GERUNDS AND INFINITIVES

Look at the following sentences

Many inventors were trying to build gas-powered vehicles in the late 1800’s.

A French inventor succeeded in creating a steam powered tricycle in 1769.

A German engineer, Kiklaus Ottos, is known for inventing the four-stroke gasoline engine in 1876.

Building vehicles that did not need horses was the biggest challenge.

Forming the gerund

A gerund is a verb + -ing

Trying Making Swimming Loving Challenging

Forming the infinitive

An infintive is to + the verb

To smoke To study To go To earn

Definition: gerunds as verb objects

Gerunds and Infinitives are forms of verbs that have the same functions as nouns.

Pepe quit smoking five times last year.

Pepe quit school. So the word smoking is like school; both are

things, both are objects of the verb

Infinitives as verb objects

He just decided to quit last Tuesday.

He decided cigarettes were harmful.

To quit is like cigarettes. Both are objects of the verb.

Gerunds and Infinitives can also be the subject of the verb

Smoking is a hard habit to give up

To quit takes a lot of will power

So when do I use gerunds?

As the subject of a sentence

Smoking may be harmful

Writing was hard for Frank McCourt

Reading the text several times is a great idea.

When do I use gerunds?

After a preposition

Frank McCourt thought about writing his book after retiring.

Before writing, plan how you will write.

When do I use gerunds?

After certain verbs (which you have to memorize)

Frank enjoyed teaching Everyone acknowledges working

hard We all recall learning how to ride a

bike

And when do I use infinitives?

After certain verbs (which you also need to memorize)

I learned to swim very young I decided to quit smoking I agreed to study English five hours a

day

Using infinitives

To express Spanish subjunctive ideas

He persuaded me to start writing. They will ask you to help them after

class.

Using infinitives

With some adjectives

You are free to go when class is over We were always able to find our own

mistakes It is hard to concentrate in a noisy

room

Using infinitives

After certain nouns

You have the right to remain silent She has the ability to understand

general concepts No one has the freedom to avoid

paying taxes.

Go, Go, Go

A common expression in English is go + activity

We go swimming We go shopping We go camping We go clubbing

Like,love, hate, begin, continued

These verbs can be followed by either a gerund or an infinitive

I love dancing. I love to dance

I began singing. I began to sing.

Remember, forget, stop

These verbs change meaning if a gerund or an infinitive is used.

I remembered to buy milk I remembered buying milk

(What do you think is going on here?)

Sequence of events

Infintives:

First Second

First I remembered, then I bought milk

Sequence of events

Gerunds:

Second first

I bought the milk first

I remembered afterwards

Complete these sentences with either a gerund or an infinitive…

1. UDLAP students enjoy _________________________________________

2. UDLAP teachers need _________________________________________

3. UDLAP students can practice _________________________________________

4. UDLAP teachers encourage their students _________________________________________

5. UDLAP students never finish _________________________________________

6. UDLAP teachers are good at _________________________________________

For a useful summary of how to use gerunds and infinitives, see page 163 of your student textbook, World Pass