33435 gerunds and infinitives

Gerunds and infinitives

2 Choose the correct forms.

We use gerunds after prepositions (e.g.
without, before) and after certain verbs (e.g.
enjoy, can’t stand, afraid of).
She left without saying goodbye.
He enjoys going rollerblading at the
weekend.

1 Tony wants to go / going travelling
before he goes to university.

We use infinitives after certain verbs (e.g.
want, hope, offer).
Paul offered to repair Sue’s bike.
After some verbs (e.g. like, love, hate,
prefer, start, continue) we can use either the
gerund or infinitive with no change in
meaning.
I like playing tennis.
I like to play tennis.
1 Rewrite the sentences using gerunds.
Tim cycled into town. He didn’t stop.
Tim cycled into town without stopping.
1 Rachel lost the race. She was very angry.
Rachel was angry about……………………
……………………………………………
2 We didn’t go to the cinema, we watched a
video at home.

Instead of…………………………………..
……………………………………………
3 Ivan passed his driving test because he
practised every weekend.
By …………………………………………
……………………………………………
4 Gillian read the newspaper then she
phoned her friend.
Before……………………………………
……………………………………………
5 They left the disco and went for a coffee.
After ………………………………………
……………………………………………
6 Jake has split up with his girlfriend.
He’s upset.
Jake is upset about…………………………
……………………………………………
…

2 He promised to buy / buying her a
diamond ring for their anniversary.
3 Have you ever considered studying / to
study abroad?
4 He agreed to buy / buying the motorbike
for £2,000.
5 John has been a farmer for twenty years.
He’s used to getting up / get up early.
6 It’s cold today. You shouldn’t go out
without wearing / to wear your coat.
3 Complete the story with gerunds or

infinitives.
A haunted house
When I was a child I used to spend my
holidays at my aunt and uncle’s old country
house. One summer I remember having
(have) a strange experience.
It was a hot afternoon, and my cousins
suggested 1……………… (play) hide-andseek. But instead of 2……………… (go)
outside, we decided 3……………… (play)
in the attic. After 4……………… (turn off)
all the lights, we all hid in different places. I
managed 5……………… (hide) behind an
old sofa.
Then something odd happened. In the
darkness we heard footsteps come into the
room. The footsteps seemed
6……………… (walk) towards the sofa. I
wanted 7……………… (move), but I
couldn’t. I expected something terrible
8……………… (happen). Then suddenly
the footsteps stopped and the door slammed
shut. After 9……………… (wait) for a
few seconds, we jumped up and ran
downstairs without 10……………… (stop).
We told my aunt and uncle, but they
refused 11……………… (believe) us.
Mysteriously the house burned down a year
later. The fire started in the attic.

ANSWER KEY
Gerunds and infinitives
1
1 Rachel was angry about losing the race.
2 Instead of going to the cinema, we watched a video at home.
3 By practising every weekend, Ivan passed his driving test.
4 Before phoning her friend, Gillian read the newspaper.
5 After leaving the disco, they went for a coffee.
6 Jake is upset about splitting up with his girlfriend.
2
1 to go
2 to buy
3 studying

4 to buy
5 getting up
6 wearing

3
1 playing
7 to move
2 going
8 to happen
3 to play
9 waiting
4 turning off 10 stopping
5 to hide
11 to believe
6 to walk