Gerund enzo

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• havo
• Leerjaar 4

Gerund and infinitives

verbs used as a noun.

I've wanted to buy a smartwatch for ages

My legs didn't stop aching for days after that

gerunds and infinitives

infinitive ( = hele of stam van het werkwoord)

We use the infinitive

• to say why we do something.  We went to town to buy a new coat.
• to say why something exists.  They built a dyke to protect us from the water.
• after too and enough. It was too soon to decide to quit. It wasn't high enough to keep the water out.

bare 

infinitive + to-infinitive

We use the infinitive in the following constructions:

verb (see list on p 206) + infinitive

We decided to go to Amsterdam to do some shopping.

verb ( see list on p 206) + (somebody/ something) + to-infinitive

They asked us to leave the building.

verb ( see list on p 206) + somebody/ something + to-infinitive

I invite you to come to my party.

verb + -ing (gerund)

We use a gerund

• after prepositions

We are looking forward to going on a schooltrip.

• as subject or object of a sentence

Smoking is bad for your health.

• after certain verbs ( see list on p 206)

I usually postpone learning for tests until the very last moment.

• after expressions ( it's no good, it's no use, it's not worth, it's a waste of time, can't stand, can't bear)

It's no use crying over spilt milk (gedane zaken nemen geen keer).

After some verbs you can use an infinitive (vorm I in present simple)as well as a gerund (ing form) without a difference in meaning.

Start

 I started working on my paper yesterday afternoon.

  I started to work on my paper yesterday afternoon.

Begin

 I began thinking I could fail my driving test when I didn’t stop at the traffic light.

  I began to think I could fail my driving test when I didn’t stop at the traffic light.

Continue

 He continued singing a popular song.

  He continued to sing a popular song.

Attempt

They attempted extinguishing the fire

  The attempted to extinguish the fire

 

Intend

 She intended being nicer to her sister.

  She intended to be nicer to her sister.

Be accustomed to

They were accustomed to going out for supper on Friday night.

 They were accustomed to go out for supper on Friday night.

 

committed to

 He was committed to helping the homeless.

 He was committed to help the homeless.

Can’t bear

 I can’t bear losing him

 I can’t bear to lose him

A small difference in meaning

Like

 I like playing golf ( in general)

 I like to play golf in Portugal. (habit or in particular)

Prefer

He preferred learning Spanish

He preferred to learn Spain in a Spanish- speaking country

Hate

He hates running in hot weather

He hates to run in hot weather in the afternoons.

Love

 She loves baking cakes

 She loves to bake cakes for weddings.

Difference in meaning

Try

 I tried to open the can but I didn’t have enough strength in my hands to do it. (make an attempt)

When learning the words by reading them out loud didn’t help I tried learning them using wrts. (experiment)

Stop

 teacher: stop talking! (stop doing what you are doing now)

 I stopped the music to make an announcement. (stop doing what you are doing now to do something else)

Regret

 I regret to tell you that you cannot join our club (bad news: I am sorry that I have to tell you …)

 I regret telling my teacher to shut up. ( I am sorry I did something))

Remember

You must remember to post that letter (you must not forget that you still have to do something in the future)

 I clearly remember posting the letter (You remember you did something in the past)

Forget

 I shouldn’t forget to congratulate him on the birth of his son (you still have to do it)

 I never forget going to Disneyland with my granddad (I will always remeber something I did in the past)

Mean

I mean to do my homework every day (It is my intention, I plan to do this)

 It means going to school at night as well ( the consequence of something)