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ANGLO-PEDIA Anglo-File 114: GERUND & INFINITIVE

A) Gerund after prepositions A general rule that applies to the use of gerund (‘ing’ form of a verb) is that after a preposition

(in, on at, to etc.) the verb has to be in the gerund form (doing) and not in the infinitive (to do):

We left after saying good-bye.

Jill thanked me for helping her. He insisted on driving me home.

I’m fond of skiing.

Be careful that the word ‘to’ is both a preposition, and the indicator of an infinitive verb: 1. I want to see the manager. (infinitive)

2. She is used to this climate. (preposition)

Therefore, if you put a verb after the expression ‘to be used to’, that verb must be in the gerund

form: She is used to living in this climate.

Other examples: They look forward to their holiday. / They look forward to going on holiday.

We are entitled to compensation. / We are entitled to receiving compensation. He is committed to quality. / He is committed to improving the quality.

B) Gerund or Infinitive after verbs and expressions When a sentence has a second verb directly after its main verb, this second verb can take one of three forms:

1. Infinitive without to (do) 2. Infinitive with to (to do)

3. Gerund (doing)

There are no rules for choosing the form. It is a question of hearing and repeating the correct

form, until it becomes a reflex. Here are the commonly used verbs and expressions in each case.

1. Verbs & expressions followed by Infinitive without to (do):

Modal verbs: You can go.

She couldn’t find it. They must see it.

She should try harder.

Shall we stop? It might happen.

May I speak? Dare he return?

Notice these two verbs where ‘to’ is the second part of the modal verb: You ought to rest.

You have to rest.

Other verbs & expressions: Let him go.

She made me apologise. We had better leave.

She would rather stay. Why don’t we go for a drive? (suggestion)

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2. Verbs & expressions followed by Infinitive with to (to do):

She wants to succeed. Tim has decided to leave.

She helped me to pack. (You can also use ‘infinitive without to’: ‘She helped me pack’.)

We expect to arrive shortly. He has advised us to sell our business.

I’d like to meet him.

She has threatened to resign. I forgot to book a table. = I didn’t remember to book a table.

(If you say: ‘I don’t remember booking a table’, it means that you have done it, but you have no memory of this action.)

He failed to qualify for the competition. We can’t afford to waste our time.

They’ve managed to buy tickets. You need to make a reservation.

I didn’t mean to upset you.

He deserves to get a salary raise.

3. Verbs & expressions followed by gerund (doing):

She likes / loves cooking. (You can also use ‘infinitive with to’: ‘She likes /

loves to cook.) I hate / dislike ironing.

We enjoy walking in the woods.

I don’t mind staying home. Would you mind opening the window?

I suggest / recommend / propose creating a company logo. He avoids speaking to me.

We risk going bankrupt. I don’t feel like dancing.

Do you fancy having a drink? They regret hiring him.

How about going away for the weekend?

He spends too much time watching television. They go skiing / mountain climbing / scuba diving once a year. (sport / activity)

We are considering moving to New Zealand. She has given up / stopped trying.

It started / began / continued snowing. (You can also use ‘infinitive with to’: ‘It started / began / continued to snow.)

She continued explaining the problem. Can you imagine driving at 250 km/ h?

He denies being involved in the fight.

It’s no use crying about it. She has difficulty / problems reading without glasses.

Don’t bother asking for a discount. (You can also use ‘infinitive with to’: ‘Don’t bother to ask for a discount.)

Please Keep / keep on trying. She can’t help falling asleep in class.

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ANGLO-PEDIA Anglo-File 114: GERUND & INFINITIVE

EXERCISES

Choose the correct form of the verb in brackets (do, to do, doing). (Tracks 1-57)

Examples: She helped me …….. (fill in the form).

She helped me to fill in the form. We mustn’t ………… (forget this). We mustn’t forget this.

She likes ……………… (live in the countryside.) She likes living in the countryside

1. I suggest …………………….. (have) a break.

2. Would you mind ……………………… (repeat) that?

3. Please, let me ……………………….. (finish).

4. They expected …………………… (see) better results.

5. We have to avoid …………………… (make) the same mistake.

6. She has decided ………………….. (resign) from her job.

7. I hate ……………………… (queue) at the cinema.

8. I was advised …………………… (book) my flight early.

9. Do you enjoy …………………(walk) around the park?

10. He made me ………………….. (sign) an agreement.

11. He may risk …………………… (lose) his job.

12. I recommend ……………….. (postpone) the meeting.

13. Would you like ……………………….. (have) a seat?

14. Do you feel like ………………….. (go out)?

15. Do you fancy …………………………. (go) for a walk?

16. I am tired. I would rather ………………. (stay) home.

17. I am not used to ………………. (wake) up early in the morning.

18. Have you thought of ………………. (join) the football club?

19. I don’t regret ………………. (buy) this camera.

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20. She’s interested in …………………… (do) business with us.

