COMPLEX GERUNDS AND INFINITIVES

COMPLEX GERUNDS AND INFINITIVES

Advanced grammar

Simple gerund v perfect gerund

Usually there is no difference between the simple gerund or the perfect gerund.

• He denied stealing the money.

• He denied having stolen the money.

• (It's clear that the money was stolen before he denied it)

Usually there is no difference between the simple gerund or the perfect gerund.

• She regretted marrying so young.

• She regretted having married so young.

• (It's clear that she married before regretting it)

But sometimes there is a difference between using the simple and perfect gerund.

• He denied being married. (denied being married now)

• He denied having been married (denied being married in the past)

Simple infinitive v perfect infinitive

As with simple/perfect gerund, sometimes there is no difference with simple/perfect infinitive:

• It was stupid of me to say anything to her.

• It was stupid of me to have said anything to her.

• (I shouldn't have said anything in the past)

But usually there is a difference between simple/perfect infinitives:

• I'm very glad to work here. (now)

• I'm very glad to have worked here (in the past)

Continuous infinitive

We use the cont. infinitive to express that the action is in progress around the same time as the main verb:

• I'm glad to be spending this time with you.

• You shouldn't be working so hard.

Perfect infinitive after passive reporting verbs

After passive reporting verbs we use simple or continuous infinitives for present/future....

• They are believed to be good friends (now)

• She is thought to be living in Brussels (now)

...and we use perfect infinitives after passive reporting verbs for past:

• They are believed to have been good friends (past)

• She is thought to have been living in Brussels (past)

Perfect infinitive after "would like, would hate, would rather, would prefer"

Use perfect infinitive after these expressions for past. Compare:

• I would like to see you once more (future)

• I would like to have seen you once more (past)

Use perfect infinitive after these expressions for past. Compare:

• She would rather be with you (now)

• She would rather have been with you (past)

Passive infinitives, passive gerunds

We use passive infinitives/gerunds to describe actions which are done to the subject:

• He is too young to be allowed here.

• She needs to be taken care of.

• He doesn't mind being told what to do.

• He denied having been offered a bribe.

Multiple Choice

I don't like ________________ sleeping pills.

• be prescribed

• prescribed

• being prescribed

• having been prescribed

Multiple Choice

You'd have to be an idiot ____________ his advice.

• follow

• following

• to follow

• having followed

Multiple Choice

I'd love __________ there when you told him you were quitting.

• to be

• being

• to have been

• having been

Multiple Choice

It's no use __________ about it.

• to argue

• having argued

• argue

• arguing

Multiple Choice

I expect __________ enough for my car by the end of the year.

• to save

• to be saved

• to have saved

• having saved

Multiple Choice

We would ___________ in a hotel, but they insisted on putting us up.

• have stayed

• stay

• be staying

• have been staying

Multiple Choice

I would like __________ the Taj Mahal, but we didn't have time.

• to see

• to have seen

• to have seeing

• having seen

Multiple Choice

I'm tired ________ lied to.

• to be

• of being

• having been

• of

Multiple Choice

I'd like to have seen the Eiffel Tower.

• FUTURE/PRESENT

• PAST

Multiple Choice

I'd love to have seen your face!

• FUTURE/PRESENT

• PAST

Multiple Choice

I'd love to be lying on the beach.

• FUTURE/PRESENT

• PAST

Multiple Choice

My car needs to be serviced.

• FUTURE/PRESENT

• PAST