Download Infinitive With/Without `to` and the Gerund

Infinitive With/Without ‘to’ and the Gerund
When two main verbs appear together, the second verb will take one of the following three forms:
1. The infinitive without ‘to’
⦁ the infinitive without ‘to’ is used after modal verbs, e. g. will, should, can, must, etc. and certain verbs of permission
and causation (Verursachung), e. g. make, bid, let, and have (see above)
He will study at Oxford next year.
2. The infinitive with ‘to’
⦁ the infinitive with ‘to’ is often used after verbs that can refer to future actions, e. g. afford, agree, appear, attempt,
choose, dare, decide, expect, fail, help, hope, learn, manage, offer, plan, promise, refuse, seem, wish, would like,
would love, would prefer, would hate
The Hole in the Wall Camps help to give seriously ill children a wonderful vacation.
I hope to work in a Hole in the Wall Camp next year.
3. The gerund
The gerund (formed with the infinitive (without ‘to’) + -ing) is a special form of the verb that is used like a noun.
⦁ the gerund can be the subject of the sentence
Travelling abroad is fun and broadens your horizons.
⦁ the gerund can be the object after certain verbs and phrases, e. g. admit, avoid, consider, deny, hate, detest, dislike,
love, like, enjoy, excuse, finish, imagine, keep (‘ continue), (not) mind, miss, postpone, practise, prevent, regret,
resist, resume, risk, stand (‘ tolerate), suggest, cannot/could not help, it is no use, it is worth, look forward to
Harold did not mind spending all his time with an old woman.
⦁ the gerund is used after prepositions:
a) adjective + preposition, e. g. capable of, famous for, fond of, good at, interested in, proud of
Paul Newman became famous for playing Butch Cassidy in the famous Western.
b) noun + preposition, e. g. difficulty in, fear of, hope of, intention of, a question of
President Obama has the intention of motivating people to volunteer.
c) verb + preposition (= prepositional verbs), e. g. accuse sb. of, apologize for, believe in, count on, depend on,
dream of, insist on, object to, prevent sth. from, rely on, succeed in, thank for
Harold succeeded in shocking his mother by committing fake suicides.
However, be careful with the word ‘to’. It can function as a preposition.
We are very much looking forward to meeting you next week.
‘To’ can also be part of the infinitive with ‘to’ (see above).
They would like to meet us at the airport.
The verbs like, love, hate, start, begin, continue, intend can be used with a gerund or an infinitive with ‘to’ with
little or no difference in meaning.
In contrast, the verbs forget, go on, remember, stop, try have a totally different meaning when used with a gerund
or infinitive.
Phil stopped eating a hamburger. ‘ Phil hörte auf, einen Hamburger zu essen.
Phil stopped to eat a hamburger. ‘ Phil stoppte/hielt an, um einen Hamburger zu essen.
Zusatzmaterial – Pathway Advanced, Best.-Nr. 040161, © Schöningh Verlag