Gerunds (verb+ -ing) and infinitives (to+ verb) can be used as nouns.

They can follow the

main verb of the sentence. The choice between the gerund or the infinitive depends on the
main verb. Some verbs are followed by gerunds and some are followed by infinitives.
Here are some of the most common verbs.

Followed by Gerunds Followedby Infinitives

enjoy offer
consider want
discuss forget
suggest have
delay promise
avoid hope
admit need
stop hurry

Some verbs can be used both ways.

love
hate
You can find lists of these verbs in most grammar reference books.
Sentences
They promised to bring the check before the end of the day.
Everybody enjoyed hearing about the new director's plans.
We will discuss hiring more staff.
They need to make a decision before the end of the week.
Strategies
1. Look at the main verb. Is that verb followed by a gerund or an infinitive? Don't be
confused by the tense of the main verb. That has no effect on the verb that follows
it.

He hurried to the airport on time. CD CD © ®

(A) get
(B) gets
(C) to get
(D) getting
The main verb is hurry, which is followed by an infinitive. It doesn't matter that
the verb is in the past tense or that the subject of the sentence is He. A verb
following the main verb hurry is always an infinitive.

2. If you do not immediately know the answer, move on to the next question. Come
back to the ones you are unsure about if you have time at the end.

154 READING
Practice

DIRECTIONS: Mark the choice that best completes the sentence.

1. The ne_w accountant is considering to CD CD © ®

another department.
(A) to transfer ( C) transferred
(B) transferring (D) transfer

2. Mr. Smith wanted his coworkers. CD CD © ®

(A) to meet (C) met
(B) meeting (D) meet

3. We forgot the door when we left. CD CD © ®

(A) locked (C) lock
(B) locking (D) to lock

4. They had lunch until tomorrow. CD CD © ®

(A) postpone (C) postponing
(B) to postpone (D) to be postponed

5. The doctor told him to avoid meat. CD CD © ®

(A) eating (C) eaten
(B) eat (D) to eat

6. We offered for coffee during the break. CD CD © ®

(A) to go (C) gone
(B) going (D) went

7. Jack admitted home office equipment for his CD CD © ®

personal use.
(A) to take (C) take
(B) taking (D) took

8. The new employee promised not late again. CD CD © ®

(A) to be (C) be
(B) being (D) been

9. I hope the MBA program at Harvard. CD CD © ®

(A) entered (C) entering
(B) enter (D) to enter

10. Stop your money. CD CD © ®

(A) to waste (C) wasting
(B) wasted (D) waste

TEXT COMPLETION 15 5
 Prepositions of Location
The prepositions at, on, and in indicate location.Use at with an address, on with a street name,
and in with a town, city, state/province, or country. ·
Location Preposition Examples
address at at 125 Main Street
street on on Main Street
town I city I state I in in Tokyo
province I country in California
in Quebec
in Brazil

The new office is at 2396 Oakland Avenue.

There is a post office on Maple Street.
The conference will take place in Paris.

Word Choice
Somewords may be used in a similar contextbut have a different meaning or a different
grammaticalfunction.

Borrow or Lend
Borrow and lend are often confused. Both are used to talk about using something that
belongs to another person. Lend is what the owner of the object does. Borrow is what the
user of the object does.

I forgot my dictionary. Can I borrow yours?

I don't have enough money for lunch. Can you lend me five dollars?

Clothes or Cloth
Clothes are the things we wear. Shirts and pants are examples of clothes. The word clothes
is always plural. It is pronounced /kl5z/. Cloth is pronounced /kloth/. Cloth is the
material used to make clothes and other things. For example, cloth can be cotton or wool.
A cloth is a piece of fabric that is used for cleaning things.

Nice clothes are often expensive.

These clothes are made of good, strong cloth.
I need a cloth to wipe off the table.

156 READING
• Read the sentences before and after the blank to figure out the context .

• Look for a noun after the blank to tell you whether you need an adjective or a pronoun .

• Read the sentences before and after the blank to figure out when the action occurs .

• Look at the verb tense in one part of the sentence to figure out what tense is needed in
the other part of the sentence.

• Look for the and than in comparisons to determine the correct adjective form .

• Figure out whether the main verb is followed by a gerund or an infinitive .

• Move on to the next question if you don't immediately know the answer .

TEXT COMPLETION 15 7
 DIRECTIONS: Read the following passages and choose the word or phrase that best
completes the blanks. Use the strategies you have learned.

Questions 1-3 refer to the following letter.

624 South Wells Street

Reno, Nevada 89400

Mr. Norm Thompson

97 Vine Circle
Reno, Nevada 89400

Dear Mr. Thompson:

I want to rent an apartment. My friend says that you are a good _

1. (A) landlord
(B) occupant
(C) tenant
(D) painter
and that you own apartments in different parts of the city. Can I rent an apartment
from you? My family needs a new place to live. We love our _ It's
2. (A) neighbor
(B) neighborly
(C) neighboring
(D) neighborhood
quiet, and it's close to my job. However, our apartment is small
3. (A) too
(B) a lot
(C) some
(D) enough
for us. There are four of us: my wife, our two children, and me. We need a larger
apartment. We are looking for one with three bedrooms and a large kitchen.

We live near Plumas Pass, and we would like to stay in this area. If you have an
apartment in Plumas Pass that is available now, please let me know. Thank
you for your help.

Sincerely,

Fabian Ricardo

158 READING
Questions 4-6 refer to the following article.

ontalvo Industries announced Friday that it will take on 100 new

M over the next 6 months. 4. (A) employees
(B) merchants
(C) customers
(D) products

"Our market is expanding," said company CEO Shirley Henrico, "so we need to
______ our production. That's why we need to hire more workers." The
5. (A) grow
(B) more
(C) bigger
(D) increase
company plans to build a new, larger factory on the outskirts of the city, which will be
equipped with all the latest technology. "We are building a very modern factory," said
Ms. Henrico. "We are very proud of "
6. (A) us
(B) it
(C) me
(D) him

TEXT COMPLETION 159

 Questions 7-9 refer to the following advertisement.

The Stardust Cinema announces the third annual

Festival of Films
7. (A) Classic
(B) National
(C) Cartoon
(D) International

September 20-2 7
We will show the best films of this year from all around the world. See
your favorite foreign actors perform in our comfortable, modern theater.
______ will be four different shows every day.
8. (A) There
(B) They
(C) We
(D) It

Tickets are $10 a show, or $35 for four shows. Children 12-17 years old
must be accompanied by an adult. Children under 12 will not be

9. (A) treated
(B) educated
(C) admitted
(D) employed

Questions 10-12 refer to the following advertisement.

Tropical Tours Ltd., the nation's leading tour company, has an opening for an
experienced to lead our tours in South America.
10. (A) tourist
(B) guide
(C) driver
(D) helper
We are looking for somebody who has traveled in South America and has
experience working in the tourist industry. If you enjoy _
11. (A) will travel
(B) traveled
(C) traveling
(D) to travel
are a good organizer, and like people, this is the job for you. To apply for the
position, please send your resume to Tropical Tours Ltd., PO Box 49603,,
Pleasantville, NY. Resumes must be received _
12. (A) after
(B) before
(C) during
(D) while
June 10. Any resumes received later than that date will not be read.

160 READING