GERUND/TO-INFINITIVE

ByPrabin Lamichhane •
The infinitive form of the verb is the form that does not have inflexions. The infinitive can either be used on its own or with to in front of it. Gerund, however, is the verb ending in ing and being used as a noun.


Gerund and Infinitive
The verb ending in -ing that functions as a noun is called a gerund or a verbal noun. This form is generally used in the following situations:

⮚ After all prepositions as their object except 'to' preposition.
Examples:
Some leaders believe in be fooling the people.
She is good at playing badminton.


⮚ As the apposition of nouns and pronouns.
Examples:
Your crime, Killing a police officer and his family, is heinous.
It is foolish playing with a pistol.


⮚ The following expressions containing 'to' have gerunds:
Look forward to, confess to, object to, with a view to, with reference to, be used to, be habituated to, be addicted to, be accustomed to, dedicated to etc.
Examples:
Shyam is used to working at night.
He comes to me with a view to getting help.


⮚ Any use, some use, much use, no use, no good, any good, can't help, can't stand and worth follow gerund.
Examples:
I can't stand waiting four hours.
Is this film worth seeing?


⮚ Inanimate subject with need and want follow gerund or passive form (to be + V3).
Examples:
The television needs repairing.
OR
The television needs to be repaired.


⮚ If the verbs advise, suggest, recommend, encourage, allow, permit, forbid are used with objects, they are followed by an infinitive, if not, the gerund is used.
Examples:
He forbade taking part in any political procession.
They didn't allow eating there.
My father allowed me to go to Cinema.


⮚ The expressions have difficulty (in)','be busy(in)' and 'go plus activity verbs' take gerund.
Examples:
She has difficulty uttering that word.
I was busy writing a novel.
She went fishing yesterday.


⮚ The following verbs always follow gerund:
admit, appreciate, avoid, anticipate, consider, contemplate, delay, deny, discuss, detest, dislike, excuse, escape, endure, enjoy, finish, forgive, fancy, imagine, insist, keep, mind, miss, mention, postpone, practice, prevent, propose, resume, risk, recall, report, resent, resist, resume, risk, suggest, tolerate and understand.
Examples:
I don't want to risk coming late.
He enjoys going there.


⮚ We use gerund with construction like:
Subj + gerundial word + possessive form(my/ his/ Ram's) + gerund + ……..
Examples
He postponed his wife's going to London.
You shouldn't rely on his calling at night.


⮚ The following verbs can be followed by either gerund or infinitive but a difference in meaning:
Try, remember, stop, mean, forget, start, love, hate, like, prefer, love, begin, continue
Examples:
I stopped smoking. (do not smoke more)
I stopped to smoke. (made a pause to have a cigarette)
I remember watching the match. (earlier action/ past)
I remember to watch the match. (following actions/ future)
I hate ironing. (never enjoy)
I hate to iron on Sunday. (I don't mind ironing, but not on Sunday)


Infinitive
The infinitive form of a verb is the form that does not have inflexions and can be used on its own in front of it. Thus, there are two kinds of the infinitive: To- infinitive and bare- infinitive.

Bare Infinitive
The bare- infinitive form of the verb is basically used in the following conditions:

⮚ After model verbs like can, could, must, might.
Examples:
We needn't open it.
I can bring it.


⮚ After the verb of senses in active form- feel, hear, see, notice, watch etc.
a. Subj + feel/ hear/ see/ watch + Obj + V1 (bare-inf.) complete action
b. Subj + feel/ hear/ see/ watch+Obj+V4 (gerunds) incomplete action
Examples:
I heard her sing.
I heard her singing. (more common in use)


⮚ After let, make and help verbs in active form.
a. Subj + let/ make + Obj + V1 (bare- inf)
b. Subj + help + Obj + to + V1 + ……. (To-inf.)
Examples:
She made me weep.
My mother helped me prepare an omelette.
Note: Make, see, hear, help, etc. have to-infinitive in the passive voice
Example:
I was made to drive.


⮚ Had better, had sooner, would rather, would sooner etc. follow bare- infinitive (V1)
Example:
You had better go now.


⮚ When two infinitive structures are joined by and, or, except, but, than, as or like, the second infinitive doesn't take 'to'.
Example:
I like to sit there and read a novel.


⮚ But and except may follow bare- infinitive and to-infinitive
a. Subj. + do/ does/ did + nothing + but + V1 + . . .
b. Subj + verb(except 'do') + nothing + but + to + V1 + . . .
Examples:
She does nothing but laughs at others.
She wants nothing but to buy a car.


⮚ With the following verbs in 'that clause':
advise, ask, command, decree, demand, insist, move, order, prefer, propose, recommended, request, stipulate, suggest, urge
Subj + Verb(any tense) + (Obj) + that + Subj + V1 + . . .
Example:
He recommended that she be a nurse.


⮚ With the following adjectives in 'that clause':
advised, mandatory, necessary, obligatory, urgent, essential, significant, compulsory, imperative etc.
It + be + adj + (for + Obj) + that + Subj + V1 + . . .
Example:
It is mandatory that she take passport with her.
Note: 'Should + V1' can be used though V1 is more preferable.


⮚ The following construction also has bare- infinitive: subject1 + would rather that + Subject2+V1 (bare- inf.) + ...
Example:
We should rather that he take this train.


To-infinitive
This infinitive form is generally used in the following cases:
⮚ With Wh- words except 'Why' or 'Why not'.
Examples:
What to do?/ Where to sit?
(But Why pay more at other shops?)


⮚ With the following verbs:
agree, attempt, claim, decide, demand, desire, expect, fail, forget, hesitate, hope, intend, learn, need, plan, prepare, refuse, seem, strive, tend, want, wish etc.
Example:
The soldiers are preparing to attack the village.


⮚ The following verbs with objects follow to-infinitive:
advise, allow, compel, encourage, expect, forbid, force, instruct, invite, oblige, order, permit, persuade, request, tell, want, warn
Example:
The situation compelled him to leave the city.


Tags:
Previous Post Next Post

Main Tags