GRAMMAR TASK I
Infinitive and Gerund
Infinitive
After an adjective Example: The new computer is really easy to use.
After certain verbs (with to) Example: He refused to pay the bill.
afford expect manage refuse
agree fail mean want
appear help (also offer wish
arrange without to) plan would like
beg hesitate prepare would love
choose hope pretend would prefer
decide learn promise
Gerund
As the subject of a clause Example: Cycling is good for your health.
After a preposition Example: I did my homework before going out.
Verbs followed by Gerund Example: I enjoy cooking.
admit can't stand finish practise
advise deny keep suggest
allow dislike mind waste time
avoid enjoy miss / money
can't help fancy permit
Verbs with Prepositions followed by Gerund
Example: I'm looking forward to seeing you again soon.
accuse of
blame for dream about/of look forward to
agree with
care for feel like object to
apologize for
carry on forgive for think of
ask about
complain about give up succeed in
believe in
concentrate on insist on use for
be used to
depend on keep on
Words followed either by Infinitive or Ing-Form
Words with the same meaning Example: I started to read. / I started reading.
attempt begin bothe r
cannot hate prefe
bear intend r
cease love start
continu
e
Words with the same meaning but different use
Word Infinitive - with an object Gerund – without an object
advise I advise you to go by bus. I advise going by bus.
allow / permit He allowed her to take the car. He allowed taking the car.
forbid She forbids us to smoke. She forbids smoking.
Words with a different meaning
Word Infinitive meaning Gerund meaning
with regard to the future with regard to the past
forget / remember Remember to switch off the lights. Do you remember switching off the lights?
Spanish: Recuerda apagar las luces Spanish: ¿Recuerdas haber apagado las luces?
start something new
continue with the same action
go on Go on to read.
Go on reading.
Spanish:
with regard to the future with regard to the past
regret I regret to say that’s wrong. I regret saying that.
Spanish: Lamento decir que está mal. Spanish: Lamento haber dicho que está mal.
interrupt another action terminate
stop I stopped to smoke. I stopped smoking.
Spanish: Paré para fumar. Spanish: Paré de fumar.
do something complicated do it and see what happens
try Try to solve this riddle. Try talking to him.
Spanish: Intenta resolver este acertijo. Spanish: Prueba a hablar con él.
Gerund or Infinitive - Exercise 1
1) A lot of people are worried about Losing their 6) Are you thinking of _ visiting London? (visit)
jobs. (lose) 7) He apologized for arriving so late. (arrive)
2) He agreed to buy a new car. (buy) 8) Stop making noise, please; I’m studying.
3) The question is easy _ to answer (answer) (make)
4) Not everybody can afford going to 9) She doesn't mind working the night shift.
university. (go) (work)
5) I look forward to see you at the weekend. 10) I learned to ride the bike at the age of 5.(ride)
(see)
Gerund or Infinitive - Exercise 2
1) We decided to buy a new car. (buy)
2) I regret telling you we won’t lend you the 7) Avoid making silly mistakes.(make)
money. (tell) 8) My parents wanted me to be home at 11
3) Peter gave up smoking _.(smoke) o'clock. (be)
4) He'd like to fly an aeroplane.(fly) 9) I dream about building _ a big house. (build)
5) I enjoy writing picture postcards. (write) 10) He advised me not to spend so much
6) He offered to help help with the cleaning. money. (not spend)
(help)
Gerund or Infinitive Exercise 1
1 Fill the gaps with the verb in brackets in the appropriate form.
1 I can't stand _ waiting _ in queues. ( to wait )
2 I wouldn't like to be in his shoes. ( to be )
3 Jim loves working in Thailand. ( to work )
4 I hate _ doing the shopping on Saturday. ( to do )
5 Blast! I forgot to buy _ milk. ( to buy )
6 In the end we decided _to stay__ in. ( to stay )
7 I need to find some information about Portugal. ( to find )
8 My parents like going for long walks at the weekend. ( to go )
9 Tony gave up smoking years ago. ( to smoke )
10 I wanted to go and see Troy but no one else was interested. ( to go )
11 Mrs Leith offered _to take us to the airport. ( to take )
12 Clare refused to help clean up after the party. ( to help )
13 I tried to persuade him to come but it was no use. ( to persuade )
14 Do you mind not __smoking__ ? ( to smoke )
15 Everybody really enjoyed _ dancing the cha-cha-cha. ( to dance )
16 Lionel admitted eating____my chocolate mousse. ( to eat )
2 Check your answers and put the verbs in bold into the right columns. Translate the verbs.
VERB + GERUND VERB + TO + INFINITIVE
Translation Translation
admit .......admit.............. decide .......decide...................
can´t stand _ .......can´t stand.. forget .......forgot...................
enjoy ........enjoy............. need _ ..........need................
give up ....give.up.............. offer .........offer.................
hate _ ....hate................ refuse ..........refuse................
like _ .........like............... try .........try .................
love ..........love.......... want ...........want...............
mind _ .......mind........... would like ........wouldn´t.like.................
Gerund or Infinitive Exercise 2
1 Use the verbs in brackets to fill the gaps.
1 We arranged _ to meet under the station clock at half nine. ( to meet )
2 I always try to avoid seeing _ him whenever I can. ( to see )
3 I long _ to be _ in Scotland again. ( to be )
4 My Mum demanded to see _ the manager. ( to see )
5 My brother denied eating my chocolate mousse. Maybe his hamster ate it. ( to eat )
6 I tried to understand but I just couldn't. ( to understand )
7 In the end I gave up trying _ to persuade her. ( to try )
8 Charlie was pretending _to be a chicken. ( to be )
9 They chose to stay in a cheap hotel but spend more money on meals. ( to stay)
10 We like Galicia so much that we keep going _ back there. ( to go )
11 He deserves to be _ severely punished. ( to be )
12 When we visit my aunt, they expect me to be on my best behaviour. ( to be )
13 I didn't mean to hurt _ her feelings. I'm really sorry. ( to hurt )
14 I always put off doing _ my homework until the last possible moment. ( to do )
15 He goes on telling __ me the same thing over and over again. ( to tell )
16 I can't stand _ waiting _ in the queue at the baker's. ( to wait )
17 The firemen managed _ to put out the fire pretty quickly. ( to put out )
18 I never risk going __ through that part of town. ( to go )
19 Clare offered to take _ me to the airport, which was very kind of her. ( to take )
20 Dad threatened to stop _ my pocket money if I didn't do my homework. ( to stop )
2 Check your answers and put the verbs in bold into the right columns. Translate the verbs.
VERB + GERUND VERB + TO + INFINITIVE
Translation Translation
1 avoid ........avoid........... 1 arrange
.........arrange.............
2 deny .......deny................... 2 choose
..........choose.............
3 give up ........give.up........... 3 deserve
..........deserv..........
4 put off .........put.off............ 4 manage
........manage..........
5 risk ..........risk............... 5 threaten
.........threaten.......
