GERUND (verbal noun in –ing) docx

GERUND (verbal noun in –ing)
We can use it:
• as the subject of a verb:

Waiting makes me nervous.
• as the object of a verb:
She adores dancing.
• after prepositions and phrasal verbs:
He’s bad at playing football.
He gave up swimming.
• after certain verbs:
avoid, consider, deny, enjoy, fancy, finish,
imagine, miss, practise, risk
• after verbs expressing emotions:
hate, love, adore, like, dislike
She loves painting.
• After certain collocations:
Can’t imagine, can’t stand, can’t help, don’t
mind, there’s no point in, it’s no good/use
I can’t stand snoring.
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• after some adjectives:
They are busy repairing the roof.
We get bored watching news.
Alice got nervous looking after her spoilt child.
TYPES OF GERUNDS
ACTIVE PASSIVE
PRESENT
GERUND
WRITING BEING WRITTEN
PERFECT

GERUND
HAVING
WRITTEN
HAVING BEEN
WRITTEN
INFINITIVE
We can use it:
• after verbs expressing intention:
(want, intend, go, come…)
I want to hold your hand.
I came to say goodbye.
• after verbs in Reported Speech:
(ask, tell, order …)
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I told him to be brave.
He asked me to come with him.
• after ordinal numerals:
(the first, the only, the last….)
He was the first to go into the cave.

• after adjectives expressing emotions:
(sad, delighted, pleased, happy, necessary,
dangerous,, safe, terrible, wonderful, stupid…)
I’m so sad to hear this.
I’m pleased to meet you.
• after “too” and “enough”
You are too short to reach the table.
She is old enough to go to school.
• after the following verbs (there may be an
object before the infinitive):

(ask, advise, decide, expect, hesitate, hope,
manage, mean, seem, try, wish)
I asked her to pass me the sugar.
Do you expect me to protect you?
• after wh- words:
Can you tell me where to go?
They didn’t tell me which room to book.
• after some nouns:
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I couldn’t give up my wish to become a scientist.
Roger it’s time to go to bed.
Your decision to take over the company is absurd.
• some verbs may be followed either by a that-
clause or by the infinitive:
(agree, arrange, claim, choose, decide, expect, hope,
know, pretend, promise, swear, threaten, wish…)
I hope to find her.
I hope that I will find her.
Types of infinitives
PRESENT
SIMPLE
TO +
INFINITIVE
I’d like to have a
rest now.
PRESENT
CONTINUOUS
TO + BE+
-ing
She is supposed

to be working.
PERFECT
SIMPLE
TO + HAVE +
PAST
PARTICIPLE
Tom seems
to have lost his
memory.
PERFECT
CONTINUOUS
TO + HAVE +
BEEN+ -ing
They are believed
to have been
cheating for
years.
PASSIVE
(PRESENT)
TO + BE +
PAST
PARTICIPLE
Linda needs
to be taken
to hospital.
PASSIVE
(PERFECT)
TO + HAVE +
BEEN+ PAST
PARTICIPLE

Your wallet seems
to have been
stolen.
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BARE INFINITIVE
• after following verbs: make, let and help
Don’t let her go! Help me collect these toys.
• after modal verbs:
I can’t promise you anything. You may have my key.
• After you had better, I would rather:
You’d better leave before dawn.
but:
(OUGHT TO, HAVE TO and NEED TO – in
affirmative sentences only),
I need to eat something now.
In negative and interrogative sentences (without to):
Need you really be so rude?
We needn’t have another row.
• need + ing (passive meaning)
Your shoes need cleaning.
Your shoes need to be cleaned.
USED TO:
We used to live in a flat. (sometimes)
Soon I got used to living abroad. (be, get)
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