GERUNDS AND GERUNDS AND INFINITIVESINFINITIVES

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GERUNDS AND GERUNDS AND INFINITIVESINFINITIVES

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GERUNDSGERUNDS

Dancing is her favorite habit.

I prefer eating ice-cream.

FormForm Simple, ActiveSimple, Active

FormForm Simple, PassiveSimple, Passive

Mary prefers being taught by a stern teacher.

The actress stayed at her hotel to avoid being seen by her fans.

FormForm Perfect, ActivePerfect, Active

I regret having madehaving made the remark abort her hairdo.

I regret having seenhaving seen the film.

FormForm Perfect, PassivePerfect, Passive

The film was banned after having been seen having been seen by thousands of people.

I regret having been transferredhaving been transferred to another class this year.

The gerund can be used:The gerund can be used:

1. As the subject of a verb1. As the subject of a verb

2. As the object of a verb2. As the object of a verb

3. As the object of a preposition3. As the object of a preposition

4. After a possessive or the possessive form 4. After a possessive or the possessive form of nounsof nouns

5. After certain verbs5. After certain verbs

6. Special combination6. Special combination

7. F7. Formed by adding “not” before it.ormed by adding “not” before it.

As the subject of a verbAs the subject of a verb

When a gerund is used as the subject of a verb, it is placed at the beginning of a sentence.

Reading romantic novels is my favourite pastime.

Smoking is hazardous to health.

Climbing mountains can be dangerous if we are not careful. A baby’s crying woke me up last.

Walking from here to the local supermarket takes only five minutes.

Notes: The gerund is also used in the followingThe gerund is also used in the following constructionsconstructions:

1) 1) It is no use/It is no goodIt is no use/It is no good

e.g It is no use trying to make her change her mind. It is no good interfering with other people’s business.

2) 2) There is noThere is no

e.g There is no joking about such matters. There is no denying the fact that the Clean Hong Kong Campaign is a success.

3) It’s worth / It’s not worth3) It’s worth / It’s not worth

E.g. Is the film worth seeing ?

It is not worth going to see that film.

4) It’s a waste of money / time4) It’s a waste of money / time

E.g. It’s a waste of time E.g. It’s a waste of time writingwriting the report.the report.

It’s a waste of money It’s a waste of money buyingbuying the doll. the doll.

5 ) Have difficulty5 ) Have difficulty

E.g. Mary has difficulty doingdoing her Maths homework .

I’m sorry I’m late. I had difficulty findingfinding the

place.

6 ) Go-ing6 ) Go-ing

E.g. Did you go shopping shopping yesterday ?

How often do you go swimmingswimming in the

summer ?

As the object of a verbAs the object of a verb

When a gerund is used as the object of a verb in a sentence, it is placed after the verb.

She tried to avoid getting involved in their quarrels.

He enjoys acting.

Mary disliked listening to pop music.

They hate eating fatty foods.

We all enjoy reading a good book.

Note: The following words are followedThe following words are followed by gerunds, not infinitives:by gerunds, not infinitives:

Acknowledge , admit , anticipate , appreciate , avoid ,

celebrate , defer , delay , deny , detest , dislike , like ,

consider , doubt , enjoy , escape , excuse , fancy ,

finish , forgive , remember ,imagine , include , keep ,

mention , mind , miss , propose , pardon , postpone ,

practice , prevent , recall , recollect , report , resent ,

resist , risk , save , stand , suggest , tolerate ,

understand , be worth , be busy

As a object of a prepositionAs a object of a preposition

A gerund can also be used as the object of a preposition. In this case, the gerund follows the preposition.

My brother is thinking of changing his job.

She is fed up with teaching English.

I look forward to seeing you in the summer.

I was interested in painting.

He persisted in carrying out the plan.

Notes1: There are two exceptions----There are two exceptions---- exceptexcept andand butbut ..

e.g There was nothing left for us to do except complain to the Consumer Council.

He did nothing but (to) watch television yesterday.

