Download Gerunds (ing-form) and infinitives

Gerunds (ing-form) and infinitives
Main verb and complement
In a clause it is normally the main verb that determines what other linguistic elements are
needed to construct a well-formed clause. In English we normally need a subject. Other
elements that a required by the main verb are called complements. Complements are often
noun phrases like shown below:
He
started
subject main verb
the car.
complement (direct object)
But they can also be non-finite verb forms like gerunds
He
started
walking.
subject
main verb
complement
and infinitives
He
started
to walk.
subject
main verb
complement
Non-finite complements
Gerunds
(1) He continued walking.
(2) He couldn’t bear her leaving him.
(3) She resented his being such a wimp.
Infinitives
(4) He wanted to see her again.
(5) She told him to get lost.
(6) He watched her walk away.
Finite complement
That-clause
(7) He hopes that she goes insane without him.
(8) She regrets that she ever went out with him.
Structures
Gerunds
(9) I hate singing.
(10) I hate him singing.
(11) I hate his singing.
Infinitives
(12) I want to sing.
(13) I want him to sing.
(14) I heard him sing.
Verb groups
Verbs that only take to-infinitives
Verbs like hope and want which indicate something happening in the future
(15) He hoped to change her mind.
(16) She wanted him to forget her.
Verbs that only take gerunds
Verbs like detest and enjoy where the complement express something established
(17) She detested him spying on her.
(18) He enjoyed watching her all the time.
Verbs with both to-infinitive and gerunds
Some verbs like forget and remember clearly illustrate the difference in meaning between
using to-infinitives and gerunds.
(19) He forgot taking his medicine. (has happened)
(20) He forgot to take his medicine. (has not happened)
Sometimes this difference can be interpreted as the sequence of events. The action of the
complement happens before or after the main verb.
Gerunds
To-infinitives
You must remember paying the bills.
(remember after pay)
He stopped buying magazines.
(stop after buy)
We regret saying that.
(regret after say)
You must remember to pay the bills.
(remember before pay)
He stopped to buy magazines.
(stop before buy)
We regret to say this.
(regret before saying)
Difference in meaning, difference in complement:
(21) Peter denied going to the party. (statement of fact)
(22) Peter refused to go to the party. (action)
Like and would like
When the verb like means ‘enjoy’, it’s followed by the -ing form. However, the expression
would like (want to) is followed by the infinitive.
(23) I like going abroad on marketing trips. (I enjoy this.)
(24) I would like to go more often.(I want to go more often.)
After prepositions
(25) You can’t make an omelette without breaking eggs.
(26) We got the job finished by working sixteen hours a day.
to as a preposition
The form to functions both as the infinitive marker as in
(27) She started to swim
and as preposition
(28) She has gone to the park
To as a preposition is followed by the gerund not the to-infinitive. Common expressions with
the preposition to and a gerund are, look forward to, object to, be used to, prefer, get round
to, in additon to.
(29) I am not used to driving in London.
Gerunds and infinitives with try
When you use try with to-infinitives you express that you are making an effort to do
something
(30) My sister tried to cheer me up.
(31) He was trying his best to understand.
When you use try with gerunds you express that you are doing something in order to find out
how useful, effective or enjoyable it is.
(32) He tried changing the subject.
(33) Have you ever tried painting?
Sometime the difference can be rather subtle if any
(34) Francis had tried talking with her on many occasions.
(35) I tried to talk to her sensibly but she just wouldn't listen.
Gerunds and infinitives – exercise one
Look at the following pairs of sentences containing constructions with gerunds (ing-form) and
infinitives (to-form). What are the differences in meaning between the two sentences? Can
you see any common feature among the gerunds on the one hand and the to-infinitives on the
other?
1) You must remember paying the bills
2) You must remember to pay the bills.
3) He stopped buying magazines.
4) He stopped to buy magazines.
5) We regret saying that.
6) We regret to say this.
7) He went on playing tennis.
8) He went on to play tennis.