Gerunds and Infinitives

 

Introduction

Gerunds and infinitives are verb forms that are used in specific ways in English grammar. Both gerunds and infinitives can function as nouns, but they have different structures and uses.

Gerunds

1. Structure: Gerunds are formed by adding "-ing" to the base form of a verb (e.g., "swimming," "running," "eating").
2. Function: Gerunds can act as subjects, objects, or complements in a sentence. *Example as a subject: "Swimming is my favorite sport." *Example as an object: "I enjoy swimming." *Example as a complement: "Her hobby is running."
3. Usage: *Gerunds are often used after prepositions: "He is interested in learning new languages." *Gerunds can follow certain verbs like "enjoy," "mind," "admit," "consider," etc.: "She enjoys playing the piano." *Gerunds can be used after possessive pronouns: "I appreciate your helping me."

Infinitives

1. Structure: Infinitives are the base form of a verb preceded by the word "to" (e.g., "to swim," "to run," "to eat").
2. Function: Infinitives can also act as subjects, objects, or complements. *Example as a subject: "To succeed requires hard work." *Example as an object: "They want to eat dinner." *Example as a complement: "His goal is to become a doctor."
3. Usage: *Infinitives are often used after certain verbs like "want," "plan," "decide," "hope," etc.: "I want to go to the beach." *Infinitives can follow adjectives: "She is happy to help." *Infinitives can be used after certain nouns: "It's a pleasure to meet you."

It's important to note that certain verbs can be followed by either a gerund or an infinitive, but the meaning may change. Some examples of such verbs are "start," "like," "love," "prefer," and "forget." For instance, "I started running" (gerund) implies that the action of running began, while "I started to run" (infinitive) suggests the intention to begin running. Learning to use gerunds and infinitives correctly requires practice and familiarity with their various uses in different sentence structures.

Points to consider when using Gerunds and Infinitives

1. Verbs that are followed by gerunds: Examples: enjoy, dislike, love, hate, finish, suggest, recommend, avoid, consider, imagine, etc. *"I enjoy swimming in the ocean." *"She dislikes running long distances." *"He loves playing the guitar."
2. Verbs that are followed by infinitives: Examples: want, plan, decide, hope, expect, need, promise, agree, refuse, offer, etc. *"I want to visit Italy next year." *"She plans to study medicine at university." *"He promised to help with the project."
3. Verbs that can be followed by both gerunds and infinitives with a change in meaning: Examples: start, like, love, prefer, forget, remember, regret, try, etc. *"I started running" (I began the activity of running). *"I started to run" (I began the action with the intention of running). *"She likes swimming" (She has a general preference for swimming). *"She likes to swim" (She enjoys swimming on specific occasions).
4. Gerunds and infinitives as objects of prepositions: Examples: "I'm interested in learning languages" (gerund). *"She is afraid of flying in airplanes" (gerund). *"He is excited about going to the concert" (gerund). *"They are ready to start the project" (infinitive). *"She is capable of solving complex problems" (gerund).
5. Gerunds and infinitives as subjects: Examples: "Swimming is a good form of exercise" (gerund). *"To learn a new language requires dedication" (infinitive).

Remember that there are also certain phrases and expressions where gerunds and infinitives are commonly used, such as "It's no use," "It's worth," "Can't help," "Would rather," and "Had better." Additionally, it's essential to pay attention to verb patterns and the specific rules that govern the use of gerunds and infinitives with different verbs. Consulting a reliable grammar resource can provide you with a comprehensive understanding of these verb forms and their usage in various contexts.