Notes2: In the following phrases,In the following phrases, toto is a is a preposition.preposition.

used to, averse to, closed to, object to, devoted to, when it comes to, opposed to, susceptible to, look forward to, accustomed to, confessed to, key to

After a possessive adjective After a possessive adjective or the possessive form of nounsor the possessive form of nouns

Possessive adjective : my, our, your, his, her, its, their Possessive form of nouns : John’s my brother’s

Example :

Would you mind my using your book?

Would you mind Joan’s using your dictionary?

After certain verbsAfter certain verbsAvoid enjoy miss recall

appreciate finish oppose mind

resist dislike prevent waste

Examples :

1. I dislike having lunch with John.

2. Would you mind answering my question ?

3. When will you finish talking ?

77. F. Formed by adding “not” before it.ormed by adding “not” before it.

Example: I apologize for not being able to see you off at the airport tomorrow.

He resented not having been invited to the party.

English ProjectEnglish Project

InfinitivesInfinitives

Infinitive:--Infinitive:--bare - inf.--bare - inf.--

• (1) After auxiliary verb• "do , does , did , shall , should, will , would , can , could ,

may , might , must"• Alice could not find the key.• I will be glad to help you.•

• (2)After verbs of perception• "see , notice , observe , watch ,hear , feel , smell"• I I sawsaw her get on the bus. her get on the bus.• He He heardheard her say that. her say that.

• (3)After "make" & "let’’• His joke His joke mademade us laugh. us laugh.• She did not She did not letlet her sister go to the party. her sister go to the party.

bare - inf.• (4)After "had better" "would rather' "cannot but"

"can do nothing but"• You ‘d better think about it.• I ‘d rather wait here a little longer.• Compare “ I ‘d rather you waited here a little longer.• I cannot but laugh whenever I think of his humourous remark.• As it was raining hard , I could do nothing but stay at home

• (5)After "need" "dare" and "except"• He needn’t do it himself.• Need he do it himself?• She dared not lie to her parents.• Dared she lie to her parents?

to - inf.to - inf.(1)As a subject E.g To succeed at my fob is all I want at the moment. To argue with him is a waste of time.

(2) To express an intention E.g. I go to school to study. She goes running everyday to lose weight.

(3) In order to join a question & answer in single sentence. Q:Why did he move to Las Vegas? A1:He wanted to be closer to the casino. A2:He moved to Las Vegas in order to be closer to the casinos.

• (4) So as ( not) to join two sentences that relate to the same idea in one sentence.

• • Eg. She studied very hard for the test. She Eg. She studied very hard for the test. She

wanted to be save to pass.wanted to be save to pass.• She studied very hard so as to be save to She studied very hard so as to be save to

pass the test.pass the test.

to - inf.to - inf.

to - inf.to - inf.• (5) Verb + inf.(5) Verb + inf.• A few of the more common verbs normally followed A few of the more common verbs normally followed

by an infinitive include :by an infinitive include :• afford agree appear attempt decide afford agree appear attempt decide

determinedetermine• expect hope like love need offerexpect hope like love need offer• pretend seem threaten refusepretend seem threaten refuse• • We can’t afford to go away this summer.We can’t afford to go away this summer.• The room appears to have been searched.The room appears to have been searched.• The prisoners attempted to escape but failed.The prisoners attempted to escape but failed.

to - inf.to - inf.• (6) Verb + object +inf.(6) Verb + object +inf.• A few of the more common verbs normally A few of the more common verbs normally

followed by an object + an infinitive include:followed by an object + an infinitive include:

• advise allow ask encourage help invite advise allow ask encourage help invite • know order teach tempt tell warnknow order teach tempt tell warn•

• The doctor The doctor advisedadvised me me toto taketake a complete break. a complete break.• Please Please allowallow me me to to carrycarry that bag for you. that bag for you.• We must We must appointappoint a time a time toto meetmeet again. again.

to - inf.to - inf.• (7) Adjective followed by infinitive(7) Adjective followed by infinitive

• dangerous important rude good dangerous important rude good • • Eg. It s Eg. It s dangerous todangerous to walkwalk home alone. home alone.• To walkTo walk home along is home along is dangerousdangerous..

