AYBU SCHOOL OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES

GERUNDS & INFINITIVES

READING
A. Answer the questions with a partner.
1. What is your dream job?
2. What are some difficult careers? Why are they difficult?
3. Do you think following your career passion is important? Why or why not?
B. Read the text below and answer the following questions.
Liam has always wanted to be an actor. As a
child, he loved acting in school plays,
memorizing famous lines, and pretending to be
different characters. But becoming an actor was
not easy. His parents wanted him to study
medicine, so they did not support his dream.
One day, Liam saw a theater audition. He
decided to give it a try, even though many
experienced people would compete. He
practiced for weeks and learned how to show
emotions, speak clearly, and improve his acting skills. He watched famous performances to get inspiration.
Finally, the big day came. He walked into the audition room, nervous but excited. ‘Tell us about yourself,’ the
director asked.
Liam took a deep breath. ‘I love acting. Performing helps me to express emotions and bring stories to life. I
know acting is hard work, but I am ready to learn and improve. Every day, I ask myself, 'To be or not to be?'
And I have always wanted to be an actor.’ The director nodded. ‘Why do you want to audition for our play?’
Liam smiled. ‘I want to learn from great actors and try different roles. Acting helps people understand the world.
I want to grow and improve here.’
After the audition, Liam waited for the results. A week later, he received an email. He was accepted! His parents
were unsure at first, but when they saw how happy he was, they agreed to support him. From that day, Liam
decided to follow his dream no matter what.
1. What did Liam love as a child to follow his dream of acting?
_______________________________________________________________________.
2. Why didn’t Liam’s parents support him?
_______________________________________________________________________.
3. How did Liam prepare for the audition?
_______________________________________________________________________.
4. Why does Liam want to audition for a play?
_______________________________________________________________________.
5. What decision did Liam make at the end of the story?
_______________________________________________________________________.

C. If you were Liam, would you choose following your passion or choosing a practical career? Why or
Why not? Discuss with your partner.
 AYBU SCHOOL OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES
GRAMMAR
GERUNDS AND INFINITIVES
In English, when we use a verb after another verb, it often appears in either the gerund form or the infinitive
form. Choosing the correct form depends on the verb that comes before it and the meaning we want to express.
A. GERUNDS

! A gerund is a verb form that ends in "-ing".

! It can be used in the same way as a noun (e.g. the subject, object, or complement of a sentence).
Acting is Liam’s dream. (Acting is the subject of the sentence.)
Liam loved performing in school plays. (Performing is the object of the verb "love.")
My favorite activity is running. (Running is the complement after the verb "is.")

Uses of Gerunds
1. As the Subject of a Sentence: When a gerund is the subject, it comes at the beginning of the sentence
and is followed by a verb.
Becoming an actor was not easy.
Acting helps people understand the world.
Reading books expands your knowledge.
2. As the Object of a Verb: A gerund can function as the object of a verb in a sentence.
As a child Liam loved memorizing famous lines.
She avoids eating junk food.
They finished watching the movie.

📌 Common Verbs Followed by Gerunds:

enjoy → I enjoy reading. finish → We will finish cleaning the house.
love → She loves dancing in the rain. avoid → He avoids driving at night.
like → They don’t like playing chess. delay → Did they delay making a decision?
dislike → He dislikes waking up early. postpone → We postponed going to the beach.
hate → She hates waiting in long lines. miss → He missed meeting his old friends.
can’t stand → I can’t stand listening to loud music. consider → She is considering moving to Canada.
start → He will start learning French. imagine → Can you imagine living on Mars?
begin → She has begun writing a novel. mind → Do you mind helping me?
continue → They continued talking after the party. suggest → I suggest taking a break.
stop → She stopped smoking last year. recommend → He recommends reading this book.
quit → He should quit playing video games. practice → He doesn’t practice playing the piano.

3. After Prepositions: A gerund must be used after a preposition.

Liam is good at acting.
They are interested in learning Spanish.
We talked about travelling to Europe.
🚫 Incorrect: She is good at to paint. (We cannot use the infinitive after a preposition.)
Correct: She is good at painting.
 AYBU SCHOOL OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES
📌 Common Preposition Combinations Followed by Gerunds:

