When to use gerund and infinitive in English: 5 simple rules in order to easily master the topic.
What's your hobby? What do you like to do?
Going to the beach? Playing video games? Hiking (walking)? Singing? Dancing?
Translation: Going to the beach? Play video games? Engage in hiking (walking)? Singing? Dancing?
Wonderful! Gerund - these are all of the above examples.
Now, answer the question, what do you want to do every day?
Maybe you are learning to draw. Maybe all you want to do is to read comic books. Maybe you are planning to start your own business. Or maybe you will soon decide to travel the world!
Translation: Perhaps you are learning to draw. Maybe all you want to do is read comics. Perhaps you are planning to start your own business. Or maybe you will soon decide to travel the world!
This is also a hobby, right? But we used the infinitive to describe them.
Gerundium and the infinitive are common in English. They can be used in many grammatical cases. Sometimes it is possible to use both the infinitive and the gerund. Sometimes you have to choose one thing. At times, it is difficult for students to understand the difference in the use of these two elements of English speech. Let's see if it is possible to use the infinitive after the gerund, what are the gerund and the infinitive, and how and when to use them in the language.
What is an infinitive?
The infinitive is the initial form of the verb. For example, to do - “do”, to create - “create”, to sleep - “sleep”. This is the simplest form of the verb, which, in order to enter into the sentence, must be changed.
For example, She sleeps - “She sleeps” no longer contains the infinitive of the verb “sleep”. Instead, it was conjugated with a simple third-person singular form of the verb: to sleep - “sleep” turned into sleeps.
What about gerund?
Gerund is a verb form formed by adding -ing to the verb. For example, sleeping - "sleeping", drawing - "drawing", swimming - "swimming". However, these are not the same verb forms that are used in the present or past long tense. Despite the fact that they look the same, gerund is actually a verb form that acts as a noun.
Let's take the infinitive of the verb to sleep - “sleep” and put it in two different contexts: I am sleeping right now - I am sleeping now. The proposal uses present continuous. “Sleeping” here is part of the verb. This is not gerund.
Here's the second sentence: I don't like sleeping - I don't like to sleep. It is present simple, but it contains gerund. In the sentence, "Sleeping" acts as a direct complement.
Now that you know the difference in grammatical features of the initial form of the verb and gerund, let's introduce rules that will help to always use both forms correctly.
Although the rules below will help you understand how to use infinitives and gerund, no theory can fully make up for the practice. Perform exercises on the gerund and the infinitive to achieve mastery!
Rule 1: Gerundium may fulfill the role of subject in a sentence
Take a look at some examples.
Walking is good for your health.
Making friends has become more difficult since I moved to a new city.
Becoming a millionaire is a dream of many young people today.
Translation: Walking is good for your health.
Making friends has become more difficult since I moved to a new city.
Today, becoming a millionaire is the dream of many young people.
Here gerund (in bold) is part of the subject. Sentences of this type are used in everyday English.
Now check out the following two suggestions:
“ To be or not to be — that is the question.”
“ To mourn a mischief that is past and gone is the next way to draw new mischief on.”
Translation: "To be or not to be - that is the question."
“Mourning what has passed is another way to harm yourself.”
(Both sentences are quotes from the works of William Shakespeare).
They sound official, right? They are poetic, aren't they? Shakespeare is one of the greatest authors of all time, but his English is very difficult to understand, because he is literary, he is formal. This is art.
In these two quotes, the infinitive forms of the verbs to be (to be) and to mourn (to grieve) are the subject. Thus, both the infinitive and the gerund can be used as the subject.
Rule 2: Additions can be either gerund or infinitive
In English, it is permissible to say:
I enjoy drawing - I like to draw.
However, you can also say:
Last Sunday, I decided to draw - Last Sunday I decided to draw.
Both sentences are correct, but in one of them the infinitive form of the verb acts as a complement, and in the other - the gerund.
What is the difference? It all depends on the verbs that precede the addition! Some verbs require the use of gerund, and some require the infinitive. In the above examples, you can see that after “like” we use gerund, and after “decides” - the infinitive.
Here is a list of the most common verbs followed by the infinitive:
- agree: I agreed to go on a date with him;
- decide: she decided to read a book instead of watching a TV;
- deserve: Everyone deserves to be loved;
- expect: I expect to know my exam grade by tomorrow;
- hope: I was hoping that things would change;
- learn: He learned to stay home alone;
- need: He needs to be more attentive;
- offer: I offered to help my brother with homework;
- plan: We are planning to watch a movie tonight;
- promise: He promised that he would never leave me;
- seem: We seem to be lost;
- wait: I can not wait to see my family;
- want: I don't want to go to bed yet.
Transfer:
- to agree: I agreed to go on a date with him;
- decide: she decided to read a book instead of watching TV;
- deserve: everyone deserves love;
- expect (hope): I hope that tomorrow I will find out my assessment of the exam;
- hope: I hoped that everything would change;
- learn: she learned to stay home alone;
- need: he needs to be more careful;
- suggest: I suggested my brother help with homework;
- plan: we plan to watch a movie tonight;
- promise: he promised that he would never leave me;
- seem: we seem to be lost;
- wait: I can’t wait to see my family;
- want: I don't want to go to bed yet.
There are many verbs that require the use of the infinitive after them. As you learn English, you will memorize them naturally.
