Gerunds + infinitives, theory

1. Verb + Gerund or Infinitive: Two Forms, Two Meanings
Gerunds
A gerund is an -ing form of a verb that is used as a noun rather than as a verb. Because it
is used as a noun, it can appear in any sentence position that any noun can occupy.
GERUND = swimming SENTENCE POSITION
Swimming is good exercise. SUBJECT of the sentence
She likes swimming every day. DIRECT OBJECT of the VERB like
She is crazy about swimming in the ocean.OBJECT of the PREPOSITION about
In the negative form, the word not comes before the gerund.
GERUND = cycling VERB TYPE
She considered cycling up the mountain. affirmative
She considered not cycling up the mountain. negative
Gerunds are usually not used to answer why-questions. Gerunds are nouns. Gerunds directly
receive actions (when in the object position) just like other nouns.
I stopped the car.
I stopped the thief
I stopped smoking.
*the green words are all nouns

2. Infinitives
An infinitive is the word to and the SIMPLE/BASE/DICTIONARY form of a verb .
INFINITIVE = to swim
It is good to swim every day.
She likes to swim in the morning.
In the negative form, the word not comes before the infinitive.
INFINITIVE = to cycle VERB TYPE
She promised to cycle up the mountain. affirmative
She promised not to cycle up the mountain. negative
She promised us not to cycle up the mountain. pronoun + negative
Infinitives are more often used to answer WHY-questions. Look at the following conversation:
Louise: I stopped.
Harry: Why?
Louise: I stopped to smoke.
The phrase in order to is often used in this situation. Therefore, Louise could have said, “I
stopped in order to smoke.” In order to is also used to answer why-questions. In order to is
NEVER used with gerunds.
CORRECT I stopped in order to smoke.
INCORRECT I stopped in order to smoking.
Some verbs can be followed by either a gerund or an infinitive, with A BIG change in
meaning.
VERB FOLLOWED
BY:
SENTENCE MEANING
INFINITIVE I forgot to eat lunch.I DID NOT eat lunch today.
GERUND I forgot eating lunch.
I DID eat lunch today. I just did not
remember at the time you asked me.

3. List of Common Verbs Followed By Gerunds or Infinitives - Different Meaning
forget, mean, regret, remember, try, stop, quit
forget
She forgot reading the book when
she was a kid.
WHEN "FORGET" IS USED WITH A GERUND,
IT MEANS "TO FORGET THAT YOU HAVE
DONE SOMETHING." THE SENTENCE ABOVE
MEANS THAT SHE READ THE BOOK WHEN
SHE WAS A KID, AND THAT SHE HAS
FORGOTTEN THAT FACT.
FORGET + gerund : refers to the
past
“ Have you forgotten sending the
fax?”
She forgot to pay the rent this month.
WHEN FORGET IS USED WITH AN INFINITIVE, IT
MEANS "TO FORGET THAT YOU NEED TO DO
SOMETHING." THE SENTENCE ABOVE MEANS THAT
SHE FORGOT THAT SHE NEEDED TO PAY THE
RENT.
FORGET + infinitive: refers to the
present or future
“ Don’t forget to come before six”
mean
You have forgotten your homework
again. That means phoning your
mother.
MEAN + infinitive = intend
Sorry, I didn't mean to insult you.
I meant to phone your mother, but
my mobile didn't work.
MEAN + gerund = involve
Being a doctor means working day and
night.
regret
I regretted being late to the
interview.
"REGRET" IS NORMALLY USED WITH A GERUND.
We regret to inform you that you have
failed your exam. (polite or formal
form of apology)
We regret to inform you that your
position at the company is being
eliminated.
"REGRET" IS SOMETIMES USED WITH INFINITIVES
SUCH AS "TO INFORM." IN THE SENTENCE ABOVE,
"WE REGRET TO INFORM YOU" MEANS "WE WISH
WE DID NOT HAVE TO TELL YOU (BAD NEWS)."
I very much regret saying what I said. (I
wish that I had not said that.)

