Gerunds

Review
Winter Sports

• One of the most popular winter sports is skiing. Cross-country

skiing requires skiers to use their own strength and movement to
get across an area that is covered with snow. Many people enjoy
cross-country skiing because it allows them to go at a pace that is
slow enough to explore the countryside. It is also a good way to
get some exercise.
How many gerunds are in this passage?

• Other people prefer to ski down a hill because they think it is

more thrilling. Downhill skiing involves riding a mechanical lift up
a hill or mountain. From there, skiers glide down. Gravity is doing
a lot of the work. Even though it’s exciting, downhill skiing can be
dangerous. Some people worry about getting injured.
 Gerund can be used as the subject of a sentence,
the object of a verb or the object of a preposition.

• Skiing requires a lot of strength.

• Many people enjoy skiing.
• Some people worry about getting injured.
Like gerunds, infinitives can also be used as the subject of a
sentence or the object of a verb, but it is not common to use an
infinitive as the subject.

• Some people prefer to ski down a hill.

• (object of a verb)

• To control one’s speed properly takes a lot of practice.

• (subject)
* Common Verbs Followed by Gerunds:

• enjoy
• quit (give up)
• avoid
• delay
• consider
• discuss
• suggest
• mention
• (p. 307, Azar – Grammar)
Speaking: With a partner, make sentences:

• Ask your partner a question with “enjoy,” using the gerund form.

• Example: enjoy / drink tea?

• enjoy / read ERP book?

Speaking: Asking politely

• 1. Would you mind (open) the window?

• 2. Would you consider (go) out for dinner with me?

• 3. Do you want to keep on (study) or should we just waste some

time?
* Special expressions followed by -ing

• have a good time _________

• had a hard time ________
• waste time (or money) _____________
• spend time (or money) ________________
• keep on _______________
• give up ________________
• put off _______________

Grammar textbook, p. 310

* Common Verbs followed by infinitive

• want
• need
• hope
• promise
• expect
• learn
• warn
• advise

• More on p. 313
Some verbs followed by gerund or infinitive

• Like
• Begin
• Start
• Love
• Hate
• * Stop
* Stop

• Stop can also be followed by an infinitive of purpose.

(see week 5 PPT with video)

• Example: He stopped to get a lottery ticket at the store.

• Gerund example: He stopped buying lottery tickets when he

learned that the odds were five million to one.