Download Gerunds Infinitives and Participles Fill in Blank Notes

Notes: Gerunds and Infinitives
GERUNDS
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
The base form of a verb + __________
When a noun looks like a verb with -ing, it is called a gerund.

Can be the ___________ of a sentence: Jogging is good exercise. To jog
is good exercise.

Can be the _________________: I like reading books. I like to read
books.

Can be the _______________________, for example: We are talking
about swimming in English class. We discussed quitting smoking for good.
If you want to use an action word in a place that requires a noun, you can usually
use a verb with an -ing ending.
For example: Fishing is fun.
_________________ is difficult.
That is ballet _______________.
In these sentences, fishing, hiking, and dancing look like verbs, but they are
not verbs. They are nouns. When a noun looks like a verb with -ing, it is called
a gerund.
Notes: Gerunds and Infinitives
INFINITIVES
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________________________________________________________________
The base form of a verb + _________
For example:
To sleep
To wash
To love
Infinitives and infinitive phrases can be both subjects and objects in sentences.
____________ To study hard will increase your chances of getting into
college.
_____________: Kathy wants to study with her friends.
Gerunds and infinitives can use the same verb. However, the way the verb is
used in each part of speech can change the meaning of the sentence.
Notes: Gerunds and Infinitives
Example
Gerund
Meaning
Louise stopped drinking
soda.
Infinitive
Louise stopped to drink
soda.
Though there are always exceptions to the following, here are two
suggestions that will help you distinguish the difference between infinitives
and gerunds:
Suggestion #1
Infinitives are more often used to answer WHY-questions. Look at the following
conversation:
Louise: I stopped.
Harry: Why?
Louise: I stopped to drink water.
Gerunds are usually not used to answer why-questions. Gerunds are nouns.
Gerunds directly receive actions (when in the object position) just like other
nouns.
I stopped the car. (object-noun)
I stopped the thief. (object-noun)
I stopped arguing. (object-gerund=noun)
Notes: Gerunds and Infinitives
Suggestion #2
Infinitives in the subject position are often used for general or habitual actions.
Here are some examples:
To live a happy life is everyone’s deepest desire.
To err is human, to forgive, divine. (Shakespeare)
To fix a car requires a lot more than a screwdriver.
NOTE: All of these sentences can use gerunds (living a happy life is everyone’s
deepest desire).
When the action happened in the past, a gerund is usually used.
Past Action
Monika has studied German.
Gerund
Studying German was easy for her.
This action happened in the past. Therefore, use a gerund. Using an infinitive to
refer to a past action is not as common and natural as using a gerund.
Notes: Gerunds and Infinitives
Practice: Identify each of the following as a gerund or infinitive.

I forget locking the door.

I forgot to lock the door.

I stopped drinking soda.

I stopped to drink soda.
A PARTICIPLE is a word formed as a verb that can be used as an adjective.
There are two main types of participles:
1. Present Participle-ends in –ing
2. Past Participle-ends in –ed, -en
Verb
Past Participle
Present Participle
rise
the risen sun
the rising sun
boil
the boiled water
the boiling water
break
the broken news
the breaking news
cook
the cooked ham
the cooking ham
**Note: Each of these are used to describe (adjective) not as an action (verb).
Notes: Gerunds and Infinitives
Participle
End in: -ed, -en, -ing
Acts like: adjective
Gerund
Ends in: -ing
Acts like: noun
Infinitive
To + a verb
Acts like: noun, adjective,
adverb
Step 1: _________________________________(Who/what is the sentence is about?).
Step 2: ______________________________________ (What did the subject do?).
Step 3: Are there any other words in the sentences that have verb endings (-ed,
-en, -ing).
NO
YES
Is it describing a noun?
YES
Participle
You’re through!
(no verbals)
NO
Does it end in –ing & act like a noun? (ie. Subject or object)
YES
Gerund
NO
Is “to” directly in front of it?
YES
Infinitive