Topic 26 Infinitives and Gerunds
Infinitives and Gerunds
are non-finite verbs which do not indicate tense in the sentence. Non-finite verbs are verbs which do not show
the time aspect of the action.
I. Infinitives
A. Bare infinitives ----- F1
B. To-infinitives -----
to F1
A. Bare Infinitives (in italics)
[S] finite
verb + bare infinitive (intransitive finite verb)
[S] finite verb + F1
[S] finite verb (Object) bare
infinitive (transitive finite
verb)
[S] finite verb +
noun + F1
Object = noun | F1 = base form of the verb /
root verb
Examples:
i) Causative Verbs -----
help |let | make
[He] often helps clean up the place.
[Ali] helped (the old man) cross the road.
[Nina] lets go of (her free time) for (shopping) to help in the orphanage.
[Francis] let (them) go without questioning.
[Vivian] made (her siblings) do the weeding
ii) Verbs of the Senses -----
see |notice |watch |hear |smell |feel
[S] Verbs of the Senses
+ (noun) + F1 / F2
[Irene] saw (a
stranger) enter / entering the school.
[Peter] noticed (Mr
Lee) wear / wearing his shirt
inside-out.
[I] watched (my
mother) make / making spring rolls.
[Tina] heard (Doris) sing /
singing happily yesterday.
[Wendy] smelt
(something) get burnt.
[Kelly] feels (sweat)
drip/ dripping down her back.
B. To-infinitives
[S] finite verb + to V …………………
(intransitive finite verb)
[S] finite verb + (noun) +
to V……… (transitive finite verb)
[Tom] has to submit (his assignment) tomorrow.
[Yalee] wants to know( when they are coming).
[Cecilia] often tells
(us) (some jokes) to cheer (us) up.
[Reading English texts] is
the best way to learn the English
language.
[Sally] is going to visit (the old folks’ home) with the
Leo Club members next
Sunday.
[Mr Tong] ordered
(the children) to pack (the toys) in
the box.
[Tony] sat down for a
while to rest.
C. [To-infinitive] finite verb
……………………………………..(singular verb)
[To get up early] is
good for us.
[To form good habits] requires
practices.
[To speak the truth] needs
wisdom. 59
II. Gerunds ----- F2
When F2 /V+ing functions as a [subject] / an (object), it is
called Gerund.
Verb + F2 ----- |admit
|avoid |detest |enjoy |escape |finish |go |imagine |mind |miss |
|prevent |spend |resent
|risk |can’t help F2 |can’t stand F2
[F2] finite verb ……………………………..
[S] finite verb (F2) ………………………..
[Jogging] is a good form of exercise.
[James] enjoys (jogging) very much. (enjoy + F2)
[Helping Pamela to overcome her crisis] helps (Maria) understand life even more.
In my opinion, [gossiping] is wasting time and energy.
[She] spends a lot of time gossiping. (spend………F2)
[Xilian] avoids (quarrelling) with her siblings. (avoid F2)
[Quarrelling with her friends yesterday] made (her) very
unhappy.
Adjective + F2 -----
|busy | |worth |
III. Infinitive | Gerunds
[S] verb + F2 / to V…………………………………….
Verb + F2 / to V à attempt |bear |begin |cease |continue |hate |like |love | need |
|remember |start
|stop |
When you use ‘verb + F2 / to V’,
it has more / less the same meaning. For
such verbs:
1. George attempted to save the
boy from drowning.
What did George attempt to
do? (action)
George attempted saving the
boy from drowning.
What did George attempt
doing? (activity)
2. They begin to build wider and
deeper drains in the area.
What do they begin to do?
They begin building wider
and deeper drains in the area.
What do they begin doing?
But when you use ---|verb
+F2 || verb + to V| ----- for such verbs like------- |need |remember | stop à it has different meanings. For examples:
1. You need to wash your
shoes. What do you need to do?
Your shoes need washing. What do your shoes need doing?
2. She remembers to buy some
fruit and vegetables.
What does she remember to
do?
She remembers buying some
wheat flour to make bread.
She remembers she has
bought some wheat flour to make bread.
3. Tom stopped to talk to his
neighbour.
Tom stopped and talked to
his neighbour.
Tom stopped
talking when he saw the principal.
(stopped talking immediately
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