The following list contains verbs followed by gerund, without fail:
- admit: They admitted changing the schedule;
- advise: I advise proceeding (moving forward) with caution;
- avoid: She avoided looking me in the eye;
- consider (think about): I considered staying silent, but I had to tell her;
- deny: I denied dating with him;
- involve: The course involved writing three tests;
- mention (say something): She mentioned noticing my brother at a baseball game;
- recommend: I recommend practicing gerunds and infinitives;
- risk: Don't risk losing your job;
- suggest: I suggest reading more English short stories.
Transfer:
- acknowledge: they recognized the change in schedule;
- advise: I advise moving forward with caution;
- to avoid: she avoided meeting our views;
- to consider (think about something): I thought about keeping silent, but I had to tell her;
- deny: I denied meeting with him;
- include: the course included three tests;
- mention: she mentioned that she noticed my brother during a baseball game;
- recommend: recommend practicing gerund and infinitive;
- take risks: do not risk losing your job;
- suggest: I suggest reading more short stories in English.
What verbs should gerund use with? The table above will tell you!
Rule 3: Infinitive should be used after adjectives
Here are three example sentences to help illustrate this rule:
It is noteasy to graduate from university.
It is necessary to speak English to work in a hotel.
It is wonderful to have close friends.
Transfer:
Getting out of the university is not easy.
To work in a hotel you need to be able to speak English.
It's great to have close friends.
When you describe something using an adjective, it should be followed by the initial form of the verb (in bold). The use of gerund in this case would be incorrect.
Remember! If you want to make this object a complement, you should use gerund:
Graduating from university is not easy.
Speaking English is necessary to work in a hotel.
Having close friends is wonderful.
Transfer:
Graduating from a university is not easy.
You need to speak English to work in a hotel.
Having close friends is wonderful.
Another construction, after which the infinitive should be used: "too (too) + adjective." For instance:
This suit is too big to wear.
This car is too expensive to buy.
Transfer:
This costume is too big to wear.
This car is too expensive to buy.
And the same goes for the construction of "adjective + enough":
The course was detailed enough to widen his knowledge base.
This rule is useful enough to understand the usage of infinitives!
My child is not tall enough to ride a roller coaster.
The course was detailed enough to enrich his knowledge.
Rule 4: after the subject in sentences only infinitives are used, which are nouns or pronouns related to a person
We asked her not to go - "We asked her not to go."
In this sentence, we are the subject, asked is the verb, and her is the pronoun as the complement. After direct and indirect additions related to people, in no case can you use gerund! Only the infinitive.
To use this rule, you will have to remember the list of verbs.
Start with these examples. Subjects in sentences (nouns and pronouns) are highlighted. Note how all the underlined parts of the sentence are accompanied by infinitives.
- ask: Can I ask you to help me with something?
- expect: I never expected him to become famous.
- hire (give a job to someone): Did the company hire you just to sit in your office?
- invite: I invited a friend to attend the ceremony.
- order: She ordered the child to stay at home.
- remind: Please remind me to wash the dishes.
- require: The test required him to concentrate fully.
- teach: That will teach you to follow the rules!
- tell: Who told you to come here?
- urge: They urged me to continue my research.
- warn: I am warning you not to do this!
Transfer:
- To ask: may I ask you for help?
- Expect: I never expected him to become famous.
- Hire (to work): Did the company hire you to just sit in your office?
- Invite: I invited a friend to the ceremony.
- To order: she ordered the child to stay at home.
- Reminder: please remind me to wash the dishes.
- Require: Test requires full concentration.
- Teach: it will teach you to follow the rules!
- Say: Who told you to come here?
- Call: they encouraged me to continue my research.
- Warn: I warn you not to do this!
The following rule is one of the main uses of gerund.
Rule 5: after prepositions (with one exception) only gerund is used
Consider this sentence:
I talked him out of taking that job.
I dissuaded him from this work.
Here, the gerund taking takes the preposition of.
Prepositions can follow any word, whether it is a noun, pronoun, verb or adjective. In the examples below, prepositions are underlined, and gerund is highlighted in bold.
The preposition that follows the noun:
Novels about growing up are popular among teenagers.
I have an interest in becoming a painter.
Transfer:
Adult novels are popular among teens.
I am interested in becoming an artist.
The preposition that follows the pronoun:
I forgive you for not telling the truth.
Transfer:
I forgive you for telling a lie.
The preposition that follows the verb:
She is thinking about trying martial arts.
He looks forward to meeting his cousins.
Transfer:
She is thinking about trying herself in martial arts.
He is looking forward to seeing his cousins.
Preposition following the adjective:
I am wary of going alone.
My mom is scared of flying.
Transfer:
I am afraid to go alone.
My mother is afraid to fly.
There is one exception. Fortunately, it's easy to remember!
An exception
But is a short word that connects two sentences of a sentence together. This part of speech is called union. Sometimes “but” can also play the role of an excuse. When “but” is used as an excuse, it has the same meaning as “except”, “except”. If but is used in this value, it is followed by an infinitive:
I had no choice but to follow her. (I had to follow her).
Mary made no stops on the way except to get gas. (Mary only stopped to get gas).
Transfer:
I had no choice but to follow her. (I had to follow her).
Mary did not stop on the road except to refuel the car. (Mary stopped to refuel the car).
Infinitive and gerund are the parts of English speech that can be confusing, but they make it more diverse and colorful. It is very useful to study them and use them correctly. The more you notice gerund and infinitives as you learn English, the easier it is to remember when you use them.
Sometimes you will doubt whether you need to use the infinitive or gerund in the sentence. In such a situation, try changing the sentence and say what you want to say differently. Do not forget to constantly practice, study the forms of gerund and remember the rules!