Infinitives and Gerund

                                 INFINITIVES AND GERUND

I.      Definition of Gerund and Infinitives

A.    Gerund

Gerunds is a form of the verb (verb) plus suffix -ing (verb + ing) that functions as a noun. In other words, the gerund is a verb into a noun modified by adding the suffix-ing, or a noun formed from V-ing.

B.     Infinitives 

        Infinitive form of a verb is the verbal base is generally added to in the future, for example, to eat, to say, to run, to work, to study. As with the gerund, infinitive can also function as a noun. The difference is, the use of the infinitive wider than gerund which only serves as a noun. Infinitive has three functions: as a noun, adjectives, and adverbs.

II.   Using Gerund and Infinitives

A.   Using Gerund

1.      Gerunds as Subjects

example:

1.      Having a lot of money is better than having a little.

2.      Writing and speaking are two different aspects in a language.

3.      Dropping out of school has the caused him hard to find a good job.

          2.      Gerunds as Objects

If the verb follows the verb other or follow the prepositions, the verb that follows serves as the object of the sentence. 
1)      After verbs

As in the infinitive, gerund can also follow certain verbs, as in the following sentence patterns:

Subject + verb + gerund

Here are the verbs that directly followed by a gerund.

admit appreciate avoid cant help Consider complete delay deny	enjoy finish mind miss postpone practice quit recall	regret report resent resist resume risk suggest
begin can’t stand continue Dislike	dread hate like	love prefer start
stop	remember	forget

 Note: 

• Verbs on the first line is always followed by a gerund (never followed by infinitives). Can not help here means "not able to avoid a situation, or stop something from happening". 
• In the second row apart Verbs followed by gerund can also be followed by an infinitive with the same meaning as its gerund form. 
• Verbs in the third row can also be followed by an infinitive, but the meaning is different from its gerund form.

Examples:

1.  Ryan has admitted killing eleven people yet?
2.    I appreciated being given suggestions by her.
3.   Tony always avoids answering my questions. 
4.  I enjoyed being with you last night. 
5.  Have you finished reading the book yet? 
6.  They prefer playing football to studying. Note: Verb prefer if followed by a gerund, in contrast to the pattern of the sentence if it is followed by infinitive. 
7.  I can not help worrying about the upcoming exam. 
8.  I want to stop smoking. 
9.  My brother always remembers locking his car. During this time, the car has never been in a state not locked. Note: Use the gerund after the verb remember if its activity has been done in the past. 
10.  My brother never Forgets locking his car. Similar to Example 7, during this time, the car has never been in a state not locked. Note: Use the gerund after the verb forget if its activity has been done in the past.

2)      After prepositions

Before followed by gerunds, prepositions usually follows verbs, adjectives, or nouns. Consider the following pattern:
 

Subject

verb adjective noun

preposition

gerund

a)      Verbs + prepositions + gerunds

Phrase in the following table are verbs + prepositions are always followed by a gerund (never followed by infinitive.)
 

approve of be better off give up put off	think about think of worry about succeed in	count on depend on insist on keep on Rely on
object to	look forward to	confess to

Note:   Although it is followed by the preposition to, the phrase on the second line is always followed by a gerund. So, don’t be confused with the infinitive.

Examples:

1. He Gave up smoking because of his doctor's advice.
2.   Jenny insisted on buying a cellphone that instead of this one. 
3.  Have you ever thought of studying abroad?
4.  After a long trial and error, he finally succeeded in fixing his laptop.
5.  My older sister objected to not being allowed to go out wit her friends. 
6.  I am looking forward to seeing you soon. INCORRECT if: I am looking forward to see you soon. 
7.  No one has confessed to stealing my money yet. INCORRECT if: No one has confessed to steal my money yet. 

  b)      Adjectives + prepositions + gerunds

Phrase in the following table are the adjectives + prepositions are always followed by a gerund (never followed by infinitive.) 
 

accustomed to intent on afraid of

interested in capable of successful in

fond of tired of

Examples:

1. Will you be capable of finishing your work by noon tomorrow?
2.   Are you afraid of sleeping in the dark? 
3.  I am tired of studying all day long. Let's go out to have fun.
4.  Judith is fond of singing while taking a shower. 
5.  Bobby is accustomed to buying roses for his girlfriend.

c)      Nouns + prepositions + gerunds

Phrase in the following table are nouns + prepositions are always followed by a gerund (never followed by infinitive).
 

choice of excuse for

intention of methods for / of

possibility of reason for

Examples:

1. The teacher Gave us a choice of taking another exam.
2.   I am so sorry. I had no intention of hurting your feeling. 
3.  He always has an excuse for being late. 
4.  There is no possibility of recruiting new employees during recession we are facing now.
5.  Have you found the best method for improving your English yet? 
6.  Your reason for getting bad grades is a big nonsense.