afraid of → He was afraid of flying. responsible for → He is responsible for cooking dinner.
interested in → They are interested in hiking. concerned about → She is concerned about being late.
tired of → Is she tired of studying? used to* → I’m not used to waking up early.
good / bad at → He is not good at singing. addicted to* → She is addicted to watching TV.
capable of → He is capable of handling stress. look forward to*→ I look forward to hearing from you.
famous for → She is famous for writing novels. object to* → He objected to working on weekends.
in charge of → I am in charge of planning the trip. talk about → We didn’t talk about going on vacation.
excited about → He's excited about traveling. think about → She’s thinking about leaving.
* In these cases, ‘to’ is actually a preposition, and prepositions must be followed by a gerund.
4. After Certain Expressions: Some fixed expressions require a gerund.
It’s no use / good complaining.
There’s no point in arguing.
It’s worth trying.
I have difficulty / trouble in understanding him.
He had fun playing video games.
They spent / waste time discussing the issue.
I go running every morning. (‘go+ gerund’ structure is commonly used for leisure activities.)
She is busy preparing for her exams. (She has a lot to do and is focusing her time and effort on exam
preparation.)
5. After Certain Verbs of Perception: Certain verbs of perception could be followed by a gerund when you
perceive part of the action in progress.
I saw him leaving the house. (He was in the process of leaving, and I saw part of that action, but not
necessarily the entire moment he left.)
I noticed him cheating on the exam. (I saw him in the middle of cheating, meaning the action was ongoing
when I noticed it.)
She heard the teacher talking. (The teacher was talking when she heard it, meaning she caught only part
of the conversation.)
! To make a gerund negative, add ‘NOT’ before the gerund (not + verb-ing).
She avoids not telling the truth.
Not exercising regularly can affect your health.
They talked about not going to the party.

B. INFINITIVES

! An infinitive is the base form of a verb with ‘to’ in front of it.

! It can be used in different ways in sentences. Below are some examples of infinitives.
To succeed in life requires hard work. (‘To succeed’ is the subject of the sentence.)
She wants to visit Paris. (‘To visit’ is the object of the verb ‘wants’)
He studies hard to pass the exam. (‘To pass’ expresses purpose.)
! The to-infinitive as the subject emphasizes an idea or goal. It is more abstract and is often used
when discussing long-term aspirations or purposes.
 AYBU SCHOOL OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES
Uses of Infinitives
1. As the Subject of a Sentence: Infinitives can be used as a subject, though this is less common in English.
It emphasizes ideas, goals, or abstract concepts, making them more formal and structured.
To understand this concept requires patience and practice.
To admit your mistakes shows maturity and strength.
To learn a new language takes time and dedication.
2. As the Object of a Verb: Infinitives can function as the object of a verb.
Liam has always wanted to be an actor.
Özlem decided to move abroad.
They hope to win the competition.
📌 Common Verbs Followed by Infinitives:

want → I want to travel the world. ask → He asked to leave early.

would like → She would like to visit Japan. offer → He offered to help me.
hope → They hope to win the competition. promise → They promised to call later.
plan → He is planning to start a business. seem → He seems to be tired.
intend → She intends to study abroad. agree → She agreed to join the meeting.
decide → They decided to buy a new car. allow → They allowed me to leave early.
choose → I chose to accept the job offer. need → I don’t need to finish my homework.
agree → She didn’t agree to help me. expect → They expect to arrive soon.
refuse → He refused to apologize. deserve → She doesn’t deserve to make friends.
try → She tried to open the door. prepare → Is he preparing to take the test?
learn → They are going to learn to swim. arrange → We have arranged to meet at 6 PM.
manage → He didn’t manage to finish on time. wait → They waited to enter the building.

Some verbs could be followed by an object before the infinitive.

His parents wanted him to study medicine. (‘him’ is the object, ‘to study’ is the infinitive.)
I want you to listen carefully. (‘You’ is the object, ‘to listen’ is the infinitive.)
They invited us to join the party. (‘Us’ is the object, ‘to join’ is the infinitive.)
📌 Common Verbs Followed by an Object and Infinitives

ask → She asked me to help her. allow → They don’t allow people to smoke here.
tell → He told us to sit down. teach → He taught her to drive a car.
want → I want you to listen carefully. remind→ Please remind me to call my mom.
invite → I want you to join us for a dinner. force → They forced him to leave the room.
expect → They expect him to do his homework. warn → She warned us not to go there.
advise → She advised me to take a break. help* → He helped me to carry the bags.
* ‘help’ can also be used without ‘to’. There is no difference meaning. → He helped me carry the bags.

