INFINITIVE, BARE INFINITIVE & GERUND

I – INFINITIVE

Infinitive = to + base form (e.g.: To sit, to have)

We use the infinitive to express the purpose of something or someone’s opinion about
something. So, when they indicate the purpose or the intention, they have the same
meaning as “in order to” and “so as to”.
e.g.: I came here to collect my money.
I am calling to ask you about my money.

We also use it to indicate what something can or will be used for. In this case it
follows a noun or a pronoun.
e.g.: The children need a garden to play.
I don’t have anything to wear.

The infinitive is used frequently with the adverbs too and enough to express the
reasoning behind our satisfaction or insatisfaction, and they are placed before or after
an adverb, an adjective or a noun.
e.g.: This soap is too hot to eat.
I have enough food to eat.

Infinitive is often used with question words. The verbs, ask, decide, explain, forget,
know, show, tell, and understand can be followed by a question word as where, how, what,
who and when + to infinitive
e.g.: She asked me what to do.

II - BARE INFINITIVE

We call this the Bare Infinitive because we use it without “To”. Ex: Love

We use Bare Infinitive after the following modal verbs:

Can Could Will Would May
Must Shall Should Need Might

e.g.: You must respect the rules.

We can use the imperative form “Let’s” (Let us) + bare infinitive:
e.g.: Let’s take a taxi.

Make + Bare Infinitive in the Active Voice

e.g.: She made them work hard.

Would rather/had rather/ + Bare Infinitive + than

e.g.: a) He would rather sleep than watch television
b) You’d better not go near the edge

Used to + Bare Infinitive

e.g.: She used to come to class on time.
III - GERUND

Gerund is a noun made from a verb by adding, “-ING”, or simply verbs acting as a
noun. For instance, the gerund from of the verb “do” is “doing”.

§ You can use gerund as the subject, the complement, or the object of the sentence.
e.g.: Reading helps you learn English.
Her favourite hobby is reading.
I enjoy reading.

It is used in the following situations:

When a verb comes after a preposition:

e.g.: She is good at painting.
We arrived in Madrid after driving all night.

After phrasal verbs:

(phrasal verbs = verbs + prepositions or adverbs)
e.g.: Tom must give up smoking.

With verbs of sensations (Gerund or Bare Infinitive)

Feel see notice hear watch smell observe
e.g.: I saw her coming up the stairs toward her room.

After verbs that mean liking and disliking (Gerund or Infinitive)

Like dislike love hate enjoy detest
e.g.: I hate playing tennis at night.

After verbs that mean beginning and end of action. (Gerund or Infinitive)
Begin cease start finish
e.g: Peter started doing his homework, because his teacher is very demanding.

After verbs that mean progress of action

Keep on continue carry on
e.g.: Keep trying, next time you will get it.

After some negative forms

Can’t help can’t stand can’t resist
e.g.: I can’t help crying whenever I see Romeo and Juliet. (can’t help = not able to avoid)

After the phrases

to be used to, to be looking forward to how about/what about
It’s no good It’s no use It’s worth
e.g.: I don’t like cold weather, but I am used to living in this climate.