GERUNDS OR INFINITIVES

Gerunds or
Infinitives


• Gerunds or gerund noun phrases can be used as
subject of a sentence.
Ex: Smoking is bad for your health.
Learning English is fun.
• Gerunds or gerund noun phrases are used after
certain verbs such as enjoy, finish, keep, mind,
dislike, quit = give up, regret, consider, postpone =
delay, put off, avoid, admit, deny…. as the object
of a sentence:
Ex: Nigel enjoys playing the guitar.
Would you mind helping me with these exercises?


• Gerunds follow prepositions:
Ex: I am interested in working for your company.
We’re talking about going to the beach.
• Gerunds follow the main verb of a sentence:
Ex: Carlos and Anna enjoy going to the movies.
They finished painting the house last week.


• Infinitives follow adjectives:
Ex: It’s important to get a good job.
It’s easy to use a computer.
• Infinitives follow the main verb of a sentence:
Ex: Mario wants to go fishing tomorrow.
I need to call my friends tonight.

• Some verbs can be a followed only by infinitives,
for example: want, would like, would love, need,
choose, agree, plan, learn, expect, decide,
seem, promise, try = attempt, begin.
Ex: My parents would like to visit us next month.
John agreed to meet us at 8:00.
Some verbs can be followed by either gerunds
or infinitives, for example: begin, continue, love,
hate, prefer, start, bother, intend.
Ex: My sister will begin to study Chinese next
month.
My sister will begin studying Chinese next
month.