GERUNDS AND INFINITIVES

Gerunds and infinitives are sometimes referred to as verb complements. They may
function as subjects or objects in a sentence.

What are Gerunds?

A gerund is a verb in its ing (present participle) form that functions as a noun that names
an activity rather than a person or thing. Any action verb can be made into a gerund.

Spelling Tip

Verbing (Present Participle)

 Add ing to most verbs. Ex. play > playing, cry > crying, bark > barking

 For verbs that end in e, remove the e and add ing. Ex: slide > sliding, ride > riding
  For verbs that end in ie, change the ie to y and add ing. Ex: die > dying, tie > tying

 For a verb whose last syllable is written with a consonant-vowel-consonant and is

stressed, double the last letter before adding ing. Ex: beg > begging, begin >
beginning. However: enter > entering (last syllable is not stressed)

Gerund Examples

Gerunds can appear at the beginning of a sentence when used as a subject:

1. Jogging is a hobby of mine.

Gerunds can act as an object following the verb:

1. Daniel quit smoking a year ago.

Gerunds can serve as an object after a preposition:

1. I look forward to helping you paint the house.

Note: The same spelling rules that apply to the progressive tenses also apply to gerunds.

Some verbs and verb phrases are directly followed a gerund:

1. Paul avoids using chemicals on the vegetables he grows.

Some verbs can be followed by a gerund or an infinitive without causing a change in

meaning:

1. Some people prefer getting up early in the morning.

2. Some people prefer to get up early in the morning.

Some verbs can be followed by a gerund or infinitive but with a change in meaning:

1. He remembered sending the fax. (He remembered the act of send the fax)
2. He remembered to send the fax. (He remembered the fax and sent it.)

What are Infinitives?

An infinitive is a verb form that acts as other parts of speech in a sentence. It is formed
with to + base form of the verb. Ex: to buy, to work.

Infinitive Examples

Infinitives can be used as:

an object following the verb:

1. Jim always forgets to eat

a subject at the beginning of a sentence:

1. To travel around the world requires a lot of time and money.

an adverb modifying a verb:

1. You promised to buy me a diamond ring.

an adjective modifying a noun:

1. Tara has the ability to succeed.

Some verbs are directly followed by an infinitive:

1. Do you want to call your family now?

Some verbs are directly followed by a noun or pronoun and then by an infinitive:

1. I convinced Catherine to become vegetarian.

2. He advised me to sell all my shares of stock.

Some verbs can be followed by an infinitive or a gerund without causing a change in

meaning:

1. Will you continue working after you give birth?

2. Will you continue to work after you give birth?

Some verbs can be followed by an infinitive or a gerund but with a change in meaning:

1. He stopped drinking coffee. (He never drank coffee again.)

2. He stopped to drink coffee. (He stopped what he was doing and drank some
coffee.)
Exercises – Gerunds and Infinitives
Choose the correct gerund or infinitive from the parenthesis at the end of the sentence.

Ex. She likes to get up early in the morning. (likes / dislikes)

1. Alan can’t stand _________ on trains. (riding/ to ride)

2. Mr. Harris enjoys _________ people out to dinner. (inviting / to invite)

3. In the old days, gentlemen challenged their rivals _______. (fighting / to fight)

4. As the famous saying goes, there’s no use ______ over spilt milk. (crying / to cry)

5. Jim stopped _________ his shoelace. Wait for him. (tying / to tie)

6. My wife always volunteers ___________ cakes PTA meetings. (baking / to bake)

7. Don’t waste my time ___________ about your salary. (complaining/ to complain)

8. Eva is having trouble _________ on the exam. (concentrating / to concentrate)

9. Please allow me ____________ your Facebook page. (joining / to join)

10. You won’t forget _________milk on your way home, will you? (picking up /to pick up)
Answers:

1. riding

2. inviting

3. to fight

4. crying

5. to tie

6. to bake

7. complaining

8. concentrating

9. to join

10. to pick up
 Reference Lists – Gerunds and Infinitives
Common verbs and phrases that are followed by a gerund

 admit
 advise
 avoid
 be used to
 can’t help
 can’t stand
 consider
 deny
 discuss
 dislike
 end up
 enjoy
 feel like
 finish
 forget
 get used to
 give up
 go on
 have difficulty
 have problems
 have trouble
 imagine
 it’s no use
 it’s worthwhile
 keep
 look forward to
 mention
 mind
 miss
 recommend
 remember
 quit
 spend time
 stop
 suggest
 understand
 waste time
 work at

