Gerund and to-infinitive

gerunds and infinitives

A gerund is a verb in its present participle form (root verb + “ing”) that acts as a noun in a sentence.

​What is a gerund?

​V-ing = noun

• As a food blogger, eating is an involved production for Frank. 

• Jack turned off his phone and shut the door so he could focus on studying.

• I hope to set a new record in swimming. 

• They bonded over their shared love of hiking. 

Examples

​V-ing = noun

Which one is a gerund?

He is playing football in the garden.

Playing football is his hobby.

He likes playing football with his friends.

He wants to play football in the garden.

Which one is a gerund?

He is playing football in the garden.

Playing football is his hobby.

He likes playing football with his friends.

He wants to play football in the garden.

When to use gerunds?

• After some verbs and phrases: discuss, enjoy, avoid, can't help...
  She enjoys cooking.

• After prepositions
  He is interested in reading.

• As a subject of a sentence
  Biking is my newest hobby.

• Subject complement
  My preferred commuting method is biking. 

Infinitives are a form of verb that allow the word or a group of words to be used as a noun, adjective, or adverb.

There are two main types of infinitives: full infinitives and bare infinitives.

​What is an infinitive?

​full infinitive = to - verb

bare infinitive = verb (without to)

• To love someone requires patience and understanding. 

• I’m writing this email to tell you something important.

• Would you like something to drink? 

• We collected enough firewood to last the winter. 

• Playing cards is about knowing when to hold them and when to fold them. 

Examples

to-infinitive = to-verb

He made him promise to behave well. 

I don’t drink coffee in the evening. 

She watched the woman in the red dress walk across the dance floor. 

You must not mention politics when talking to my father. 

Examples

bare infinitive = verb (without to)

Which one is an infinitive?

She doesn't want to go camping.

I hope to see you this summer.

She makes me clean the room.

We might be late tonight.

Which one is an infinitive?

She doesn't want to go camping.

I hope to see you this summer.

She makes me clean the room.

We might be late tonight.

When to use to-infinitives

• After some verbs
  afford, agree, appear, arrange, ...
  She agreed to take part in the competition.

• With the words "too, enough"
  I have too many books to fit in my backpack. 

• After adjectives
  Computers are easy to use with practice. 

• As a subject of a sentence
  To love someone requires patience and understanding.

• To modify nouns
  We need a hero to save us.

• To show purpose
  Mom left to buy milk.
  
  

When to use bare infinitives

• After modal verbs (can, could, may, might, will, ...)
  She can swim.

• After perception verbs (see, hear, taste, feel, ...)
  I heard the car arrive before I saw it.

• With the verbs let, make, do
  Let me work in peace!

Notice

Passive infinitives

I was hoping to be given an A on my paper.

She expected to be thrown the ball since she was open.  

Both doors should be locked at night.

Continuous infinitives

I’d prefer to be sleeping right now. 

It would be a nightmare to be waiting outside in this storm. 

You must be joking! 

Drag and Drop

Doctors advise ​

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more vegetables ​

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weight.

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eating

to lose

to eat

losing

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She tries ​

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​

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my questions.

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to avoid

answering

avoiding

to answer

Drag and Drop

Would you mind ​

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the door?

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opening

to open

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My children prefer ​

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cartoons to ​

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to music.

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watching

listening

to watch

listen

Drag and Drop

Doctors advised me ​

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more vegetables ​

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weight. However, it's hard ​

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as I don't like ​

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vegetables.

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to eat

to lose

to follow

eating

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I expect ​

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you soon.

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to see

seeing

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I regretted ​

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here yesterday because I had to ​

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late.

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not coming

work

not to come

working

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You should ​

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​

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English every day.

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practice

speaking

to practice

to speak

Drag and Drop

Your shoes are dirty. You need ​

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them right away.

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to wash

washing

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The room needs ​

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right now because I haven't cleaned it for weeks.

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cleaning

to clean

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My wife suggested ​

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to Da Lat for our honeymoon.

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going

to go

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The boy was made ​

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hard.

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to work

working

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I am happy ​

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you.

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to help

helping

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They are fond of ​

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books, and they hate ​

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to music.

