This document provides information on gerunds and infinitives in English. It discusses how gerunds are used like nouns and after prepositions. Infinitives are used to express purpose or reason. Certain verbs are followed by gerunds or infinitives with or without changes in meaning. The differences between "remember/forget/regret" and "see/hear/feel" depending on gerund or infinitive are also explained. The uses of "used to", "would", "be used to" and "get used to" are covered.

1. GERUNDS &
INFINITIVES

2. GERUNDS
They are used to act like a NOUN, often as the subject of a sentence:
Swimming is a great form of exercise.
We use them after prepositions.
I was annoyed with him for arriving so late.
They are used after these expressions:
CAN'T STAND IT'S (NOT) WORTH
CAN'T HELP IT'S NO GOOD/USE
I can’t stand swimming in cold water.
I can’t help laughing when people fall down.
The film isn’t worth seeing.
It’s no use trying to make her change. She’s very stubborn.

3. VERBS FOLLOWED BY GERUNDS
ADMIT ENJOY POSTPONE
ADVISE FANCY PRACTISE
AVOID FEEL PREVENT
COMPLETE FINISH RECOMMEND
CONSIDER GIVE UP REPORT
CONTINUE IMAGINE RESENT
DELAY INCLUDE RESIST
DENY INVOLVE RISK
DISCUSS KEEP STAND
DISLIKE MENTION SUGGEST
DON’T MIND MISS

4. INFINITIVES
•Remember most modal verbs are followed by the bare infinitive
except HAVE TO & BE ABLE TO!
You should call your mum. - You have to call your mum.
•The to-infinitive is used:
To express PURPOSE or REASON of someone to do something:
They sent an email to the company to complain.
What do you use a hair dryer for? I use a hair dryer to dry my hair.
BUT! If you want to describe the purpose of something, use for + gerund:
What is a hair dryer for? A hair dryer is for drying hair.

5. After adjectives and adverbs. These could be combined with the
structures “too” and “enough”.
She was scared to go into the exam room.
He’s driving too fast to see the road signs.
The room isn’t dark enough for me to go to sleep.

6. After these expressions:
it is / was + adjective + of + noun / pronoun
it is / was + adjective + for + object
It was very kind of Helen/you to visit us.
My brother likes Maths, so it was easy for him to solve the problem.
After: the only, the last, the first, the second…
My father is always the first to get up.
With interrogative pronouns (“why” is followed by the bare infinitive).
I don’t know what to say
He thought why start again.

7. oThe bare infinitive is used:
With the following expressions:
HAD BETTER WOULD RATHER WOULD SOONER
You’d better go to the doctor.
I’d rather not take the car to work.
I’d sooner study English than German.
LET / MAKE* + Object are used with bare infinitive:
We let them go to bed later.
They made me stay longer.
*I was made to stay longer (“Make” is in the Passive Voice)
After prepositions: BUT / EXCEPT.
We can’t do anything but cheer him up

8. VERBS FOLLOWED BY TO-INFINITIVES
AFFORD FAIL PROMISE
AGREE HELP* PROPOSE
APPEAR (SEEM) HESITATE REFUSE
ARRANGE HOPE REMIND
ASK INTEND SEEM
ATTEMPT LEARN TELL
BEG MANAGE THREATEN
CHOOSE MEAN WAIT
DARE* NEED* WANT
DECIDE OFFER WARN
DEMAND PLAN WISH
DESERVE PREPARE
EXPECT PRETEND

9. * HELP / DARE: can go with or without “to” + infinitive.
We helped him (to) carry the suitcases
She wouldn’t dare (to) tell me off.
* NEED: can also go with gerund with a passive meaning:
I need to go to the toilet
That grass needs mowing = That grass needs to be mown.

10. VERBS FOLLOWED BY GERUNDS &
INFINITIVES (no change of meaning)
HATE LIKE LOVE PREFER
BEGIN START
I love learning / to learn French.
LOOK FORWARD TO: usually with a noun or a gerund (“to” is a preposition)
I’m looking forward to the party / going to the party.

11. VERBS FOLLOWED BY GERUNDS &
INFINITIVES (change of meaning)
REMEMBER, FORGET,REGRET:The difference is connected with time.
+ -ing = things that have happened earlier.
She will always remember meeting him for the first time.
Remember to go to the post office, won’t you?
I shall never forget seeing the Queen.
She is always forgetting to give me my letters.
She regretted having kissed him
We regret to inform you that flight JK 345 has been cancelled.

12. STOP
+ infinitive = make a break or pause in order to do something.
She stopped to buy some cigarettes.
+ -ing = stop what one is doing or does.
Stop making so much noise!
I really must stop smoking.
GO ON:
+ infinitive = a change of action.
After writing the composition, they went on to count the words.
+ -ing = continue.
They went on working until the next morning.

13. MEAN:
+ -ing = something has to be done to get a result
You have forgotten your homework again. That means phoning your
mother.
+ infinitive = intend to do something
I meant to phone your mother, but my mobile didn't work.
TRY:
+ -ing =Make an experiment; do something to see what will happen.
Try putting in some vinegar, that might make it taste better.
+ infinitive = Make an effort; attempt to do something difficult.
Try to lift that table with both hands.

14. SEE, HEAR, FEEL, SMELL , WATCH :
+ –ing = we observe part of a complete action.
When I walked past his house, I heard him practising the piano.
+ bare infinitive: we want to suggest that we observe the whole action from
beginning to end.
I heard Charles play the Beethoven violin concerto last week.

15. USED TO / WOULD /
BE USED TO / GET USED TO

16. USED TO: To talk about past habits / actions and states which are now
finished. It is always followed by the bare infinitive.
We used to live in Dublin, but we moved to L.A.
For repeated past habits / actions, we can use WOULD.
When I lived in London, I would go to the theatre on Sundays. (=used to)
USED TO / BE USED TO / GET USED
TO

17. BE USED TO: To talk about something we are accustomed to.
GET USED TO: When we are still in the process of becoming accustomed
to something.
+ noun = I’m not used to life in a small village.
I’m getting used to my new school.
+ -ing = I’m not used to living in a small village.
I’m getting used to studying in my new school.