Adriana Rendon

Infinitive and Gerund

Infinitive
After an adjective Example: The new computer is really easy to use.

After certain verbs (with to) Example: He refused to pay the bill.

• afford • expect • manage • refuse

• agree • fail • mean • want
• appear • help (also • offer • wish
• arrange without to) • plan • would like
• beg • hesitate • prepare • would love
• choose • hope • pretend • would prefer
• decide • learn • promise

Gerund

As the subject of a clause Example: Cycling is good for your health.

After a preposition Example: I did my homework before going out.

Verbs followed by Gerund Example: I enjoy cooking.

• admit • can't stand • finish • practise

• advise • deny • keep • suggest
• allow • dislike • mind • waste time
• avoid • enjoy • miss / money
• can't help • fancy • permit

Verbs with Prepositions followed by Gerund

Example: I'm looking forward to seeing you again soon.
• accuse of • blame for • dream about/of • look forward to
• agree with • care for • feel like • object to
• apologize for • carry on • forgive for • think of
• ask about • complain about • give up • succeed in
• believe in • concentrate on • insist on • use for
• be used to • depend on • keep on

Words followed either by Infinitive or Ing-Form

Words with the same meaning Example: I started to read. / I started reading.

• attempt • cannot bear • hate • prefer

• begin • cease • intend • start
• bother • continue • love
 Words with the same meaning but different use

Word Infinitive - with an object Gerund – without an object

advise I advise you to go by bus. I advise going by bus.
allow / permit He allowed her to take the car. He allowed taking the car.
forbid She forbids us to smoke. She forbids smoking.

Words with a different meaning

Word Infinitive meaning Gerund meaning

with regard to the future with regard to the past
forget / remember Remember to switch off the lights. Do you remember switching off the lights?
Spanish: Recuerda apagar las luces Spanish: ¿Recuerdas haber apagado las luces?
start something new
continue with the same action
go on Go on to read.
Go on reading.
Spanish:
with regard to the future with regard to the past
regret I regret to say that’s wrong. I regret saying that.
Spanish: Lamento decir que está mal. Spanish: Lamento haber dicho que está mal.
interrupt another action terminate
stop I stopped to smoke. I stopped smoking.
Spanish: Paré para fumar. Spanish: Paré de fumar.
do something complicated do it and see what happens
try Try to solve this riddle. Try talking to him.
Spanish: Intenta resolver este acertijo. Spanish: Prueba a hablar con él.

Gerund or Infinitive - Exercise 1

losing
1) A lot of people are worried about _______their visiting London? (visit)
6) Are you thinking of _______
jobs. (lose) 7) He apologized for arriving
_______ so late. (arrive)
to buy a new car. (buy)
2) He agreed _______ making noise, please; I’m studying.
8) Stop _______
3) The question is easy to
_______
answer (answer) (make)
going to
4) Not everybody can afford _______ 9) She doesn't mind working
_______ the night shift.
university. (go) (work)
see you at the weekend.
5) I look forward to _______ 10) I learned to
______
ride the bike at the age of 5.(ride)
(see)

Gerund or Infinitive - Exercise 2

1) We decided _______
to buy a new car. (buy)
2) I regret _______
to tell you we won’t lend you the making silly mistakes.(make)
7) Avoid _______
money. (tell) to be home at 11
8) My parents wanted me _______
3) Peter gave up _______.(smoke)
smoking o'clock. (be)
4) He'd like _______
to fly an aeroplane.(fly) 9) I dream about building
_______ a big house. (build)
5) I enjoy _______
writing picture postcards. (write) 10) He advised me not
_______
to spend so much money.
6) He offered _______
to help with the cleaning. (not spend)
(help)
Gerund or Infinitive Exercise 1

1 Fill the gaps with the verb in brackets in the appropriate form.

1 waiting
I can't stand ________________ in queues. ( to wait )

2 being
I wouldn't like ________________ in his shoes. ( to be )