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reading

listening

to read

to listen

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It takes me one day ​

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the floor.

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to clean

cleaning

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We spent a week ​ ​

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the report.

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writing

to write

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You'd better ​

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your car ​served.

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have

having

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I try ​

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this book, but I haven't succeeded yet.

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to learn

learning

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Do you remember ​

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a newspaper for me on the way home?

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to buy

buying

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He couldn't stand ​

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at people.

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laughing

to laugh

Multiple Choice

We were astonished at _____ a good score for his TOEFL in spite of his poor English.

• he could get

• is being able to get

• to be able to get

• being able to get

Multiple Choice

Since my father and my mother are both working, we usually go _____ on Sundays.

• to shop

• they shop

• shopping

• for shopping

Multiple Choice

"Where is Budi?"

"Oh! I completely forgot ____ him."

• to invite

• not to invite

• not inviting

• invite

Multiple Choice

The thief denied _____ the jewelry although the police forced him to admit it.

• steal

• stealing

• stolen

• to steal

Multiple Choice

In her letter my friend said that she was looking forward _____ from me again.

• to hearing

• hearing

• to hear

• to being heard

Multiple Choice

The crowd has been waiting outside the hotel for hours just_____ a glimpse of the famous singer.

• getting

• for getting

• they get

• get

Multiple Choice

"Let's go and have lunch.”

"I’ll join you later. I had better not stop _____ on this report now."

• work

• to work

• I'll work

• working

Multiple Choice

The children went on talking when the teacher came into the room; in fact, they didn't even stop _____ “Good morning.”

• saying

• to say

• to be saying

• say

Multiple Choice

Being lost, the tourist stopped _____ at his map for the place they wanted to visit.

• looking

• he looked

• to look

• looked

Multiple Choice

“Has there been a new policy about sick leaves?”

“I don’t know, I don't remember _____ about it"

• was being told

• to be told

• being told

• I was being told

Multiple Choice

"Why don't you want Amir to be the team leader?"

“Well, I don't like _____ people around”

• his ordering

• he orders

• why he orders

• he is ordering

Multiple Choice

Alan can't stand.............on trains.

• ride

• to ride

• riding

Multiple Choice

As the famous saying goes, there's no use...........over spilt milk.

• crying

• to cry

• cry

Multiple Choice

My wife always volunteers.........cakes PTA meetings.

• baking

• bake

• to bake

Multiple Choice

Don't waste my time..............about your salary

• to complain

• complaining

• complain

Multiple Choice

Eva is having trouble..............on the exam.

• concentrate

• concentrating

• to concentrate

Multiple Choice

please allow me........your Facebook page.

• join

• joining

• to join

Multiple Choice

You won't forget..............milk on your way home, will you?

• picking up

• pick up

• to pick up

Multiple Choice

Some models hardly go out and they avoid _________ to clubs and restaurants. (go)

• go

• going

• to go

• to going

Multiple Choice

They never agree _________for photos for the paparazzi.(pose)

• pose

• posing

• to pose

• to posing

Multiple Choice

I manage _________ my private life separate from my public life. (keep)

• keep

• keeping

• to keep

• to keeping

Multiple Choice

I can't imagine __________ any privacy at all - that would be awful. ( not have)

• don't have

• not have

• not having

• no having

Multiple Choice

he couldn't face __________ the villa. (leave)

• leave

• to leave

• leaving

• to leaving

Multiple Choice

Complete the second sentence so that it has the same meaning as the first.

My mum hates to see very thin models. (Can't stand)

My mum ____________ very thin models.

• can't stand to see

• can't stand to seeing

• can't stand seeing

Multiple Choice

Complete the second sentence so that it has the same meaning as the first.

Vivienne didn't manage to keep her contact with Max Factor. (fail)

Vivienne ___________ her contact with Max Factor.

• failed keep

• failed keeping

• failed to keep

• fail to keep=

Multiple Choice

One of my employees failed ................... the deadline.

• to meet 

• meeting 

Multiple Choice

We didn't mind them.................... with us.

• staying

• to stay 

Multiple Choice

I don't expect you .................... all the names and dates.

• remembering

• to remember

Multiple Choice

My husband is considering ................... the job.

