GERUNDS AND INFINITIVES

A) DISCOVER THE RULES. Put the following sentences in the correct columns of the table:
- After a preposition
I sometimes dream of _____ to the moon. (travel)

- After an adjective
Its sometimes difficult _____ in the morning. (wake up)

- To give the purpose / reason for an action (a fim de)

Were going into town _____ some food. (buy)

- When the verb is the subject, usually starting the

sentence
_____ relaxes me. (swim)

- To refer to a PROCESS / LIVED EXPERIENCE

- To refer to a PROPOSED ACTION

USE AN INFINITIVE (TO+ verb)

I want to go on vacation.

USE A GERUND (verb-ING)

I enjoy reading books.

B) WHICH VERBS ARE FOLLOWED BY i) THE INFINITIVE ?

ii) THE GERUND ?

Some verbs are always followed by an infinitive, some by a gerund.

In general, we can say that
verbs that refer to a PROPOSED ACTION will normally take
verbs that refer to a PROCESS / LIVED EXPERIENCE will normally take

The verbs in A refer to a proposed action / a process and so are

followed by _______.
The verbs in B refer to a proposed action / a process and so are
followed by _______.
The verbs in C refer to a proposed action / a process and so are
followed by _______.
The verbs in D refer to a proposed action / a process and so are
followed by _______.
The verbs in E refer to a proposed action / a process and so are
followed by _______.

C) Complete the sentences using the infinitive or gerund.

1.
2.
3.

J:
Hi, Im Jenny.
R: Hi, Im Rebecca. Its nice ___________ you.
(MEET)
I really enjoy ________ yoga. Its great. (DO)
What do you want ________ tonight ?
(DO)
______ in the ocean always makes me happy.
(SWIM)
You cant learn to play an instrument without ________ regularly.

4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

(PRACTICE)
Kate offered _______ me with my mathematics task.
(HELP)
I need _______ to the store. Were out of milk.
(GO)
Im really bad at ________ names.
(REMEMBER)
Try _______ a noise. Your sister is asleep.
(NOT MAKE)
_______ after children all day is hard work!!
(LOOK)
Chinese is a difficult language _______. It has a completely different

Ex. 1
Ex. 2

alphabet. (LEARN)

Ex. 1
Ex. 2

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

Its nice to meet you.

I really enjoy doing yoga.

10.

My sister spends hours on the telephone ________ to her friends.

10.

11.
12.
13.
14.

(TALK)
My brother has decided _______ a new job.
(LOOK FOR)
I hate ______ the first to arrive at parties. (BE)
_______ by train is usually cheaper than by plane.
(TRAVEL)
I want to go on ________ for as long as I can. I love being a student.

11.
12.
13.
14.

15.

(STUDY)
Look at that child. He is so happy _______ at the beach. He doesnt stop

15.

16.

laughing. (BE)
That boy is so easily-distracted. Hes an expert in ___________ attention.

16.

17.
18.

(NOT PAY)
I want to thank you all for _________ here today.
(COME)
I told you _______ football near the house. You broke the window!

17.
18.

(NOT PLAY)

ANSWERS:
Ex. 1

J:

(CHANGE TO A DARKER FONT)

Hi, Im Jenny.
R:

Hi, Im Rebecca. Its nice TO MEET you.

Ex. 2

I really enjoy DOING yoga. Its great.

1.

What do you want TO DO tonight ?

2.

SWIMMING in the ocean always makes me happy.

3.

You cant learn to play an instrument without PRACTICING regularly.

4.

Kate offered TO HELP me with my mathematics task.

5.

I need TO GO to the store. Were out of milk.

6.

Im really bad at REMEMBERING names.

7.

Try NOT TO MAKE a noise. Your sister is asleep.

8.

LOOKING after children all day is hard work!!

9.

Chinese is a difficult language TO LEARN. It has a completely different alphabet.

10.

My sister spends hours on the telephone TALKING to her friends.

11.

My brother has decided NOT TO LOOK FOR a new job.

12.

I hate BEING the first to arrive at parties.

13.

TRAVELING by train is usually cheaper than by plane.

14.

I want to go on STUDYING for as long as I can. I love being a student.

15.

Look at that child. He is so happy TO BE at the beach. He cant stop laughing.

16.

That boy is so easily-distracted. Hes an expert at NOT PAYING attention !!!

17.

I want to thank you all for COMING here today.

18.

I told you NOT TO PLAY football near the house. You broke the window!