Gerund & To Infinitive

A. Gerund
Gerund is the ing form of a verb(Example: talking, playing, understanding). The
functions of gerund is to replace noun, so sometimes in the sentences you can find a
gerund replacing noun.
Gerund as the object of preposition.

a.

We talked about going to Canada

forour vacation.

b.

Steve is in charge of organizing the

meeting.

c. Im interested in learning more about

to is a preposition, not part of an d.

your work.
Im used to sleeping with the window

infinitive form, so a gerund follows.

open.
e.

I look forward to going home next

home next month.

Negatife form: not precedes a gerund.

f.

They object to changing their plans at

g.

this late date.

We talked about not going to the
meeting, but finally we decided we
should go.

Verbs that Usually Followed By a Gerund

Kata kerja yang Biasanya Diikuti Oleh gerund
a. I enjoy playing tennis.

Gerunds are used as the objects of certain

verbs.
Enjoy is not followed by an infinitive.

b. Joe quit smoking.

INCORRECT: I enjoy to play tennis.

(b) and (c) have the same meaning, and

c. Joe gave up smoking.

followed by gerunds.

Examples List:
a. Enjoy
b. Appreciate
c. Mind
d. Quit(Give up)
e. Finish(Get through)
f. Stop*
g. Avoid
h. Postpone(Put off)
i. Delay
j. Keep(Keep on)
k. Consider(Think about)
l. Mention
m. Suggest
*More examples for Stop:
a. Stop + gerund : When the professor entered the room, the students stopped talking.
(The room become quiet)
b. Stop + infinitive : While I was walking down the street, I ran an old friend. I stopped
to talk to him. (I stopped walking in order to talk to him)
Go + Gerund
a. Did you go shopping?

Go is followed by a gerund in certain

b. We went fishing yesterday.

expressions, for most part, recreational

activities.

Examples List:
a. Go birdwatching
b. Go boating
c. Go bowling

d. Go camping
e. Go canoeing
f. Go fishing
g. Go dancing
h. Go hiking
i. Go hunting
j. Go jogging
k. Go mountain climbing
l. Go running
m. Go sailing
n. Go shopping
o. Go sightseeing
p. Go skating
q. Go skiing
r. Go sledding
s. Go swimming
t. Go tobogganing
u. Go window shopping
B. Infinitive
Infinitife is the to + the simple form of a verb(Example: to talk, to play, to
understand.
Example of the sentences:
a. Verb + Infinitive
1. I hope to see you again soon.
2. He promised to be here by ten.
3. He promised not to be late.
b. Verb + (Pro)Noun + Infinitive
1. Mr. Lee told me to be here at ten oclock.
2. The police ordered the driver to stop.

c. Verb + Infinitive
1. I was told to be here at ten oclock.
2. the driver was ordered to stop.
d. Negative form:
Just add not before the infinitive. Like, He promised not
to eat before finishing his task.
Examples List of Verb + Infinitive:
a. Hope to

p. Need to

b. Plan to
c. Intend to*
d. Decide to
e. Promise to
f. Agree to
g. Offer to
h. Refuse to
i. Seem to
j. Appear to
k. Pretend to
l. Ask to
m. Expect to
n. Would like to
o. Want to
Examples List of Verb + (Pro)Noun + Infinitive:
a. Tell someone to
b. Advise someone to**
c. Encourage someone to
d. Remind someone to
e. Invite someone to
f. Permit someone to
g. Allow someone to

h. Warn someone to
i. Require someone to
j. Order someone to
k. Force someone to
l. Ask someone to
m. Expect someone to
n. Would like someone to
o. Want someone to
p. Need someone to

Intend is usually followed by an infinitive.

Example : I intend to go to the meeting.

But sometimes may be followed by a gerund.

Example : I intend going to the meeting.

** A gerund is used after advise if there is no (pro) noun

object. Compare:
1. He advised me buying a Trueno AE86 car.(Gerund)
2. He advised me to buy a Trueno AE86 car. (Infinitive)
Common Verbs That followed By infinitive:
1. Verb +Infinitive or Gerund(With No Difference In Meaning)
* Begin

* Prefer*

* Start

* Hate

* Continue

* Cant stand

* Like

* Cant bear

* Love
Example:

a. It began to rain/It began raining.

b.

There is no difference of the meaning, if

I started to work/I started the sentence uses a gerund or an infinitive.

working.

c. It as beginning to rain.

2. Verb + Infinitive or Gerund( With a Difference In Meaning)

* Remember

* Regret

* Forget

* Try

Example:
a. Arthur always remembers to lock Remember + infinitive = remember to
the door.

perform responsibility, duty, or task.

Forget + infinitive = forget to perform a

b. Patrick often forgets to lock the responsibility, duty, or task.

door.

Remember + gerund = remember(recall)

something that happened in the past.

c.

I remember seeing the Alps for the Forget + gerund = forget something that
first time.

happened in the past.

d. Ill never forget seeing the Alps for

the first time.
e. I regret to tell you that you failed Regret + infinitive = regret to say, to tell
the test.

someone, to inform someone of some bad

news.

f. I regret lending him some money. Regret + gerund = regret something that
He never paid back.
g. Im trying to learn English.

happened in the past

Try + infinitive = make an effort.

h. The room was hot. I tried opening Try + gerund = experiment with a new or
the window, but that didnt help. So different approach to see if it works.
I tried turning on the fan, but I was

still hot. Finally, I turned on the air

conditioner.

* Patterns of using prefer:

a. Prefer + gerund = I prefer staying home to going to the concert.
b. Prefer + infinitive = I prefer to stay home than (to) go to the
concert.