Table of Contents
What is the difference between use a verb in gerund and a verb in infinitive?
A gerund (also called the ‘-ing’ form) does the function of a noun which is made from a verb by adding ‘–ing’ to the end of the verb. The infinitive (also called the ‘to’ form) is the base form of a verb with ‘to’.
What are verbs used with gerunds and infinitives?
(gerund – verb + ing)…Verbs followed by a gerund or infinitive with a change in meaning:
| forget | I forgot to meet him. (I didn’t meet him because I forgot to do it.) |
|---|---|
| quit | She quit to work here. (She quit another job in order to work here.) |
| She quit working here. (She quit her job here. She doesn’t work here anymore.) |
How do you use the verb followed by ing and infinitive?
The difference in meaning is often small. The -ing form emphasises the verb itself. The to-infinitive puts the emphasis more on the preference for, or the results of, the action.
How do you know if a verb is followed by a gerund or infinitive?
Tip Number 1: you almost always find a gerund after a preposition. For example, “She is afraid of flying.” In this sentence “of” is the preposition and “flying” is the gerund. You cannot say “She is afraid of to fly.” An infinitive cannot be the object of a preposition, only a gerund can.
Do you like gerund or infinitive?
Remember: You must have an object after “would like.” You can also use a gerund after “would like.” You wouldn’t like living there. (“Living” is a gerund.)…Would Like.
| singular | plural |
|---|---|
| He would like _____ She would like _____ It would like _____ | They would like _____ |
How do you gerund?
A gerund is an instance when a verb is being used in a very particular way – as a noun! You do this by changing the infinitive form of the verb, and adding “ing” at the end. For example, “eat” is changed to “eating”, or “write” is changed to “writing”.
What are verbs followed by infinitives?
Verbs followed by the infinitive
| afford | agree* | arrange* |
|---|---|---|
| fail | guarantee* | have (= be obliged) |
| learn | long | prepare |
| promise* | propose | resolve* |
| strive | swear* | trouble |
When TO is followed by gerund?
You can check whether “to” is a preposition or part of the infinitive. If you can put the pronoun “it” after the word “to” and form a meaningful sentence, then the word “to” is a preposition and must be followed by a gerund.