Gerunds, participles & infinitives

When is a verb not a verb? When it tries to imitate another part of speech! Sometimes verbs do not act like verbs. Instead they act like nouns, adjectives and adverbs. When they do this we call them verbals. There are three main kinds of verbals: Gerunds Infinitives Participles

What is a gerund? Gerunds are verb forms that always end in “ing” and act like nouns. They can be the subject of a sentence. For example:  Sailing is John’s favorite activity. Sailing is used as the subject. The verb is the word is. A gerund can also be used as a direct object and we can even have more than one gerund in a sentence:  John likes fencing and jogging. The words fencing and jogging are used as direct objects in this sentence. What does John like? He likes fencing and jogging.

Use of Gerunds After prepositions As subjects or objects of a verb. After certain verbs: admit, avoid, consider, delay, deny, enjoy, finish, involve, mind, postpone, risk, suggest.

i-try Find the gerunds in the following sentences and underline them. Remember there can be more than one gerund in a sentence. Look for verbs that act like nouns. 1. Skating makes Janet happy. 2. Amber loves swimming, hiking and canoeing at camp. 3. Riding a bike is my favorite exercise. 4. Eating cookies in the car made a mess. 5. Susan enjoys reading and sewing. 6. My teacher planned a gym day of running and jumping.

Verb + verb Verb+ing Mariana spends time going from store to store. Group 1 Verb + ing Subject main verb1 verb *2 complement Mariana spends time going from store to store. Verb+ing Verb as subject: Walking is good for you. Smoking can cause lung cancer. Not sleeping eight hours causes stress. Running marathons makes you fitter.

Verb+ing After prepositions: Let’s talk about starting a new business. Thank you for coming here today. Jane is interested in getting a job here. Jane is good at calculating costs.

Verb+ing Reflecting on the past: I remember seeing that face before. Paola finished doing her work and helped me. Pete can’t stand getting stuck in traffic. I have always enjoyed listening to soft music.

Group 1 Verb + ing Mariana spends time going from store to store. Subject main verb1 verb *2 complement Mariana spends time going from store to store. don’t mind Peter doesn’t mind waiting for his classmates in the patio. can’t stand Phillip can’t stand waiting in line . don’t bother We don’t bother looking for problems. waste time We don’t waste time watching soaps. enjoy Women enjoy buying clothes for kids.

What is a Participle? Participles can be used as adjectives. Every verb has a present participle and a past participle.  The present participle always ends in ing.  The past participle usually ends in d, t, n, ed or en. Although the participle acts like an adjective, it is still part of a verb. It can take a direct object, and it can be modified or described by an adverb. Participles can have two jobs: 1. They can show tense when combined with a helping verb. For example:  John was riding his bike. Riding is a participle. Was is the helping verb. It shows the tense; it shows when John rode his bike.

What is a Participle? 2. They can be used as adjectives. Remember adjectives are words that are used to describe nouns. When participles are used as an adjective, they usually end in d, ed, en, ing or t. For example:  Burned toast stinks! Burned is the participle. It describes toast.  Running water looks pretty in a fountain. Running is the participle. It describes the water. Even though running is an action word it is not used as a verb in this sentence. It is used to describe the water instead. It acts like an adjective.

Participles A participle is a verbal that acts as an adjective. The crying woman left the movie theater. The frustrated child ran away from home. A participle is a form of a verb that acts as an adjective. The crying woman left the movie theater. The frustrated child ran away from home.

Past or Present Participles Participles ending in an “ing” are Present Participles Participles ending in an “ed” are Past Participles

Identify the Participles in the following sentences Sometimes my gurgling stomach keeps me from concentrating While sleeping with the TV on, the tormented child dreamt of monsters. Screaming adults tend to be very impatient.

Find and underline the participles in the following sentences Find and underline the participles in the following sentences. Look for participles used as adjectives. 1. Ruined spaghetti covered the stove. 2. A broken kite fell out of the tree. 3. Whipped cream tastes yummy on ice cream. 4. The prancing horse trotted past our seats. 5. My dancing class put on a show for the teachers. 6. John makes burnt toast every morning. 7. The breaking story at twelve is about our football championship. 8. A banging door scared Puffy into barking.

