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Infinitive and -Ing Forms #2

The document explains the use of present participles and gerunds in English grammar, highlighting their roles as parts of conjugated verbs, adjectives, and nouns. It provides examples of participle adjectives, the use of gerunds as subjects and objects, and the rules for using gerunds with prepositions and certain verbs. Additionally, it discusses the differences in meaning when using gerunds versus infinitives with specific verbs.

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3 views

Infinitive and -Ing Forms #2

The document explains the use of present participles and gerunds in English grammar, highlighting their roles as parts of conjugated verbs, adjectives, and nouns. It provides examples of participle adjectives, the use of gerunds as subjects and objects, and the rules for using gerunds with prepositions and certain verbs. Additionally, it discusses the differences in meaning when using gerunds versus infinitives with specific verbs.

Uploaded by

Anonymous Au6mfuth
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Present participle / Part of a

conjugated verb
Used with the auxiliary 'to be' to form the continuous tenses.

Example
Sally was playing tennis with Anne.
past continuous
I've been painting the bedroom.
present perfect continuous

Present participle / As adjective


Participles can also be used as adjectives.

Example
It was a frightening experience.
The film we saw yesterday, was thrilling.

There are many pairs of participle


adjectives.
 interesting / interested
 exciting / excited
 surprising / surprised
 frightening / frightened
 boring / bored

Participle adjectives ending with -ing describe the person or thing that produces the
feeling.

Example
This work is interesting.
It was an exciting story.
The play was boring.
Participle adjectives ending with -ed describe a person's feelings:
Example
I'm interested in this work.
We were all very excited.
The children were bored, because the play was too difficult.

The gerund / Definition


The form of the verb ending with '-ing' is a gerund when the '-ing' form is used as a
noun.
The gerund can be a subject.

Example
Playing golf is very expensive.
The gerund can be an object.

Example
I don't like swimming.
The gerund can be a prepositional object.

Example
He's fond of horse-riding.

The gerund / As subject


The gerund form is required when a verb is used as subject of the sentence.

Example
Smoking is bad for your health.
Travelling broadens the mind.

The gerund / As object after certain


verbs
feel like - enjoy - finish - go - come - do
If the verbs to feel like, to enjoy, or to finish are followed by another verb, the
structure is normally: verb + gerund form.

Example
Have you finished cleaning your room?
I don't feel like going out tonight.
We enjoyed meeting your friends.
We can also use this structure with 'to go' and 'to come' to talk about sports and
free time activities.

Example
We all went swimming yesterday.
He didn't come climbing with us.
We can use the gerund form after to do to talk about some kind of work. The
gerund is used with an article.

Example
If you do the washing up, I'll do the cleaning.
Must we do all the shopping this afternoon?
Who's going to do the cooking?
The negative form is the following: verb + not + gerund

Example
I enjoy not getting up early on Sundays.

The gerund / After a preposition


If a verb follows a preposition, it is used as a prepositional object and must always
be in the gerund form.

Example
After leaving school he went to university.
Brush your teeth before going to bed.
She left without saying anything.
Are you interested in learning languages?
What about leaving now?
I'm tired of listening to you.
The gerund / Verbs + preposition +
gerund
Certain verbs require a preposition. If they are followed by another verb, this verb
must be used in the gerund form.

Example
Are you thinking of buying a new house?
I often dream of being rich.
We must go on helping him.

The gerund / After some expressions


Verbs that follow these idiomatic expressions must be used in the gerund form.

 It's no use + gerund


o Examples:
It's no use crying, it won't help.

 It's worth + gerund


o Examples:
This film is really worth seeing.

 Can't help + gerund


o Examples:
I can't help laughing when I see him.

 Feel like + gerund


o Examples:
I feel like having an apple.

 Go + gerund for a number of activities, especially sports

go fishing - go swimming - go skiing - go shopping ...


o Examples:
We're going shopping this afternoon.
Where did you go skiing this winter?
Verbs + gerund or 'to' infinitive / No
change in meaning
start - begin - continue
These verbs can be followed by an '-ing' form or a 'to' infinitive without any change
in meaning.

Example
It started to rain/raining.
He began to paint/painting the house.
They continued to work/working hard.

Verbs + gerund or 'to' infinitive /


Alternative use
like - love - hate - prefer
After 'like, love, hate 'and 'prefer' conjugated in a tense other than the conditional,
we can use either the gerund or the infinitive, but the gerund is more common.

Example
I have always loved to read/reading in front of a fire.
She likes to have/having tea in front of the television.
He prefers to go/going to the theatre.
He hated to get up/getting up early.
After 'would like, would love, would prefer' and 'would hate', we must use the
infinitive.

Example
I'd love to go with you.
He'd prefer to come another day.

Verbs + gerund or 'to' infinitive /


Remember and forget
remember - forget + -ing form: after we've done it
remember - forget + 'to' inf.: before we have to do it
After 'to remember' and 'to forget', we use the 'ing form' or the 'to infinitive', but with
a change in meaning:
When we remember or forget something after we've done it, we use 'remember'
and 'forget' with '-ing form'.

Example
I remember visiting this place before.
I'll never forget shaking hands with the King.
-When we think about something before we have to do it, we use 'remember' and
'forget' with the 'to' infinitive.

Example
Remember to lock the door.
I forgot to give him the message.
Don't forget to give him the message.
Verbs + gerund or 'to' infinitive /
Stop
stop + 'ing' form
stop + 'ing' form means we stop what we are busy doing.

Example
Will you please stop making so much noise.
He stopped smoking a month ago.
stop + infinitive
stop + 'to' infinitive indicates a new action after stopping, or a purpose.

Example
I stopped (the car) to pick up the children.
I stopped in order to pick up the children
Let's stop (working) to have lunch.
Let's stop in order to have lunch

Verbs + gerund or 'to' infinitive /


Recapitulation
No change in meaning: to start, to begin, to continue

Example
We started to eat/eating because we were hungry.
Gerund or 'to' infinitive according to the tense of the verb: 'to love, to like, to hate',
and 'to prefer'
In all tenses except the conditional the gerund is more usual.

Example
She likes swimming in the sea.
In the conditional tense the 'to infinitive' is required.

Example
We'd like to visit Athens.
Change in meaning (1): to remember and to forget

Example
Remember to post the letter.
= something we still have to do
I remember giving you the letter.
= something we have already done
Change in meaning (2): to stop

Example
Stop pushing me.
= stop an action we were busy doing
He stopped (reading) to listen to the news.
= stop one action to begin a new action

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