3.      Gerunds as Modifiers

Often we find sentences that use modifier form of clause (i.e. prepositions + S + V). If the subject of the main clause and the same modifier, the subject of the modifier can be eliminated, but the verb turned into a gerund.

Examples:

1. After doing the homework, I will play football. = After I do my homework, I will play football.
2. Cats usually snore while sleeping. = Cats usually snore while they (the cats) are sleeping.
3. I had a very bad English before reading Reviews These articles. = I had very bad English before I read Reviews These articles.
4. Besides watching movies, I like reading novels. = Besides I like watching movies, I like reading novels.
5. Because of not studying well, I did not pass the test. = Because I did not study well, I did not pass the test. Note: Because use is because of and different. Can you see the difference?

4.      Use (pronoun / noun) before gerunds

In the patterns above, before gerund can also be inserted pronoun in the form of possessive adjectives (i.e. my, your, his, her, its, Reviews their, our) or by a noun in the form of possessive (i.e. noun + 's, for example: John's, Rini's, Indonesia's , ect).
 

Subject	verb		(pronoun / noun) in possessive form	gerund
Subject	verb adjective noun	prepositions
-	-	prepositions

Note: Note the difference pronoun used in the infinitive.

Examples:

1. We are looking forward to your coming next week.
2.   My father does not approve of my brother's Marrying her.
3.  They resented the teacher's not announcing the exam sooner. 
4.  He objected to my calling his girlfriend last night. 
5.  We all regret Danny's not going to school anymore. 
6.  Before my sister's leaving for Bali next week, my parents are going to have a small gathering at home this weekend. 
7. After his confessing to using drugs, she did not want to see him again. 

5.      Negative form Gerunds

Gerunds negative form is made ​​by placing the particle NOT in front of the gerund.

Examples:

1. She regretted not seeing her boyfriend last weekend.
2. Students are usually worried of not getting good grades. 
3. The criminal insisted on not telling the truth even though the policemen had Tortured him.

B.   Using Infinitives

1.      Infinitives As Subjects

As the subject of the sentence, the infinitive is generally in the form of infinitive clause.

Examples:

1. To play kites when it's very cloudy is very dangerous.
2. To study the grammar is a must if you want to improve your English.
3. To play football when drizzling is very joyful.

By not changing the meaning, the third sentence in the top row can be expressed as follows:

1. It is very dangerous to play kites when it's very cloudy.
2. It is a must to study the grammar if you want to improve your English.
3. It is very joyful to play football when drizzling.

2.      Infinitives As Objects

Often we have to use verbs after other verbs. If the verb is followed by another verb, the verb that follows serves as the object of the sentence. Verbs that can be shaped to follow the infinitive or gerund form can also, depending on the verb that followed. Verbs in the following table followed by infinitives.
 

agree Appear attempt claim Decide demand desire expect fail	hesitate hope intend learn need offer plan prepare pretend	promise refuse seem strive growing niche try want wish would like
begin can not bear can not stand continue	Dislike dread hate like	love prefer start
stop	remember	forget

Note:

• Verbs in the first row is always followed by infinitives (never followed by a gerund).
• Verbs in the second row apart followed by infinitives can also be followed by gerunds with the same meaning as its infinitive form.
• Verbs in the third row can also be followed by gerunds, but its meaning is different from its infinitive form.

Examples:

1. Everybody has agreed to meet again next week.
2. Look! The newly born calf is attempting to stand on his own feet.
3. He claimed to have Returned my book but I am a hundred percent sure that he has not.
4. Our government Decided to lower the gas price. 
5. The laborers of that company are demanding to get better Salaries. 
6. If I make a mistake, please do not hesitate to correct me. 
7. I was pretending to study hard when my mom entered my room last night. 
8. I am so sorry. I did not intend to hurt your feeling. 
9. She refused to accept my help. 
10. If you do not strive to learn English, your English will not improve steadily.  
11. I want to write down all of the English patterns on this blog. 
12. He needs to borrow some money. 
13. I like to study English = I like studying English.  
14. They just Began to study math last night = They just Began studying math last night. 
15. My grandmother could not bear to hear the loud noise coming from the construction site = My grandmother could not bear hearing the loud noise coming from the construction site. 
16. They prefer to play football than (to) study = They prefer playing football to studying.  (Note: Both sentences mean the same, but slightly the grammar is different. Pay attention to where lies the difference).
17. We started to try to study English last month = We started trying to study English last month. 
18. I want to stop to smoke. In this sentence, the subject I wanted to stop doing something that can be smoked. Distinguish smoke pales verb in gerund form. 
19. My brother remembered to lock his car. In this sentence, the subject remembered my brother first and then he locked the car activity. (Note: Use the infinitive if the activity of the verb that follows it will be done after the action of the verb remember.
20. My brother did not forget to lock his car.