3 working
Jim loves ________________ in Thailand. ( to work )

4 doing
I hate ________________ the shopping on Saturday. ( to do )

5 buying
Blast! I forgot ________________ milk. ( to buy )

6 to stay
In the end we decided ________________ in. ( to stay )

7 to find
I need ________________ some information about Portugal. ( to find )

8 going
My parents like ________________ for long walks at the weekend. ( to go )

9 smoking
Tony gave up ________________ years ago. ( to smoke )

10 to go
I wanted ________________ and see Troy but no one else was interested. ( to go )

11 to take
Mrs Leith offered ________________ us to the airport. ( to take )

12 to help
Clare refused ________________ clean up after the party. ( to help )

13 to persuade
I tried ________________ him to come but it was no use. ( to persuade )

14 to smoke
Do you mind not ________________ ? ( to smoke )

15 dancing
Everybody really enjoyed ________________ the cha-cha-cha. ( to dance )

16 eating
Lionel admitted ________________ my chocolate mousse. ( to eat )

2 Check your answers and put the verbs in bold into the right columns. Translate the verbs.

VERB + GERUND VERB + TO + INFINITIVE

Translation Translation
admit admitir
.......................... decide decidir
..........................
can't stand
___________ no..........................
poder soportar forget olvidar
..........................
enjoy disfrutar
.......................... mind
___________ preocuparse
..........................
give up rendirse
.......................... offer ofrecer
..........................
need
___________ necesitar
.......................... refuse
negar
..........................
like
___________
gustar
.......................... try intentar
..........................
love amar
.......................... want querer
..........................
hate
___________ odiar
.......................... would like gustaría
..........................
Gerund or Infinitive Exercise 2

1 Use the verbs in brackets to fill the gaps.

to meet
1 We arranged _____________ under the station clock at half nine. ( to meet )
seeing
2 I always try to avoid _____________ him whenever I can. ( to see )
being
3 I long _____________ in Scotland again. ( to be )

to see
4 My Mum demanded _____________ the manager. ( to see )
eating
5 My brother denied _____________ my chocolate mousse. Maybe his hamster ate it. ( to eat )

6 I tried to undesrtand but I just couldn't. ( to understand )

_____________
trying
7 In the end I gave up _____________ to persuade her. ( to try )
to be
8 Charlie was pretending _____________ a chicken. ( to be )
to stay
9 They chose _____________ in a cheap hotel but spend more money on meals. ( to stay)
going
10 We like Galicia so much that we keep _____________ back there. ( to go )
to be
11 He deserves _____________ severely punished. ( to be )

to be
12 When we visit my aunt, they expect me _____________ on my best behaviour. ( to be )
to hurt
13 I didn't mean _____________ her feelings. I'm really sorry. ( to hurt )
doing
14 I always put off _____________ my homework until the last possible moment. ( to do )

telling
15 He goes on _____________ me the same thing over and over again. ( to tell )
waiting
16 I can't stand _____________ in the queue at the baker's. ( to wait )
to put out the fire pretty quickly. ( to put out )
17 The firemen managed _____________
going
18 I never risk _____________ through that part of town. ( to go )
taking
19 Clare offered _____________ me to the airport, which was very kind of her. ( to take )
to stop
20 Dad threatened _____________ my pocket money if I didn't do my homework. ( to stop )

2 Check your answers and put the verbs in bold into the right columns. Translate the verbs.

VERB + GERUND VERB + TO + INFINITIVE

Translation Translation
avoid
1 _____________ evitar
.......................... arranged
1 _____________ organizado
..........................
denied
2 _____________ negó
.......................... chose
2 _____________ eligió
..........................
gave up
3 _____________ rendirse
.......................... deserves
3 _____________ merecer
..........................
put off
4 _____________ porponer
.......................... managed
4 _____________
manejó
..........................
risk
5 _____________ arriesgado
.......................... threatened
5 _____________ amenazado
..........................