Gerunds & infinitives

Gerunds Subject or object of a sentence. Eating fruit is healthy. Taking a decision isn’t easy. My favourite hobby is painting . After a preposition. Before leaving, finish your chores. Concentrate on doing your homework. His dad prevented her from going to the party. He is very good at swimming.

Gerunds After some verbs: miss, enjoy , finish, mind, like, practise,recommend, spend time, waste time, put off, feel like, look forward to, avoid, admit, detest, deny, suggest , can’t stand, can’t help, consider eg.: I miss going to the beach with my friends. I don’t mind leaving earlier.

To + Infinitives To express the aim or purpose of an action ( purpose infinitive). He sent her a text to see her after school. We are going to phone him to ask him about the trip. After adjectives ( easy, difficult, normal…) It was hard to do the exercise. It was great to go to the concert together.

Vb +Sb+ to do Convince/ persuade, allow / permit, encourage, order/ tell, teach, want, warn advise, expect ,forbid, invite, request / ask They convinced me to take part in the competion. The police warned them not to get into the shop. The teacher didn’t allow us to leave the classroom.

To+ infinitives After some verbs: aim, intend, want, plan, decide, need, help, tend, teach, learn , manage, can’t afford. He aimed to study, but he failed. I managed to hand in the writing in time. He tends to misbehave. After nouns. The freedom to do nothing would be good.

Remember/ forget/ regret 1st 2nd Remember action Forget to inf. Regret I must remember to turn the mobile off. We shouldn’t forget to buy her a present. We regret to inform you that flighthas been cancelled.

Remember/ forget/ regret 1st action 2nd Remember Forget Regret He’ll never forget visiting London ( memory) She remembers seeing it on the internet. I regret going to the party.

Mean Mean + to inf. “Intend / plan” Mean + ing “Imply, suppose” I meant to write a report. She meant to come. Mean + ing “Imply, suppose” This means spending a lot of money.

Stop Stop + ing (A habit , quit) I’ve stopped eating fast food. Stop + to inf. (Stop an action to do another) I stopped to talk to her.

Try Try + ing (a suggestion, or a possible solution to a problem) If your head hurts, try drinking some water. Try+ to inf. ( intend, do one’s best) Turn the TV off! I’m trying to read

Other cases To inf / -ing He started talking Begin, start continue He is starting to talk. Would Love, like, hate , prefer+ TO INF. I would love to go to the cinema with you.

Modals Can could needn’t infinitive without to ought to = should Have to Need to

Present / past participle forms Present participle : -ing walking Past participle : ed/ 3rd column confused/ gone Perfect participle having walked Perfect passive participle having been given

We can use present and past participles as adjectives: She was crying, when she left the room. Crying, she left the room. He was frightened, so he ran as fast as he could. Frightened, he ran as fast as he could.

While he was walking downstairs, he fainted. When one action happens at the same time as another action , we use the present participle. While he was walking downstairs, he fainted. Walking downstairs, he fainted. When one action happens before another action , we use the perfect participle. First he had his breakfast.Then , he went out. Having had his breakfast , he went out.

When one action follows another short action, we can use the present perfect. He picked up his phone. Then he left Picking up his phone, he left.

Partiticipial phrases Fewer words Same subject Common in writtten English To explain or say why someone does something .

Sense verbs See watch hear feel notice I noticed the people leaving. (it emphasizes the entire action)