gerund vs infinitive

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 3

Welcome class! 

 Gerund vs infinitive

Learning goal:

- I know the difference between 'the infinitive' and 'gerund'

- I can use the 'the infinitive' and 'gerund' correctly.

Gerund (NL: Lezen is leuk.)

Gerund or Infinitive

I don't mind reviewing grammar. (gerund)

I hope to learn a lot. (infinitive = to + hele werkwoord)

How do you make a gerund?

Stem +ing 

The gerund looks a lot like a present continuous without the form of "to be"

I love reading.

 Gerunds can be used as a subject of a sentence.

EXAMPLES

Eating people is wrong.

Hunting tigers is dangerous.

Flying makes me nervous.

Brushing your teeth is important.

Smoking causes lung cancer.

 Gerunds can be used as an object of a sentence.

You may say: “I enjoy drawing.”

You may also say: “Yesterday, I decided to draw.”

Both sentences are correct, but one has an infinitive as the object and the other has a gerund as the object.

Gerund - recap

The gerund is a form of a verb (stem + ing) which can be used as the subject or direct object. 

• Subject (onderwerp)
  

       Swimming is fun

•  Direct object (lijdend voorwerp)
  

      I enjoy going to the seaside

When to use a gerund? (besides use as subject/object)

1)Expressions like: it's no use/don't mind/ look forward to:

It is no use crying over spilt milk.

My mother does't mind cooking every day.

2)Verbs like enjoy/ love/ like/hate: 

I enjoy going to the movies.

I hate cycling in the rain.

3)After prepositions:

John is good at working in the garden.

They are afraid of losing the match.

Some verbs require a gerund and some will require an infinitive. 

Here are a few examples of verbs that need to be followed by an infinitive:

agree: I agreed to go to a party with my friend.

decide: The president decided not to participate in the discussions.

deserve: Everyone deserves to be respected.

expect: I expect to know my exam grade by tomorrow.

hope: We were hoping to avoid traffic by leaving early.

Grammar: Gerund vs. Infinitive

Gerund	Infinitive
ww + ing	VERB (WITH "TO")
1. As a noun (subject/direct object) 2. Verbs expressing opinion: hate, like, love, enjoy (often/not anymore) 3. After these verbs : to start, to begin, to continue, to stop.* 4. After expressions like: it's no use, it's (not) worth it, don't mind, to look forward to 5. After prepositions : after, before, while, at, from, etc.	1. - 2. After verbs expressing feelings/ thoughts: to hope, to want, to expect, to choose, to hesitate 3. After verbs like: to learn, to manage, to fail, to tend., 4. After verbs like : to agree, to promise, to demand, to forbid, to refuse 5. In combination with: would love, would hate, would like

Using the infinitive without "to" 

1. Any modal verbs; (would, could, might, must) - I might go home. 
   
2. With the verbs; make/let - I make him walk the dog 

We let them win at football because they were only little children.

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What kind of word is "cycling" in this sentence?
"I am cycling to my work."

1. a noun
2. a verb
3. personal pronoun
4. adjective

What kind of word is "cycling" in this sentence?
"Cycling is my favourite hobby."

1. a noun
2. a verb
3. personal pronoun
4. adjective

Gerund vs Infinitive

It's worth .... an effort.

1. to make
2. making

Gerund vs Infinitive

Angelina doesn't mind ... care of the kids.

1. to take
2. taking

Gerund vs Infinitive

The whole class agrees it's difficult ... early.

1. to get up
2. getting up

Gerund vs Infinitive

He decided ............................... (study) biology.

1. to study
2. studying

Gerund vs Infinitive

We will only succeed if we keep .... (try) .

Gerund vs Infinitive

I had a cup of hot chocolate after ..... (go) ice skating.

Gerund vs Infinitive

Mark should remember ... (take) the trash out.

Gerund vs Infinitive

We would hate .............. (see) you go.

Gerund vs Infinitive - Make sentences
(let op hoofdletters en punten!)
I - not like - shop

She would love __________ (to meet) you.

1. to meet
2. meet
3. meeting

He's afraid of _________ (to be) alone.

1. to be
2. be
3. being

Jane stopped ________ (to talk) to me after our fight.

I refuse _________ (to help) him.

I don't mind _______ (to do) that for you.

Please take your shoes before ______ (to enter) the room.

ex 1:Sentence examples showing a verb followed by a gerund:

I avoid swimming in shark infested waters.

I enjoy eating chocolate in the bath.

I practise singing in the shower.

I fancy ............. ing    ....... .............................................................

I deny   ...........................ing        ...............................................

They  miss .................ing     ..........................................................

He risks losing .....................................................................

ex 1:Sentence examples showing a verb followed by an infinitive +to

I expect to go to London at Christmas

She offers to help out every Tuesday

They refuse to do their homework

We want  ....................................

He threatens ......................................

We deserve   ...................................................

I manage ...................................................       

Verbs taking both gerund and infinitive - but with a change in meaning....

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