3. After Adjectives: Infinitives appear after adjectives to explain a feeling, reaction or situation.
I am happy to see you. (feeling)
It is difficult to learn Chinese. (situation)
We were surprised to hear the news. (reaction)
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4. To Express Purpose: An infinitive can show the reason for an action. In this case, the infinitive answers
the question ‘Why?’ and expresses purpose. It is the short form of ‘in order to’ or ‘so as to’.
Liam watched famous performances to get inspiration. (Why did he watch? To get inspiration.)
She studies hard to pass the exam. (Why does she study? To pass the exam.)
They moved to a new city to find better jobs. (Why did they move? To find better jobs.)
🚫 Incorrect: She studies hard for passing the exam. (Use an infinitive instead of "for + gerund.")
Correct: She studies hard to pass the exam.
‘For + gerund’ is used for the function of something, not purpose.
A knife is used for cutting vegetables. (Function of the knife)
These shoes are for running. (The shoes are designed for running.)
5. After "Too" and "Enough": Infinitives appear after ‘too + adjective’ or ‘adjective + enough’ to show if
something is possible or not.
The box is too heavy (for me) to carry.
She is strong enough (for me) to lift the suitcase.
He’s too young to drive a car.
6. After Question Words: Infinitives are often used after question words.
I don’t know what to say. (I don’t know the right words.)
Can you tell me how to get to the airport? (I need directions.)
She can’t decide which dress to wear. (She doesn’t know which dress is the best.)
Unlike other question words, ‘why’ is not followed by an infinitive. Instead, we use a full sentence.
🚫 Incorrect: I don’t know why to go there.
Correct: I don’t know why they went there.
! To make an infinitive negative, add ‘not’ before the to-infinitive (not + to + verb).
She decided not to go to the party.
He left early not to miss his flight.
They agreed not to argue during the meeting.

C. BARE INFINITIVES

A bare infinitive is the base form of a verb without "to". They are used in specific situations.

Uses of Bare Infinitives

1. After Modal Verbs
She can swim.
You must leave now.
They should study harder.
2. After ‘Let,’ ‘Make,’ and ‘Help’ and an Object
The teacher let us leave early. (to allow or give permission)
She made him apologize. (to force or cause someone to do something)
She helped me carry the bags. (‘Help’ can be followed by a bare infinitive or to-infinitive, and both are
correct. However, in spoken English, the bare infinitive is more common.)
 AYBU SCHOOL OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES
3. After ‘Had Better’ and ‘Would Rather’
You had better leave now. (strong advice)
I would rather stay home than go out. (preference)
4. After Certain Verbs of Perception: Some verbs related to senses (see, hear, feel, watch, notice,
observe) are followed by a bare infinitive when describing a complete action (from start to finish).
I saw him cross the street. (I saw the whole action.)
She heard the baby cry. (She heard the whole action.)
He noticed the thief escape. (He saw the thief complete the act of escaping.)
5. After ‘why’ When Making Suggestions: A bare infinitive is used after ‘why’ when making suggestions
or rhetorical questions about actions that could be done immediately. This structure is common in
informal speech.
Why wait until tomorrow? (There’s no reason to delay; do it now.)
Why worry about things you can't change? (There's no point in worrying.)
Why leave early when the party is just getting started? (There's no reason to go early.)

D. GERUND OR INFINITIVE?

Some verbs can take both gerunds and infinitives. However, the meaning of the sentence can stay the
same or change depending on the verb.

