager Strange
Easy usual

We were ready to leave in a hurry.

It is dangerous to smoke near gasoline.
Some of the verbs that can be followed by either an infinitive or gerund
without a difference in meaning :

Attempt Cease Love

Begin Hate Prefer
Bother Like start
Can’t bear intend
continue

I started to read. I started reading.

I love to eat chocolates. I love eating chocolates.
 Some of the verbs that can be followed by either an infinitive or gerund
BUT with a difference in meaning are:
word Infinitive meaning Gerund meaning
Forget/ Remember to switch off the lights. Do you remember switching off the lights?
remember (with regard to the future) (with regard to the past)
regret I regret to say that’s wrong. I regret saying that.
(with regard to the future) (with regard to the past)
Stop I stopped to buy tomatoes. I stopped buying tomatoes.
( I stopped at the store and bought tomatoes) (I no longer buy tomatoes)
I stopped to smoke I stopped smoking
Try They are trying to open the door They tried opening the door.
(they are still trying to open the door) (they have tried opening the door)