GERUNDS AND INFINITIVES
Gerunds and infinitives are verb
forms that can function as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs. Understanding their differences and when to use each is essential for accurate English
usage.
“GERUNDS”
- Form: Verb + -ing
- Function: As a noun, subject,
or object of a sentence.
- Example:
- Noun: Swimming is my
favorite hobby.
- Subject: Running is
good exercise.
- Object: I enjoy reading
books.
“TO INFINTIVE”
- Form: "to" + Verb
- Function: As noun, adjective,
or adverb.
- Example:
- Noun: To learn a new
language is challenging.
- Adjective: I have a lot of
work to do.
- Adverb: She went to the
store to buy milk.
v When to Use Gerund and Infinitive?
The choice between a gerund and
an infinitive often depends on the verb or phrase that precedes it. Here are
some common patterns:
v Verbs followed by gerunds:
- Enjoy, love, like, dislike, hate: I
love dancing.
- Finish, avoid, mind, practice, consider: She
finished writing the report.
- Stop, start, begin: We
started studying for the exam.
v
Verbs followed by infinitives:
- Want, need, plan, hope, wish: I
want to travel to Europe.
- Decide, agree, offer, refuse, promise: He
agreed to help me.
- Learn, try, forget, remember: I
forgot to lock the door.
Some verbs can be followed by
either a gerund or an infinitive, but the meaning can change:
- Stop:
- I stopped smoking. (I
no longer smoke.)
- I stopped to smoke a cigarette. (I
paused to smoke.)
- Remember:
- I remember meeting him. (I
recall the past event.)
- Remember to call your mother.
(Don't forget to call her.)
- Forget:
- I forgot to bring my book. (I
didn't bring it.)
- I forgot bringing my book. (I
didn't remember bringing it.)
Practice Exercise: Fill in
the blanks with the correct form of the verb (gerund or infinitive):
- I enjoy _____ (listen) to music.
- She decided _____ (study) abroad.
- I forgot _____ (buy) milk.
- He stopped _____ (work) at 6 PM.
- They tried _____ (solve) the problem.
Source : www.gingersoftware.com
