gerund and infinitive

unit 7 - About personality

Gerunds and infinitives

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Gerunds and infinitives

Gerund

Infinitive

• -ing form of a verb
• She likes painting.
• I avoid drinking coffee at night.
• I loved dancing with you.

• -to + a base form
• She plans to travel.
• I decided to break up with her.
• I loved to dance with you.

+ INFO

+ INFO

• Use gerund after the following verbs and expressions: avoid, discuss, dislike, don't mind, enjoy, feel like, practice, quit, suggest;
• I don't mind getting up early.

• Gerunds can be subjects, direct objects and objects of prepositions;
• Painting is my favorite activity
• I enjoy painting

• Gerunds are used after prepositions
• I thought about calling you.

• Some verbs take either a gerund or an infinitive with no change in meaning (like, love, hate, begin, can't stand, continue, prefer, start)

Gerunds

A gerund and an infinitive walk into a bar, drinking to forget.

• Use infinitives after the following verbs and expressions: agree, be sure, choose, decide, expect, hope, learn, need, plan, seem, want, wish, would like;
• I need to study more.

• Infinitives can be subjects and direct objects;
• To paint well is a talent.
• I want to paint.

• Some verbs take either a gerund or an infinitive with no change in meaning (like, love, hate, begin, can't stand, continue, prefer, start)
• I love dancing / I love to dance

Infinitives

What's the difference?

I stopped smoking.I stopped to smoke.