21. My neighbour threatened ………………. (call) the police.

22. We had better ………………. (tell) him the truth.

23. Don’t forget ………………. (post) the letter I gave you.

24. I have always wanted ………………. (go) scuba diving.

25. She wanted her children ………………. (have) a good education.

26. Sarah failed ………………. (make) a good impression.

27. Everyone was afraid. No one dared ………………. (say) anything.

28. How about …………… (have) dinner early tonight?

29. She has spent a lot of time ………………. (prepare) her speech.

30. They can’t afford ………………. (buy) a new car.

31. They usually go ………………. (cycle) on Sundays.

32. Have you considered ………………. (sell) your boat?.

33. We managed ………………. (get) to the airport on time.

34. He has finally given up ……………….. (smoke).

35. I need ………………. (borrow) some money.

36. I don’t remember ………………. (lend) you €100 last week.

37. Please remember ……………… (turn off) the lights.

38. We can’t go on ………………. (live) like this.

39. They will telephone before ……………………… (come).

40. They went inside because it had started ………………. (rain).

41. Can you imagine ………………. (live) in such a house?

42. She didn’t deny ………………. (spread) the rumour.

43. I meant ………………. (call) you yesterday.

44. I don’t mind ………………. (work) at the weekend.

45. She deserves ………………. (win) the competition.

46. I couldn’t help …………………(think) that he was lying.

47. Shall we ………….. (go over) the figures again?

48. It is no use ……………… (speak) to him. He won’t listen.

49. I had difficulty ………………. (get) to work yesterday.

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50. Does she have problems …………….. (concentrate)?

51. Don’t bother ………………. (lock) the door.

52. We look forward to …………………… (see) you soon.

53. After ……………. (wait) for an hour, he eventually left.

54. Why don’t we ……………… (start) again?

55. I am sorry to keep you …………………. (wait).

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Anglo-File 114: GERUND & INFINITIVE / Answer Key

1 . I suggest having a break.

2. Would you mind repeating that?.

3. Please, let me finish.

4. They expected to see better results.

5. We have to avoid making the same mistake. 6. She has decided to resign from her job.

7. I hate queuing at the cinema. 8. I was advised to book my flight early.

9. Do you enjoy walking around the park?

10. He made me sign an agreement. 11. He may risk losing his job.

12. I recommend postponing the meeting. 13. Would you like to have a seat?

14. Do you feel like going out?

15. Do you fancy going for a walk?

16. I am tired. I would rather stay home.

17. I am not used to waking up early in the morning. 18. Have you thought of joining the football club?

19. I don’t regret buying this camera.

20. She’s interested in doing business with us. 21. My neighbour threatened to call the police.

22. We had better tell him the truth. 23. Don’t forget to post the letter I gave you).

24. I have always wanted to go scuba diving.

25. She wanted her children to have a good education. 26. Sarah failed to make a good impression).

27. Everyone was afraid. No one dared say anything. 28. How about having dinner early tonight?

29. She has spent a lot of time preparing her speech.

30. They can’t afford to buy new car. 31. They usually go cycling on Sundays.

32. Have you considered selling your boat?

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33. We managed to get to the airport on time.

34. He has finally given up smoking. 35. I need to borrow some money.

36. I don’t remember lending you €100 last week.

37. Please remember to turn off the lights. 38. We can’t go on living like this.

39. They will telephone before coming. 40. They went inside because it had started raining.

41. Can you imagine living in such a house?

42. She didn’t deny spreading the rumour. 43. I meant to call you yesterday.

44. I don’t mind working at the weekend. 45. She deserves to win the competition.

46. I couldn’t help thinking that he was lying.

47. Shall we go over the figures again? 48. It is no use speaking to him. He won’t listen.

49. I had difficulty getting to work yesterday.

50. Does she have problems concentrating?

51. Don’t bother locking the door.

52. We look forward to seeing you soon. 53. After waiting for an hour, he eventually left.

54. Why don’t we start again? 55. I am sorry to keep you waiting.

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