GERUNDS AND INFINITIVES
Gerunds and infinitives are sometimes referred to as verb complements. They may
function as subjects or objects in a sentence.
What are Gerunds?
A gerund is a verb in its ing (present participle) form that functions as a noun that names
an activity rather than a person or thing. Any action verb can be made into a gerund.
Spelling Tip
Verbing (Present Participle)
Add ing to most verbs. Ex. play > playing, cry > crying, bark > barking
For verbs that end in e, remove the e and add ing. Ex: slide > sliding, ride > riding
For verbs that end in ie, change the ie to y and add ing. Ex: die > dying, tie > tying
For a verb whose last syllable is written with a consonant-vowel-consonant and is
stressed, double the last letter before adding ing. Ex: beg > begging, begin >
beginning. However: enter > entering (last syllable is not stressed)
Gerund Examples
Gerunds can appear at the beginning of a sentence when used as a subject:
1. Jogging is a hobby of mine.
Gerunds can act as an object following the verb:
1. Daniel quit smoking a year ago.
Gerunds can serve as an object after a preposition:
1. I look forward to helping you paint the house.
Note: The same spelling rules that apply to the progressive tenses also apply to gerunds.
Some verbs and verb phrases are directly followed a gerund:
1. Paul avoids using chemicals on the vegetables he grows.
Some verbs can be followed by a gerund or an infinitive without causing a change in
meaning:
1. Some people prefer getting up early in the morning.
2. Some people prefer to get up early in the morning.
Some verbs can be followed by a gerund or infinitive but with a change in meaning:
1. He remembered sending the fax. (He remembered the act of send the fax)
2. He remembered to send the fax. (He remembered the fax and sent it.)
What are Infinitives?
An infinitive is a verb form that acts as other parts of speech in a sentence. It is formed
with to + base form of the verb. Ex: to buy, to work.
Infinitive Examples
Infinitives can be used as:
an object following the verb:
1. Jim always forgets to eat
a subject at the beginning of a sentence:
1. To travel around the world requires a lot of time and money.
an adverb modifying a verb:
1. You promised to buy me a diamond ring.
an adjective modifying a noun:
1. Tara has the ability to succeed.
Some verbs are directly followed by an infinitive:
1. Do you want to call your family now?
Some verbs are directly followed by a noun or pronoun and then by an infinitive:
1. I convinced Catherine to become vegetarian.
2. He advised me to sell all my shares of stock.
Some verbs can be followed by an infinitive or a gerund without causing a change in
meaning:
1. Will you continue working after you give birth?
2. Will you continue to work after you give birth?
Some verbs can be followed by an infinitive or a gerund but with a change in meaning:
1. He stopped drinking coffee. (He never drank coffee again.)
2. He stopped to drink coffee. (He stopped what he was doing and drank some
coffee.)
Exercises – Gerunds and Infinitives
Choose the correct gerund or infinitive from the parenthesis at the end of the sentence.