Common verbs that can be followed by either a gerund or an infinitive without causing a
change in meaning

 begin
 continue
 hate
 intend
 like
 love
 prefer
 start

Common verbs that can be followed by a gerund or infinitive but with a change in
meaning

 forget
 remember
 stop

Common verbs that are followed by an infinitive

 afford
 agree
 appear
 arrange
 ask
 care
 decide
 demand
 expect
 fail
 forget
 hope
 learn
 manage
 mean
 offer
 plan
 prepare
 pretend
 promise
 refuse
 remember
 seem
 stop
 volunteer
 wait
 want
 wish

Common verbs that are directly followed by a noun or pronoun and then by an infinitive

 advise
 allow
 ask
 cause
 challenge
 command
 convince
 expect
 forbid
 force
 hire
 instruct
 invite
 order
 pay
 permit
 program
 remind
 teach
 tell
 urge
 want
 warn
Lista de verbos irregulares

INFINITIVO PASADO PARTICIPIO SIGNIFICADO

arise arose arisen Elevarse, surgir, originarse.

awake awoke awoken Despertar, mover, excitar.

bear bore born Soportar, sostener, tolerar.

beat beat beaten Batir,revolver, golpear, vencer.

become became become Hacerse,tornarse,convertirse en.

begin began begun Empezar, iniciar.

bend bent bent Doblar, inclinar, torcer.

bet bet bet Apostar

bind bound bound Atar, unir, enlazar.

bite bit bitten Morder.

blow blew blown Soplar

break broke broken Quebrar, partir, romper.

bring brought brought Traer, llevar, conducir.

build built Built Construir, edificar.

burn burnt burnt Quemar, incendiar.

burst burst burst Romper, reventar.

buy bought bought Comprar

catch caught caught Coger, asir, atrapar.

choose chose chosen Escoger, elegir.

cling clung clung Asirse, adherirse, pegarse.

come came come Venir

cost cost Cost Costar

creep crept crept Arrastrarse,deslizarse, pegarse.

cut cut Cut Cortar, dividir.

deal dealt dealt Tratar, tener que referirse.

dig dug Dug Cavar, ahondar.

do did Done Hacer, ejecutar.

draw drew drawn Tirar, arrastrarse, atraer, dibujar.

drink drank drunk Beber

drive drove driven Impulsar, conducir, llevar, inducir.

fall fell fallen Caer, disminuir.

feed fed Fed Alimentar, nutrir.

feel felt Felt Sentir, percibir, tocar.

fight fought fought Pelear, combatir.

find found found Encontrar, descubrir.

find out found out found out Averiguar, investigar.

flee fled Fled Escapar, huír, evitar.

fly flew flown Volar

forbid forbade forbidden Prohibir.

foresee foresaw foreseen Prever, prevenir

forget forgot forgotten Olvidar (se)

forgive forgave forgiven Perdonar

freeze froze frozen Congelar

get got got (ten) Lograr, obtener, conseguir.

give gave given Dar, conceder.

go went Gone Ir (se), funcionar, resultar.

grind ground ground Moler, triturar.

grow grew grown Crecer, cultivar.

hang hung Hung Colgar, Suspender.

have had Had Tener, haber.

hear heard heard Oír, escuchar.

hide hid hid (den) Ocultar, encubrir.

hit hit Hit Pegar, golpear, acertar.

hold held Held Sostener,mantener,contener.

hurt hurt Hurt Herir, dañar, lastimar.

keep kept Kept Mantener,guardar,conservar.

know knew known Conocer, saber.

lay laid Laid Poner, colocar.

