Gerunds
Gerunds and Infinitives have two possible functions; they can act as subjects or objects.
A gerund is formed by adding -ing to the end of a verb.
- swim - swimming
- cry- crying
I quit smoking over a year ago.
Running is stress relieving.
I look forward to meeting you.
Infinitive
An infinitive is the base form of a verb, and sometimes ‘to’ is added in front.
- swim / to swim
- cry / to cry
Infinitives have three main uses:
- Object of a verb (certain verbs are followed by an infinitive Ex. want, decide etc.)
- A noun (as nouns, they are placed at the beginning of a sentence. They replace activities. Infinitives as nouns sounds very formal, and are typically not used in speaking.
- After a verb + Object
I decided to find a new school.
She wants to enjoy her life.
She told me to go away.
Mixed Verbs: Infinitives and Gerunds
Some verbs are mixed, which means they can be followed by either a gerund or an infinitive. Sometimes there is no change in meaning, but other times the meaning changes.
No change in meaning
- like
- love
- hate
- prefer
- continue
- begin
Change in meaning
- try
- stop
- remember
- regret
- forget
- have
I love eating. / I love to eat.
I stopped reading and stared out the window. / I stopped to read under a willow tree.
Exercise
Open the exercise to begin the activity. Follow the instructions in the document.