The infinitive and the gerund are forms of the verb that are used in many situations. When it accompanies the main verb in the sentence, they are called verbal complements and function as objects or subjects . Infinitive and gerund usage in English

The use of infinitives and gerunds is a bit confusing when we are learning English. Therefore, the grammar guide that we have prepared below will be of great help in discovering how to correctly introduce them in a sentence .

What is the gerund?

The gerund results from a verb to which the particle “-ing” has been added . It can be used as a subject, complement or object in the sentence. It is used to name an activity instead of a person or thing. Any action verb can be converted to a gerund.

Examples:

• Reading helps you learn.  (subject)
• His favorite hobby is reading (complement)
• You enjoy reading.  (object)

Gerunds can be negative when the word “not” precedes them .

Examples:

• The best thing for your health is not smoking .
• She enjoys not working .

Rules to transform a verb into a gerund

In most verbs, you simply add “ing” to the base form .

• Examples: cry – crying, play – playing, bark – barking.

For verbs that end in “e”, remove the “e” and add “ing . “

• Examples: ride – riding, slide – sliding.

For verbs that end with “ie”, change “ie” to “y” and add “ing”.

• Examples: tie – tying, die – dying.

Finally, the verbs in which the last syllable is written with consonant-vowel-consonant and is stressed , you must repeat the last letter before adding “ing” .

• Examples: begin – beginning, beg – begging.

What is the infinitive?

The infinitive is a verb form that ends up being another part of the sentence . It is very easy to form, you just have to add “to” to the base of the verb. It is also used as a complement, subject or object of a sentence. Infinitive and gerund usage in English

Examples:

The infinitive form of the base verb “learn” is “to learn” . You can use this verb form in the following ways:

• To learn is important.  (Subject)
• The most important thing is to learn . (Complement)
• She wants to learn .  (Object)

Infinitives can become negative if they are preceded by the word “not” .

Examples:

• We decided not to drink anymore .
• Some couple just choose to not get

When to use the infinitive and the gerund?

When we need to use a verb after a verb, we always use the infinitive or the gerund . Commonly there are verbs that are followed by a gerund, others by an infinitive. There are also verbs in which the gerund or the infinitive are used.

Examples of verb + infinitive

• I can’t afford to buy a new flat.
• We decided to move to Italy in June.
• Andy needed to leave class early because he had a job interview.

Examples of verb + gerund

• I enjoy listening to pop music.
• Karla can’t stand waiting in a queue.
• My cousin could retire, but he keeps working .

Examples of verb + gerund or infinitive

• Rose hates studying . / She hates to study .
• They love playing . / They love to play .
• I tried learning / I tried to learn English.

Infinitive and gerund as complement, object or subject

Both gerunds and infinitives can be used as a complement or subject in the sentence. However, gerunds sound better and more natural as subjects or complements . While infinitives have more abstract meanings , they emphasize the potential or possibility of something and sound philosophical.

Since there are no specific rules, this can end up being somewhat complicated. But remember that 90% of the time, the gerund is used as the subject or complement of the sentence. Here are some examples of the different uses. Infinitive and gerund usage in English

Complement:

• The best thing to do when they are sick is to see a good doctor.
• Our favorite exercise is running .

 Object:

• I like reading . / I like to read .
• I have continued studying . / He continued to study .

Subject:

• Running is good exercise.
• Driving and drinking at the same time is dangerous.

Infinitive after adjectives

Use the infinitive form after adjectives like:

• surprised
• sad
• relieved
• pleased
• happy
• glad
• disappointed

Examples:

• I’m surprised to see
• They were surprised to find the door open.

Gerund after prepositions

Gerund is always used after prepositions , such as:

• without
• on
• by
• before
• at (a)
• against
• after
• about

Examples:

• She’s good at reading .
• I always take a shower before going to bed.
• You can’t go without saying : I’m sorry.

Gerund after nouns

The gerund is used with nouns such as:

• reason for
• problem with
• opportunity of
• interested in
• experience in
• danger of
• advantage / disadvantage of

Examples:

• What is the advantage of running ?
• We are interested in taking Italian classes.

Gerund after certain expressions or phrasal verbs

The gerund also accompanies phrasal verbs and other compound expressions , including:

• to look forward to
• to be worth
• feel like
• don’t mind
• can’t help

Examples:

• I am really looking forward to seeing
• That soccer game is not worth seeing .
• I can’t avoid falling in love.

Verbs that change meaning

There are some verbs whose meaning is altered depending on whether we use the gerund or the infinitive as a companion . Some of these verbs are:

• stop
• remember
• mean (to mean)
• forget

Examples:

• Stop to watch the news.
• Stop watching the news. Infinitive and gerund usage in English