• changing

• to change

Multiple Choice

His company guaranteed ............... the employees' families

• to look after

• looking after

Multiple Choice

I miss .................. to the cinema on a regular basis.

• going 

• to go

Multiple Choice

The president claims ................. his money legally.

• to earn 

• earning

Multiple Choice

By having made this decision she risked ............. all her fortune.

• losing

• to lose

Multiple Choice

It can be dangerous ______(take) too many vitamin tablets.

• take

• to take

• taking

Multiple Choice

____ (eat) fast food is unhealthy.

• eating

• eat

• to eat

Multiple Choice

I'm English. I am not used to ___(drive) on the right.

• drive

• to drive

• driving

Multiple Choice

I promise ____________ (help) you tomorrow.

• to help

• help

• helping

Multiple Choice

I wish people would let me ____(decide) what I can and can't do.

• deciding

• decide

• to decide

Multiple Choice

My mother makes me _____ (clean) the kitchen.

• clean

• to clean 

• cleaning

Multiple Choice

I'd like you to think about ___(join) our company.

• join

• to join

• joining

Multiple Choice

Tiago refused _____ his brother escape from prison.

• to help

• helping

• help

Multiple Choice

The police told Rafael that ____ old ladies was a terrible thing to do.

• to attack

• attacking

• attack

Multiple Choice

We had such a great time on that holiday that I forgot my broken heart. Suddenly I noticed that it was getting late. We stopped __________ and promised to meet up again soon.

• chat

• to chat

• chatting

• to chatting

Multiple Choice

She finished .............. the report during the weekend.

• type

• to type

• typing

• typed

Multiple Choice

..................... the exams, students have to learn hard.

• To pass

• Passed

• Pass

• Passing

Multiple Choice

Jack made me ……………………… him next week .

• to promise to call

• to promise calling

• promise to call

• promise calling

Multiple Choice

You could try _____________ a different brand and see if you like it.

• use

• to use

• using

• used

Multiple Choice

I don't remember _____________ this sign before. Was it there yesterday?

• see

• to see

• seeing

• saw

Multiple Choice

Do you ever stay awake at night because you can't stop ________ about a problem?

• thinking

• to study

• remember

• sleeping

Multiple Choice

I don’t fancy ______________ out tonight.

• to go

• go

• going

Multiple Choice

Do you mind ______________me a hand?

• give

• to give

• giving

Multiple Choice

My boss suggested .............. English lessons. 

• taking 

• to take 

Multiple Choice

It seems ................... the only possible answer.

• being

• to be

Multiple Choice

I'm planning .................. all capital cities in Europe.

• to visit

• visiting

Multiple Choice

I wanted _______________ alone but Joe insisted on _______________ with me.

• going / to come

• going/ coming

• to go/ coming

• to go/ to come

Multiple Choice

We can't afford ______________ on holiday.

• going

• to go

• to going

• went

Multiple Choice

She threatened ____________________ if she didn't get a higher salary.

• quit

• to quit

• to have quit

• being quit

Multiple Choice

I didn't mean ............... you

• to hurt

• hurting 

Multiple Choice

The company offered ___ her a promotion.

• giving

• to give

Multiple Choice

Leila dreams of ____________ a famous actress.

• becoming

• to become

• become

Multiple Choice

Do you want _____ to the beach this afternoon?

• to go

• go

• going

• to going

Multiple Choice

I don´t mind _____ you with your household chores.

• help

• helping

• to help

• to helping

Multiple Choice

I can't promise _____ on time.

• to be

• be

• being

• to being

Multiple Choice

We were unhappy with the service, so the restaurant offered _____ us a free dinner

• giving

• to give

• give

• to giving

Multiple Choice

They drove without _____ for 6 hours.

• to stopping

• stopping

• to stop

• not to stop

Multiple Choice

I decided _____ camping because I didn't have much money.

• to go

• going

• to going

• go

Multiple Choice

We hope _____ this competition.

• to win

• winning

• win

• to winning

Multiple Choice

Sue is interested in _____ a teacher

• become

• became

• becoming

• to becoming

Multiple Choice

The exam has now begun. You must _____ your hand if you need any assistance.

• raise

• to raise

• raising

• to raising