Gerunds and infinitives can replace a noun in a sentence. Gerund = the present participle (-ing) form of the verb, e.g., singing, dancing, running. Infinitive = to + the base form of the verb, e.g., to sing, to dance, to run. Whether you use a gerund or an infinitive depends on the main verb in the sentence.
VERB PATTERNS - GERUNDS AND INFINITIVES
- After certain verbs - "I enjoy singing".
- After prepositions - "I drank a cup of coffee before leaving".
- As the subject or object of a sentence - "Swimming is a good exercise".
We use 'to' + infinitive:
- After certain verbs - "We decided to leave".
- After many adjectives - "It's difficult to get up early".
We use the bare infinitive (the infinitive without 'to'):
- After modal verbs - "I can meet you at six o'clock".
- After 'let', 'make' and (sometimes) 'help' - "The teacher let us leave early".
- After some verbs of perception (see, watch, hear, notice, feel, sense) - "I watched her walk away".
- After expressions with 'why' - "Why go out the night before an exam?"
Comments
Post a Comment