Gerunds and infinitives

Gerunds and infinitives

Gerunds

We use= Base form (+) ING

For example:

Sleeping is important for our health.

Gerunds: Hobbies and sports

Cooking spaghetti is my favorite activity.

Swimming is my favorite sport.

Sailing is the most difficult aquatic exercise.

Boxing is a sport that I would like to practice.

Gerunds: After pattern verbs

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Some common ones:

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Enjoy Like  Hate  Love  Admit  Finish Miss Recommend

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For example:

Enjoy= Maria enjoys studying. 

Like= Sophia likes playing video games. 

Hate= Jhon hates eating vegetables. 

Love= My uncle loves watching horror movies. 

Admit= My brother admitted breaking the window. 

Finish= We finished doing our homework this morning. 

Miss= I miss going to the cinema with my parents. 

Recommend= The teacher recommended reading the book before the exam. 

Gerunds: After prepositions

I am not very interesting in buying that house.

Wash your hands before eating your lunch.

Gerunds: As subjects

Listening to music is relaxing.

Painting is fun.

Skiing is dangerous.

Making mistakes is an important part of learning.

Sleeping well at night is crucial for our health.

Gerunds: Expressions

Be worth (+) -ING

For example:

It is worth studying a lot before the final exam.

Gerunds: Expressions

Not mind (+) -ING

For example:

I don't mind staying in the old hotel. It is just one night, anyway!

Gerunds: Expressions

Keep (+) -ING

For example:

You have to keep saving money if you want to travel to Miami for vacation.

Gerunds: Expressions

End up (+) -ING

For example:

Maria ended up living with her best friend after their parents moved to Spain.

Gerunds: Expressions

There is no point (+) -ING

For example:

There's no point worrying about Josh's surgery. He will be fine.

Infinitives:

We use= Verb (+) TO (+) base form.

For example:

I want to work in that factory.

She needs to go to the doctor.

Infinitives: After pattern verbs.

Some common ones are:

Want

Prefer

Hope

Intend

Plan

Need

Expect

Decide

Promise

For example:

I want to study medicine.

Joey prefers to stay at home.

I hope to pass my math exam.

Carla intends to buy a new car.

My mom plans to visit you next week.

My friends need to practice more.

I expect to be at home by 11:00 a.m

The teacher decided to cancel the exam.

Juan promised to take his mom for lunch.

Infinitives: After adjectives describing feelings and reactions.

For example: Happy, pleased, afraid, keen, difficult.

My dog is always happy to see me after I came from work.

It is very difficult to understand the homework.

NEGATIVES:

Gerunds= I don't mind not having the window seat, if you want it.

Infinitives= At the end, we decided not to go to the party.

Gerund and infinitive: Not change in meaning.

Some times we can use gerund or infinitive and the meaning is the same.

For example:

I started to do tennis classes.

I started doing tennis clases.

Gerund and infinitive: Change in meaning.

Some times we can use gerund or infinitive and the meaning is different.

For example:

We stopped eating. (we were eating, and we stopped)

We stopped to eat. (we stopped doing something, to start eating)

Gerunds and infinitive: Special cases

Look forward to: I am looking forward to hearing from you soon.

Object to: Marcus objected to paying in the restaurant because the food was horrible.

Be used to: Jimena is used to eating cereal for breakfast.

Multiple Choice

Choose the correct words to complete the sentences.

It's important to ______________ attentive in class.

• be

• being

Multiple Choice

Maria is terrified _______________ by plane.

• to travel

• of traveling

Multiple Choice

Dad warned us never __________ into cars with strangers.

• to get

• getting

Multiple Choice

_______________ on holiday is the best feeling ever!

• To go

• Going

Multiple Choice

Mum doesn't mind ____________ golf.

• to play

• playing

Multiple Choice

My parents would enjoy ____________ Barcelona.

• to visit

• visiting

Multiple Choice

Helena would like ______________ to the movies tonight.

• going

• to go

Multiple Choice

Our classmates don't mind _____________ for a test once a week.  

• to study

• studying 

Multiple Choice

No one agrees ________________ here at 7:00. That's just too early.

• to be

• being

Multiple Choice

 You seem ready to leave.

• to be

• being

Multiple Choice

Most people don't choose _________________ late; they just get stuck in traffic   or have some other problem.

• arrive

• to arrive

Multiple Choice

I don't feel like _______________to a restaurant tonight. Let's stay home.

• going

• to go

Multiple Choice

If you practice ______________ no, it gets easier.

• saying

• to say

Multiple Choice

Doctors always suggest ______________ smoking.

• to quit

• quitting

Multiple Choice

Do you enjoy ______________ on the beach in the sun?

• sitting

• to sit

Multiple Choice

Do most people avoid _____________ about their problems?

• talking

• to talk