Ex. She likes to get up early in the morning. (likes / dislikes)
1. Alan can’t stand _________ on trains. (riding/ to ride)
2. Mr. Harris enjoys _________ people out to dinner. (inviting / to invite)
3. In the old days, gentlemen challenged their rivals _______. (fighting / to fight)
4. As the famous saying goes, there’s no use ______ over spilt milk. (crying / to cry)
5. Jim stopped _________ his shoelace. Wait for him. (tying / to tie)
6. My wife always volunteers ___________ cakes PTA meetings. (baking / to bake)
7. Don’t waste my time ___________ about your salary. (complaining/ to complain)
8. Eva is having trouble _________ on the exam. (concentrating / to concentrate)
9. Please allow me ____________ your Facebook page. (joining / to join)
10. You won’t forget _________milk on your way home, will you? (picking up /to pick up)
Answers:
1. riding
2. inviting
3. to fight
4. crying
5. to tie
6. to bake
7. complaining
8. concentrating
9. to join
10. to pick up
Reference Lists – Gerunds and Infinitives
Common verbs and phrases that are followed by a gerund
admit
advise
avoid
be used to
can’t help
can’t stand
consider
deny
discuss
dislike
end up
enjoy
feel like
finish
forget
get used to
give up
go on
have difficulty
have problems
have trouble
imagine
it’s no use
it’s worthwhile
keep
look forward to
mention
mind
miss
recommend
remember
quit
spend time
stop
suggest
understand
waste time
work at
Common verbs that can be followed by either a gerund or an infinitive without causing a
change in meaning
begin
continue
hate
intend
like
love
prefer
start
Common verbs that can be followed by a gerund or infinitive but with a change in
meaning
forget
remember
stop
Common verbs that are followed by an infinitive
afford
agree
appear
arrange
ask
care
decide
demand
expect
fail
forget
hope
learn
manage
mean
offer
plan
prepare
pretend
promise
refuse
remember
seem
stop
volunteer
wait
want
wish
Common verbs that are directly followed by a noun or pronoun and then by an infinitive
advise
allow
ask
cause
challenge
command
convince
expect
forbid
force
hire
instruct
invite
order
pay
permit
program
remind
teach
tell
urge
want
warn
Lista de verbos irregulares
INFINITIVO PASADO PARTICIPIO SIGNIFICADO
arise arose arisen Elevarse, surgir, originarse.
awake awoke awoken Despertar, mover, excitar.
bear bore born Soportar, sostener, tolerar.
beat beat beaten Batir,revolver, golpear, vencer.
become became become Hacerse,tornarse,convertirse en.
begin began begun Empezar, iniciar.
bend bent bent Doblar, inclinar, torcer.
bet bet bet Apostar
bind bound bound Atar, unir, enlazar.
bite bit bitten Morder.
blow blew blown Soplar
break broke broken Quebrar, partir, romper.
bring brought brought Traer, llevar, conducir.
build built Built Construir, edificar.
burn burnt burnt Quemar, incendiar.
burst burst burst Romper, reventar.
buy bought bought Comprar
catch caught caught Coger, asir, atrapar.
choose chose chosen Escoger, elegir.
cling clung clung Asirse, adherirse, pegarse.
come came come Venir
cost cost Cost Costar
creep crept crept Arrastrarse,deslizarse, pegarse.
cut cut Cut Cortar, dividir.
deal dealt dealt Tratar, tener que referirse.
dig dug Dug Cavar, ahondar.
do did Done Hacer, ejecutar.
draw drew drawn Tirar, arrastrarse, atraer, dibujar.
drink drank drunk Beber
drive drove driven Impulsar, conducir, llevar, inducir.
fall fell fallen Caer, disminuir.
feed fed Fed Alimentar, nutrir.
feel felt Felt Sentir, percibir, tocar.
fight fought fought Pelear, combatir.
find found found Encontrar, descubrir.
find out found out found out Averiguar, investigar.
flee fled Fled Escapar, huír, evitar.
fly flew flown Volar
forbid forbade forbidden Prohibir.
foresee foresaw foreseen Prever, prevenir
forget forgot forgotten Olvidar (se)
forgive forgave forgiven Perdonar
freeze froze frozen Congelar
get got got (ten) Lograr, obtener, conseguir.
give gave given Dar, conceder.
go went Gone Ir (se), funcionar, resultar.
grind ground ground Moler, triturar.
grow grew grown Crecer, cultivar.
hang hung Hung Colgar, Suspender.
have had Had Tener, haber.
hear heard heard Oír, escuchar.
hide hid hid (den) Ocultar, encubrir.
hit hit Hit Pegar, golpear, acertar.
hold held Held Sostener,mantener,contener.
hurt hurt Hurt Herir, dañar, lastimar.
keep kept Kept Mantener,guardar,conservar.
know knew known Conocer, saber.
lay laid Laid Poner, colocar.
lead led Led Guiar, llevar, conducir.
lean leant leant Inclinar(se), apoyarse.
