25/2/2016
Viv Quarry's preintermediate grammar practice
Viv Quarry's preintermediate grammar practice (www.vivquarry.com)
Gerunds and infinitives
Student's name _________________________ Date ___________________
The gerund (verb in the present form + 'ing') is used:
1. After prepositions and adverbs.
2. After certain verbs.
3. As subject or object of a sentence.
The infinitive ('to' + the present form of the verb) is used:
1. After certain verbs.
2. After some verbs followed by an object (sb/sth).
3. After some certain adjectives.
4. To express purpose (Why did you buy that cloth? To clean the windows)
5. After questions words (how, where etc.) and compounds of 'some' and 'any' (somebody, nothing etc.)
Infinitive without 'to' (present form of the verb) is used:
1. After modal and auxiliary verbs.
2. After 'make' and 'let'
GERUND
INFINITIVE
INFINITIVE
WITHOUT 'TO'
Prepositions and
Verbs
Adjectives
Modal and auxiliary
adverbs.
verbs
after
agree
be easy
sth./sb. doesn't
before
decide
be hard
Does sth./sb?
for
hope
be important
Doesn't sth./sb.?
in
manage
be impossible
sth./sb. didn't
on
refuse
be lovely
Did sth./sb.?
be pleased
Didn't sth./sb.?
Verbs
Verb (+ object)*5
be surprised
enjoy
need (sb)
be unusual
can / can't
finish
want (sb)
could / couldn't
hate
would like (sb.)
Question words
will /won't
like
how
would / wouldn't
prefer
Verb + object
what
should / shouldn't
ask sb.
where
must / mustn't
expected sb.
when
may / may not
Special cases
invite sb.
who
might / might not
begin*
tell sb.
continue*
Compounds
Verbs
start*
be starting*
anybody
let sb.
stop**
stop**
everywhere
make sb.
try***
try***
nothing
help sb.****
something
help sb.****
Special Cases
* Begin, continue and start
These verbs can be followed by both gerund and infinitive except in the present continuous
form
where the infinitive must be used
It started raining. or
It started to rain.
Look! It's starting to rain!
** Stop
Stop + Gerund = Finish one action
She's angry with me and has stopped talking to me.
Stop + Infinitive = Stop one action and start another
I saw Jane and she stopped to talk to me. (she stopped walking and we started chatting)
*** Try
Try + Gerund = What you do to get what you want.
I wanted to improve my English so I tried having private classes.
Try + Infinitive = Your objective, what you want to do.
I tried to learn English but I didn't have enough time to study properly.
**** Help
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25/2/2016
Viv Quarry's preintermediate grammar practice
Help + sb. can be followed by infinitive or infinitive without 'to'
He helped me tidy up the room. or
He helped me to tidy up the room.
If there is no direct object (sb) then infinitive without 'to' is more natural.
He helped tidy up the room.
*5 Need, Want & Would like
These verbs can either be followed by an object pronoun (you, her, him etc.) or directly by
the infinitive.
I'd like you to help me.
I'd like to help you.
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