What’saGerund?
What’sanInfini2ve?
Averbendingin–ingthatisusedasanoun,
eitherasasubject,objectorcomplement.
Averbprecededby“to”thatisusedasa
subject,objectorcomplementofasentence.
Examples:
Examples:
•  ReadinghelpsstudentslearnEnglish.(Gerundas •  TotravelisexciCng.(Infini6veasasubject.)
asubject.)
•  HenrywantstostudyEnglish.(Infini6veasan
•  HeenjoysreadingforEnglishclass.(Gerundasan
object.)
object.)
•  HewantsabeEerjobtoearnmoremoney.
•  Herhobbiesincludereading.(Gerundasa
(Infini6veasacomplement.)
complement.)
*Note:eitherthegerundortheinfini1vecanbeusedassubject,objectorcomplement.
Theinfini1veisgenerallymoreo?enusedsoitisworthtryingtoremember
thespecificinstanceswherethegerundmustbeused
WhentouseaGerund?
Whenthewordisthesubjectofaclause:
• 
• 
Swimmingisgoodexercise.
Doctorssaythatsmokingisbadfor
ADerapreposi2on:
• 
• 
• 
Ilookforwardtomee2ngyou(thepreposiConal
phraseisforwardto)
TheyleOwithoutsayinggoodbye.
Wearetalking/worried/thinkingaboutgoing
ADercertainverbs:
Avoid,dislike,enjoy,finish,giveup,mind/notmind,
prac6se,stop,suggest*
*Note–therearelessverbsthatalwaysgowiththe
gerundsotrytolearnthem
WhentouseanInfini2ve?
ADeradjec2ves,forexample:
•  disappointed,glad,happy,pleased,relieved,sad,surprised
•  Thisincludes"to+adjecCve"and"adjecCve+enough".
Examples:
•  Iwashappytohelpthem.
•  Shewillbedelightedtoseeyou.
•  Thewaterwastoocoldtoswimin.
•  Isyourcoffeetoohottodrink?
•  HewasstrongenoughtoliDit.
•  Sheisrichenoughtobuytwo
ADercertainverbs,forexample:
forget,help,learn,teach,train,choose,expect,hope,
need,offer,want,wouldlike,agree,encourage,pretend,
intend,promise,allow,can/can'tafford,decide,manage,
mean,refuse,plan,try
Examples:
•  Iforgottoclosethewindow.
•  Maryneedstoleaveearly.
•  WhyaretheyencouragedtolearnEnglish?
•  Wecan'taffordtotakealongholiday.
• 
Someverbscanbefollowedbytheinfini2veor-ingformwithoutabigchangeinmeaning:
begin,con6nue,hate,intend,like,love,prefer,propose,start
Itstartedtorain/Itstartedraining
Iliketoplaytennis/Ilikeplayingtennis
MoreExamplesofwhentheGerundisused
Ifthe“to”isapreposiConthatispartofaphrase,itisfollowedbyagerund(ing)
Expression
PhrasalVerbs,e.g.Lookforwardto
AdjecCve+preposiConalphrase
Noun+preposiConalphrase
Examples
•  Ilookforwardtoseeingyoutomorrow
•  Heobjectedtolisteningtothenoise
•  Johnneveradaptedtolivingintheheat
•  Billisdedicatedtoworkingforcharity
•  Iamusedtowalkingtowork
•  Janeisaddictedtobloggingontheinternet
•  Bill’sdedica2ontoworkingforcharityis
admirable
•  Jane’saddic2ontobloggingisaproblem
•  Mike’sreac2ontoreceivingthenewswas
surprising.