4. REGRET + gerund : past regret
“ I regret not seeing the Chinese
exhibition when I was in
London.”
REGRET + infinitive: present or
future regret
“ I regret to say I don´t like this room.”
rememb
er
I remember mentioning the
meeting yesterday.
WHEN "REMEMBER" IS USED WITH A GERUND,
IT MEANS "TO REMEMBER THAT YOU HAVE DONE
SOMETHING." THE SENTENCE ABOVE MEANS
THAT I MENTIONED THE MEETING, AND THAT I
REMEMBER THE FACT THAT I DID THAT.
REMEMBER + gerund : refers to
the past
“I remember confirming his
reservation”
He remembered to turn off the
lights before he left.
WHEN "REMEMBER" IS USED WITH AN INFINITIVE,
IT MEANS "TO REMEMBER THAT YOU NEED TO DO
SOMETHING." THE SENTENCE ABOVE MEANS THAT
HE REMEMBERED THAT HE NEEDED TO TURN THE
LIGHTS OFF.
REMEMBER + infinitive: refers to
the present or future
“Remember to leave him my
message”
try
She can't find a job. She tried
looking in the paper, but there was
nothing. She tried asking friends
and family, but nobody knew of
anything. She also tried going shop
to shop, but nobody was hiring.
"TRY + GERUND" MEANS TO TRY OR TO
EXPERIMENT WITH DIFFERENT METHODS TO SEE
IF SOMETHING WORKS.
She tried eating the snake soup, but
she didn't like it.
"TRY + GERUND" IS OFTEN USED WHEN YOU
EXPERIMENT WITH SOMETHING, BUT YOU DO
NOT REALLY LIKE IT OR WANT TO DO IT AGAIN.
Try to do = to make an effort to do
She tried to climb the tree, but she
couldn't even get off the ground.
WHEN YOU "TRY TO DO" SOMETHING, YOU WANT
TO DO IT, BUT YOU DO NOT SUCCEED IN
ACTUALLY DOING IT. IN THE SENTENCE ABOVE, AN
INFINITIVE IS USED BECAUSE SHE CANNOT
SUCCESSFULLY CLIMB THE TREE.
Try not to wake the baby when you
get up tomorrow at 5 AM.
AN INFINITIVE IS ALSO USED IF YOU ARE ASKING
SOMEONE TO TRY SOMETHING THEY MAY OR MAY
NOT BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH.
Try doing = to do something as an

5. something difficult (very often
unsuccessfully).
The little boy tried to reach the
biscuit jar but he wasn't tall enough.
(he made an effort to reach the jar
and failed)

TRY + gerund: test, experiment
“ Why don´t you try buying a street
map?”
experiment to see what will happen.
There's a terrible traffic jam in the city
center; I'm going to try going by the
ring road. (I'll go by an alternative route
to see if there is less traffic).
TRY + infinitive: attempt, make an
effort
“ The receptionist tried to
understand the guest but it was
impossible”
stop
He stopped smoking for health
reasons.
"STOP" IS NORMALLY USED WITH A GERUND.
Stop + infinitive involves two actions.
STOP + gerund: cease
“ Stop making noise in the corridor.”
He stopped to rest for a few minutes.
WHEN "STOP" IS USED WITH AN INFINITIVE, THE
INFINITIVE TAKES ON THE MEANING OF "IN ORDER
TO." IN THE SENTENCE ABOVE, HE STOPPED IN
ORDER TO REST FOR A FEW MINUTES.
Stop + ing involves one action.
STOP + infinitive: stop one action in
order to start another
“ I stopped at the TIC to take a leaflet”
quit
She quit playing soccer due to her
accident.
QUIT + gerund: stop
She quit to finish her major.
QUIT + infinitive: stop doing
something in order to do something
else.

6. Sequence of Events
Check the sequence of events to establish the difference between certain verbs. See what you
think about the following pairs of sentences.

I remembered to feed the dog this morning.I remember feeding him his favorite food.
first second second first
(I remembered and then I fed him.) (I fed him and later I remembered the action.)

I forgot to go to the bank. I forgot going to the bank.
----------------- second first
(I didn't remember and I didn't go to the bank.)(I went to the bank, but later I forgot that I did.)

I stopped to smoke. I stopped smoking.
first second second first
(I paused what I was doing to have a cigarette.)(I was a smoker, but now I'm not.)