What is an infinitive? Infinitives are verb forms that can be used as nouns, adjectives or adverbs. An infinitive combines the word to with the base form of a verb. For example: to walk, to study, to fly, to dance, are all infinitives.  To fly a kite in the State Fair is Janet’s greatest ambition. To fly is the infinitive in the subject of the infinitive phrase, “to fly a kite in the State Fair”. To fly is used as a noun. It is the subject of the verb is.  Here is a book to color. To color is used as an adjective. It describes the book. What book? The book to color.  Janet played to win. To win is used as an adverb. Adverbs usually tell us how, when, or where an action is done. How did Janet play? She played to win.

What is an infinitive? Even when infinitives act like another part of speech, they keep their verb traits. Infinitives are still verbs. They express action or state of being, but they are never the main verb in a sentence. Infinitives can take a direct object and they can be modified by an adverb just like a regular verb.  Mark’s greatest wish was to play the tuba. To play is the infinitive. Tuba is the direct object. Was is the verb.

Use of Infinitives After adjectives Future tendency To say why you do something After certain verbs: agree, appear, arrange, ask, decide, demand, expect, fail, help, hope, intend, manage, offer, plan, promise, refuse, threaten, want

Infinitives To say why you do something: I come here to learn English. James called to leave a message. I bought a present to give to you. Paul works to feed his children.

i-try Infinitives are used as either nouns, adjectives or adverbs. Can you find and underline all the infinitives used below? 1. To win the drawing contest was Amy’s secret wish. 2. Here is the pitcher to fill. 3. Marian played to win. 4. I want to sail my boat this summer. 5. Here is a book to keep. 6. To pass the history test is John’s hope.

i-try Infinitives are used as either nouns, adjectives or adverbs. Can you find and underline all the infinitives used below? 1. To win the drawing contest was Amy’s secret wish. 2. Here is the pitcher to fill. 3. Marian played to win. 4. I want to sail my boat this summer. 5. Here is a book to keep. 6. To pass the history test is John’s hope.

Infinitive or gerund Joana doesn’t need___________ money from the bank. to borrow to borrow borrowing James is planning _____________ out of school. to drop to drop dropping

Mariana wants ________ a long vacation. to take to take taking My family does not enjoy __________ on vacation in July. going to go going

cancelling My boss can’t stand ________________ in the last minute. to cancel cancelling working Monica loves ___________in the production area. to work working

waiting The Manager doesn’t mind _________ for someone at the airport. to wait waiting To learn ______________ you need more than two years. to learn learning

Sending _________ text messages has become very popular. to send sending To operate ______________a computer, you need some training. to operate operating

At night I just want to stop __________ and go to bed. working to work working I was playing cards and I stopped __________ on my thesis. to work to work working

My job involves ________ with money. dealing to deal dealing My company doesn’t spend enough money on __________ staff. training to train training

I would be happy ________________ a more responsible job. to get to get getting _________________for a business degree is essential. Studying to study studying

Michael has finally decided ___________ the job. to accept to accept accepting doing Let´s talk about ____________ business in Miami. to do doing

Luckily, I don’t need ___________ money from the bank. to borrow to borrow borrowing ______________a sales manager, you need good leadership skills. To be to be being

reading Please don’t waste time ___________ those books. to read reading installing Mike is interested in _________________ a new computer system. to install installing

Students come _______________ a new language. to learn to learn learning to be It is nice ________ important but it is more important _________ nice. to be to be being

___________ always on time is a good habit Coming to come coming visiting Many men don’t mind____________ stores with their wives. to visit visiting

to receive Many men want _____________ gadgets as presents. to receive receiving visiting Michael can’t stand _____________ his in-laws. to visit visiting

Many ladies enjoy ___________ time with friends. spending to spend spending getting Joseph doesn’t spend money _______________ presents for people. to get getting

listening James doesn’t bother ______________ to rumors. to listen listening to change James is planning _____________ jobs this year. to change changing

After two hours of driving we stopped ____________ lunch at a small café. to have to have having I just can’t stand ________________ phone calls early morning on Sundays. receiving to receive receiving

Thank You..