lead led Led Guiar, llevar, conducir.

lean leant leant Inclinar(se), apoyarse.

learn learnt learnt Aprender, saber.

leave left Left Partir, irse, abandonar.

lend lent Lent Prestar

let let Let Permitir, conceder.

lie lay Lain Tenderse, descansar, estar, situado.

light lit Lit Alumbrar, iluminar, encender (se).

lose lost Lost Perder, malgastar.

make made made Hacer, confeccionar, producir.

mean meant meant Significar,querer decir pretender.

meet met Met Encontrarse, satisfacer.

melt melted molten (old) Derretir(se), fundir(se).

mistake mistook mistaken Equivocarse, comprender mal, errar

misunderstand misunderstood misunderstood Entender mal.

overcome overcame overcome Vencer, superar, sobreponerse.

pay paid Paid Pagar, recompensar.

put put Put Poner,colocar, exponer.

read read Read Leer,descifrar, marcar.

rebuild rebuilt rebuilt Reconstruir

rid rid Rid Librarse, zafarse.

ride rode ridden Rodar, tener juego, funcionar.

ring rang Rung Tocar, sonar.

rise rose Risen Ascender,elevarse,levantarse, surgir.

run ran Run Correr, funcionar.

saw sawed sawn Cortar con sierra, aserrar.

say said Said Decir, afirmar.

see saw Seen Ver, observar.

seek sought sought Buscar, solicitar.

sell sold Sold Vender

send sent Sent Enviar

set set Set Instalar, establecer, colocar, fijar.

shake shook shaken Sacudir, lanzar, agitar.

shed shed Shed Derramar, esparcir, dejar caer.

shine shone shone Brillar, relumbrar, sobresalir.

shoot shot Shot Disparar, emitir, lanzar.

show showed shown Mostrar, excibir, probar, demostar.

shrink shrank shrunk Encogerse, disminuir, desaparecer.

shut shut Shut Cerrar, impedir, excluír.

sing sang Sung Cantar

sink sank Sunk Hundir, sumergir

sit sat Sat Sentarse, reunirse.

sleep slept Slept Dormir

slide slid slid(den) Resbalar, deslizarse, escabullirse.

smell smelt smelt Oler, percibir.

speak spoke spoken Hablar, decir.

speed sped Sped Acelerar, apresurarse.

spend spent spent Gastar, consumir, emplear (tiempo).

spill spilt Spilt Derramar, verter, divulgar.

spin spun Spun Tornear, hilar, hacer girar.

split split Split Partir, dividir, separar, reventar.

spoil spoilt spoilt Deteriorar, dañar, inutilizar.

spread spread spread Extender, esparcir, propagar.

spring sprang sprung Saltar, soltar, brotar, surgir.

stand stood stood Pararse, tolerar, estar (de pié).

steal stole stolen Robar, escabullirse.

stick stuck stuck Pegar, adherirse, prender, fijar.

stink stank stunk Oler mal, apestar.

strike struck struck Golpear, pegar, estallar.

swell swelled swollen Hinchar, inflamar, engrosar.

swim swam swum Nadar, flotar.

swing swung swung Balancera(se), hacer girar.

take took taken Tomar, llevar.

teach taught taught Enseñar

tear tore Torn Romper, despedazar, rasgar.

tell told Told Decir, contar, narrar.

think thought thought Pensar, creer.

throw threw thrown Lanzar, tirar, impeler, arrojar.

thrust thrust thrust Introducir con violencia, empujar, impeler

undergo underwent undergone Sufrir, experimentar, pasar por.

understand understood understood Comprender.

undertake undertook undertaken Emprender, comenzar algo.

undo undid undone Desarmar, deshacer.

wake woke woke (n) Despertar, excitar.

wear Wore Worn Gastar(se), consumirse, usar.

win Won Won Ganar, conquistar.

wind Wound wound Enroscar(se), serpentear, girar.

withdraw Withdrew withdrawn Retirar, retractarse, quitar.

withstand Withstood withstood Resistir, oponerse, soportar.