1. Verbs with No Change in Meaning

Verb Example with Gerund Example with Infinitive
like I like swimming. I like to swim.
love She loves reading books. She loves to read books.
prefer I prefer walking to driving. I prefer to walk rather than drive.
hate He hates waking up early. He hates to wake up early.
start They started talking. They started to talk.
begin She began crying. She began to cry.
2. Verbs with a Change in Meaning
Verb Example with Gerund Example with Infinitive
remember He remembered locking the door. He remembered to lock the door.
(He did it and later remembered it.) (He remembered before doing it.)
forget She forgot meeting him before. She forgot to meet him.
(She met him, but she doesn’t remember it.) (She was supposed to meet him but didn’t.)
try Try turning off the lights. Try to turn off the lights.
(Experiment to see if it works.) (Make an effort to do it.)
stop He stopped smoking. He stopped to smoke.
(He quit smoking completely.) (He paused what he was doing to smoke.)
regret I regret saying that. I regret to inform you that you failed the test.
(I feel sorry that I said it.) (A polite way to give bad news.)
mean I didn’t mean to hurt you. This job means working late hours.
(I didn’t intend to hurt you) (This job involves working late hours.)
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GRAMMAR PRACTICE
A. Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verb in parentheses.
1. She enjoys _____________ (read) novels in her free time.
2. They decided _____________ (travel) to Europe next summer.
3. He avoids _____________ (eat) junk food because it’s unhealthy.
4. I can’t stand _____________ (listen) to loud music early in the morning.
5. We plan _____________ (start) a new project next week.
6. He tried _____________ (open) the door, but it was locked.
7. She suggested _____________ (go) to the cinema tonight.
8. He promised _____________ (help) me with my homework.
9. They finished _____________ (clean) the house before the guests arrived.
10. I’m looking forward to _____________ (meet) you at the party.
11. It’s worth _____________ (try) this new restaurant because the food is amazing.
12. We regret _____________ (inform) you that your application was rejected.
13. They are interested in _____________ (learn) a new language.
14. He stopped __________ (smoke) last year.
15. The children were excited about __________ (visit) the zoo.
B. Complete the dialogue using the correct form of the verbs in parentheses.
A: Hey, do you want (1) _____________ (go) hiking this weekend?
B: I’d love to, but I need (2) _____________ (finish) my project first.
A: I understand. I remember (3) _____________ (spend) hours working on mine last month.
B: Yeah, I try (4) _____________ (manage) my time better, but it’s not easy.
A: Maybe you should consider (5) _____________ (take) a break. It might help you focus.
B: That’s a good idea! I always forget (6) _____________ (relax) when I’m busy.
A: So, do you think you can (7) _____________ (join) us?
B: Hopefully! I’ll let you know after I finish (8) _____________ (write) my last report.
C. Complete the paragraph with the correct form of the verb in parentheses.
David always wanted (1) _____________ (learn) how to cook, but he never had the time. He was busy
(2) _____________ (work) and often ended up (3) _____________ (eat) fast food. One day, his friend
Emma invited him (4) _____________ (join) a cooking class. At first, he wasn’t sure about it. He disliked (5)
_____________ (try) new things and was afraid of (6) _____________(fail) in front of others. However,
Emma convinced him by saying, “There’s no point in (7) _____________(worry) about making mistakes.
Cooking is about having fun!” After thinking for a while, David agreed (8) ____________ (go) with her. On
the first day of class, the chef explained the basics and told them (9) _____________ (follow) instructions
carefully. David tried (10) _____________ (focus), but he kept making small mistakes. He even forgot
(11) _____________ (turn on) the oven! Despite the challenges, he continued (12) ___________ (practice)
at home. He spent hours (13) _____________ (watch) online tutorials and reading recipes. After a few
weeks, he managed (14) _____________ (cook) a full meal by himself. He was so proud that he invited his
friends (15) _____________ (come) over for dinner. That night, everyone enjoyed the food and praised his
efforts. David realized he had discovered a new passion. He decided (16) _____________ (keep) learning
and maybe even take advanced cooking lessons in the future.
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D. Rewrite the sentences using the correct form of the verb in parentheses. Keep the meaning the
same.
1. He started to take French courses last year. (begin)
_______________________________________________________________.
2. She suggested going to the beach. (recommended)
_______________________________________________________________.
3. They are interested in taking photos. (would like)
_______________________________________________________________.
4. She plans to attend the meeting. (consider)
_______________________________________________________________.
5. He keeps improving his writing skills every day. (continue)
_______________________________________________________________.
6. She avoided making mistakes during his performance. (try)
_______________________________________________________________.
7. He chose to follow his passion instead of a practical job. (prefer)
_______________________________________________________________.
8. His parents allowed him to go to the party. (let)
_______________________________________________________________.
E. Complete the sentences using gerunds or infinitives. Keep the meaning the same.
1. She said, ‘Let's go to the museum.’
She suggested ___________________________________________________.
2. It's not worth arguing with him.
There's no point __________________________________________________.
3. He tried to open the jar, but it was too tight.
He made an effort _________________________________________________.
4. He told me, ‘You should take a break.’
He advised ______________________________________________________.
5. It took me a while to learn how to swim.
I spent __________________________________________________________.
6. ‘Don’t forget to call me later,’ she said.
She reminded ____________________________________________________.
7. He was too shy to speak in public.
He wasn’t confident ________________________________________________.
8. I need to remember to buy milk.
I mustn’t _________________________________________________________.
9. It’s important to learn a second language.
Learning _________________________________________________________.
F. Complete each sentence with your own ideas using gerunds or infinitives.
1. The students managed _____________________________________________.
2. My parents always encourage me _____________________________________.
3. It’s difficult _______________________________________________________.
4. He spends a lot of time _____________________________________________.
5. We practiced _____________________________________________________.
6. They are tired ____________________________________________________.