learn learnt learnt Aprender, saber.
leave left Left Partir, irse, abandonar.
lend lent Lent Prestar
let let Let Permitir, conceder.
lie lay Lain Tenderse, descansar, estar, situado.
light lit Lit Alumbrar, iluminar, encender (se).
lose lost Lost Perder, malgastar.
make made made Hacer, confeccionar, producir.
mean meant meant Significar,querer decir pretender.
meet met Met Encontrarse, satisfacer.
melt melted molten (old) Derretir(se), fundir(se).
mistake mistook mistaken Equivocarse, comprender mal, errar
misunderstand misunderstood misunderstood Entender mal.
overcome overcame overcome Vencer, superar, sobreponerse.
pay paid Paid Pagar, recompensar.
put put Put Poner,colocar, exponer.
read read Read Leer,descifrar, marcar.
rebuild rebuilt rebuilt Reconstruir
rid rid Rid Librarse, zafarse.
ride rode ridden Rodar, tener juego, funcionar.
ring rang Rung Tocar, sonar.
rise rose Risen Ascender,elevarse,levantarse, surgir.
run ran Run Correr, funcionar.
saw sawed sawn Cortar con sierra, aserrar.
say said Said Decir, afirmar.
see saw Seen Ver, observar.
seek sought sought Buscar, solicitar.
sell sold Sold Vender
send sent Sent Enviar
set set Set Instalar, establecer, colocar, fijar.
shake shook shaken Sacudir, lanzar, agitar.
shed shed Shed Derramar, esparcir, dejar caer.
shine shone shone Brillar, relumbrar, sobresalir.
shoot shot Shot Disparar, emitir, lanzar.
show showed shown Mostrar, excibir, probar, demostar.
shrink shrank shrunk Encogerse, disminuir, desaparecer.
shut shut Shut Cerrar, impedir, excluír.
sing sang Sung Cantar
sink sank Sunk Hundir, sumergir
sit sat Sat Sentarse, reunirse.
sleep slept Slept Dormir
slide slid slid(den) Resbalar, deslizarse, escabullirse.
smell smelt smelt Oler, percibir.
speak spoke spoken Hablar, decir.
speed sped Sped Acelerar, apresurarse.
spend spent spent Gastar, consumir, emplear (tiempo).
spill spilt Spilt Derramar, verter, divulgar.
spin spun Spun Tornear, hilar, hacer girar.
split split Split Partir, dividir, separar, reventar.
spoil spoilt spoilt Deteriorar, dañar, inutilizar.
spread spread spread Extender, esparcir, propagar.
spring sprang sprung Saltar, soltar, brotar, surgir.
stand stood stood Pararse, tolerar, estar (de pié).
steal stole stolen Robar, escabullirse.
stick stuck stuck Pegar, adherirse, prender, fijar.
stink stank stunk Oler mal, apestar.
strike struck struck Golpear, pegar, estallar.
swell swelled swollen Hinchar, inflamar, engrosar.
swim swam swum Nadar, flotar.
swing swung swung Balancera(se), hacer girar.
take took taken Tomar, llevar.
teach taught taught Enseñar
tear tore Torn Romper, despedazar, rasgar.
tell told Told Decir, contar, narrar.
think thought thought Pensar, creer.
throw threw thrown Lanzar, tirar, impeler, arrojar.
thrust thrust thrust Introducir con violencia, empujar, impeler
undergo underwent undergone Sufrir, experimentar, pasar por.
understand understood understood Comprender.
undertake undertook undertaken Emprender, comenzar algo.
undo undid undone Desarmar, deshacer.
wake woke woke (n) Despertar, excitar.
wear Wore Worn Gastar(se), consumirse, usar.
win Won Won Ganar, conquistar.
wind Wound wound Enroscar(se), serpentear, girar.
withdraw Withdrew withdrawn Retirar, retractarse, quitar.
withstand Withstood withstood Resistir, oponerse, soportar.
