GERUNDS AND INFINITIVES
The plain infinitive is used:
- After modal verbs: can, could, may, might, must, shall, should, will, would (except
have to, used to and ought to): He may go home. I can stay underwater for a long
time.
- After verbs of physical perception (hear, see, feel, watch, notice, perceive, etc.) and
a personal object: I saw you take the money. I heard you arrive home last night.
(The –ing form can also be used).
- After let and make meaning ‘cause’: He made me repeat the whole essay. Can you
please let me go to the toilet? (In the passive voice they would be substituted by be
made to and be allowed to).
- After had better and would rather: You’d better hurry up if you want to get home
before dark. I’d rather have something to eat now. You’d better not clean the
toaster until you unplug it.
- After ‘help’: Can you help me (to) do this activity?
The full infinitive is used:
- After ought to, used to, have to and be going to: You ought to stop smoking. He
used to sing in the bath. We are going to get married. I have to go home.
- After would like, would love, would hate and would prefer: I would like to get
married and have children. I’d prefer to finish early today.
- After verbs such as agree, appear, afford, attempt, choose, decide, expect, fail,
hope, learn, manage, offer, plan, pretend, promise, refuse, seem, tend, turn out,
want, etc.: They cannot afford to buy a new house. We have decided to travel
abroad this summer. My son hasn’t learned to read yet. They refused to talk to me.
Girls tend to be better than boys at school. I want to study French next year.
- After certain verbs and a personal object: advise, challenge, want, like, dislike, love,
hate, prefer, allow, ask, force, permit, persuade, request, believe, consider, say,
think, etc.: Parents want their children to study. I hate you to talk like that. I’d love
you to take me there. My parents don’t allow me to stay out late. I’m asking you to
stay. They forced him to put down his gun. We request visitors not to touch the
exhibits. I believe him to be mistaken. They consider him to be guilty. This house is
said to be haunted. I advise you to keep your mouth shut.
- After certain nouns, adjectives and adverbs: There is no need to worry. It is the
right thing to do. I shall be pleased to come. She is always the last to go to bed. It is
time to leave.
- After too and enough: He is too young to work. That piece of furniture is too heavy
for me to lift. The water is not hot enough to have a shower.
- To express purpose (to, in order to, for somebody to, so as (not) to): They started
early to have plenty of time. We went to the pub to have a drink. I went to the
supermarket to buy some vegetables. I’m going to start now, in order not to miss
the beginning. The activities in the worksheet are for you to do at home.
- After some question words: We didn’t know what to do. I haven’t decided where to
go at the weekend.
The gerund is used:
- As the subject of a sentence: Smoking is bad for your health. Writing letters is no
longer fashionable.
- As a part of a prepositional complement (after prepositions): He accused her of
taking the money. We finished the job by working twelve hours a day. He’s always
talking about travelling to England. I have given up smoking.