• (8) “ (8) “ TooToo” and ‘” and ‘not enoughnot enough’’• Eg, He is Eg, He is tootoo tired tired to work to work, he should take , he should take

some rest.some rest.• He is He is notnot tall tall enough enough to beto be a policeman. a policeman.

Comparison Comparison betweenbetween

GERUNDSGERUNDS and and INFINITIVEINFINITIVE

Comparison between Comparison between GERUNDS and GERUNDS and

INFINITIVEINFINITIVE• (1) Some verbs followed by (1) Some verbs followed by GERUNDS GERUNDS or or

INFINITIVESINFINITIVES w without there being any change in ithout there being any change in meaningmeaning . .

• Such verbs include ‘Such verbs include ‘start , begin ,cease, start , begin ,cease, continue and can’t bear’continue and can’t bear’..

• (2) Those which can be 2) Those which can be followed by either followed by either without any difference in meaning.without any difference in meaning.

• Eg. They Eg. They continued continued to - to - workwork after lunch. after lunch.• - - working working

Comparison between Comparison between GERUNDS and GERUNDS and

INFINITIVEINFINITIVE• STOP STOP 。 。 When the teacher came, theWhen the teacher came, the• children children stopped stopped talkingtalking at once. at once. • The driver The driver stoppedstopped his cars his cars to askto ask• where the farm was.where the farm was.

• REMEMBERREMEMBER 。。 I can’t find my key. I I can’t find my key. I rememberremember• puttingputting it in it in my coat , pocket ,inmy coat , pocket ,in• this morning.this morning.• I hope you will I hope you will rememberremember to postto post• my letter on your way to school.my letter on your way to school.

Comparison between Comparison between GERUNDS and GERUNDS and

INFINITIVEINFINITIVE• FORGETFORGET 。。 He has He has forgottenforgotten askingasking me the same me the same• question yesterday.question yesterday.• • He has asked me to lend him my He has asked me to lend him my • dictionary because he has dictionary because he has forgottenforgotten to to• bringbring it again. mountain it again. mountain..

• TRYTRY 。。 After failing twice, they After failing twice, they triedtried climbingclimbing • from the other side of the maintain.from the other side of the maintain.•

• This year they willThis year they will try try to climbto climb a high a high mountain.mountain.

Comparison between Comparison between GERUNDS and GERUNDS and

INFINITIVEINFINITIVE• REGRETREGRET 。 。 I I regretregret tellingtelling her the secret. Now her the secret. Now, , • everybody knows that I’ m going toeverybody knows that I’ m going to• resign.resign.• I I regretregret to tellto tell you that your you that your• application has not been successful.application has not been successful.• I ‘ll let you know when there isI ‘ll let you know when there is • another vacancy.another vacancy.• GO ONGO ON 。。 They They went onwent on talking talking until late into until late into • the night.the night.• They They went onwent on to talkto talk about other about other• things.things.

Comparison between Comparison between GERUNDS and GERUNDS and

INFINITIVEINFINITIVE• Eg.Eg. “ “Allow , advise , acknowledge , Allow , advise , acknowledge ,

encourage , permitencourage , permit “, “,can be followed by an can be followed by an Object + infinitive.Object + infinitive.

• • She She advisedadvised us us to start to start early.early.• Compare: sheCompare: she advisedadvised startingstarting early. early.• • Eg. Eg. ““deserve , need , want , and requiredeserve , need , want , and require “ “• Can be followed by either an active gerund or a Can be followed by either an active gerund or a

passive infinitive without change of meaning.passive infinitive without change of meaning.• • This This needsneeds- - painting painting • - - to beto be painted. painted.

PRESENTED BYDavid Au

Chris Fung

Skye Lam

Linda Ng

Kelvin Wong

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