a)      Once the object pronoun or noun
 

In contrast to the above verbs, verbs in the following table generally require object pronoun (i.e. me, you, him, her, it, them, us) or a noun before followed by infinitive.

advise allow ask encourage expect force

invite need order permit Remind require

tell want warn would like

Examples:

1. The teacher advised us to study harder.
2. Have your parents allowed you to have a boyfriend yet?
3. My mom asked me to help my younger brother (to) do his homework. (Note: help be followed by the verb infinitive or verb1. However, verb1 used more often).
4. Ronny Rini begged her to marry him.  
5. The eruption of mount Merapi forced the villagers to flee Reviews their villages.
6. A success story can encourage people to be successful. 

b)     After adjectives
 

In general, either by the adjective can be followed by a gerund or infinitive without changing the meaning of a sentence. But, there are only a few adjective followed by an infinitive and never followed by a gerund. Adjectives is presented in the following table.
 

Able anxious boring Common dangerous difficult

eager easy good hard pleased prepared

ready strange usual

Note: Able and capable to have the same meaning (i.e. able / unable), but the grammar is very different; Able followed by an infinitive, while capable of + followed by a gerund.

Examples:

1. Will you be Able to finish your work by noon tomorrow?
2. Yessy is very eager to wear her new cloth. 
3. I am lazy to go to study English. 
4. She is happy to give you this present. 
5. My father's car is dirty enough to be washed. I am ready to wash it now. 
6. We have to be strong to accept this bad news. 

c)      After nouns

Examples:

1. I will go to a shopping mall to buy a new bag.
2. He is looking for a knife to peel the mango.
3. He climbed that tall tree to get his kite.
4. My father usually puts on his sunglasses to protect his eyes from the sun rays. 
5. Every driver has to push the brake to stop the car.

3.      Negation

Infinitive made ​​negative by placing a particle (helpers) NOT in front of the infinitive.

Examples:

1. Everybody has agreed not to meet again.
2. Do you prefer not to study? 
3. We have Decided not to tell her the truth about what her boyfriend did last night.
4. Today is a holiday. I am glad not to go to school today.
5. The laborers of that company are demanding not to get laid off.

III.     Passage

*Words in italics are the infinitives and words bold are gerund

Ali's Story

Booking The School

 

Ali decided that he wanted to study abroad. To achieve his goal, he had many things that he had to do. Firstly he needed to improve his English so he could take the IELTS test. Unfortunately Ali disliked learning English so this would not be much fun. His friend recommended attending a school close to his house. Ali went to look and from what he could see it seemed to be a good school. He didn't delay registering for a course. He managed to get a good price for the course because they had a special offer on. This was good because he could not afford to pay too much.

Studying

He had never read much in his life and knew he was weak in this area, so he practiced reading as much as he could. He hated to write in English too as his grammar was quite weak so he also planned to practice writing as many essays as possible. His teachers agreed to check these for him. As it turned out, Ali actually really enjoyed studying English. The other students on the course didn't hesitate to help Ali and the teachers always offered to assist him if he was stuck. He kept up his studying for a number of months because he wouldn't risk sitting the exam until he was ready.

Taking the Test 

Then came the time for Ali to take the test. He couldn't stop worrying before the test. His teacher had recommended doing the Task 2 first in the writing so he followed those instructions. He finished writing his Task 2 after exactly 40 minutes and then went on to the Task 1. The speaking test seemed to go quite well even though he was nervous. He can recall asking the examiner at the end how well he had done but she refused to tell him. Then came the time for his result. He had expected to get a band 5.5 but he was surprised to find out that he had been given a band 6.

The Result

So Ali could now go and study abroad. Although he was happy it did mean leaving his wife and children for a year. He considered taking them with him but it would be too expensive. He knew he would miss seeing them everyday but his parents offered to take care of them and promised to make sure they were safe. Ali did love traveling though so he knew he would enjoy the trip. He began to prepare his trip immediately.