Gerunds

and
infinitives
Language is full of patterns.
Let’s look at:
1. Fixed verb patterns with –ing, to + infinitive and the bare infinitive.
2. Common uses of –ing and infinitive patterns.
3. Verb patterns with both –ing and infinitives.

What are the fixed

patterns?
1. fixed verb patterns
I really hate missing the If your parents let you
rock concert tonight, but I go, I can help you to get
can’t afford to buy the one. You can pay me
ticket right now. back next week.

verb + to + verb + –ing verb + object + to + verb + object + bare

Look at the
conversation and infinitive infinitive infinitive
find examples of
can’t afford to hate missing help you to get let you go
these fixed patterns.
buy

help
can’t
letyou
hate you
afford
to
goget
missingto
buy
1. fixed verb patterns
verb + to + infinitive verb + –ing verb + object + to + verb + object + bare
infinitive infinitive
Afford, arrange, agree, Hate, admit, avoid, discuss, Help, advise, allow, force, Let, make.
prepare, would like, enjoy, recommend, instruct, prefer, request,
decide, hope, intend, learn, mention, miss, include, feel remind, teach, warn,
manage, need, offer, like, spend time, delay, forbid, persuade, order,
refuse. consider. encourage.
With these fixed Careful! In the
verb patterns, the passive voice, we
2nd verb depends on use to + infinitive
the first. after make. E.g. He
was made to go
home early.
There are many Some verbs can be
verbs in English that followed by to +
are followed by It’s important to infinitive or –ing with
these common record all new no or very little
patterns. ones when you change in meaning.
discover them. E.g. begin, start,
Common uses of –ing
continue, dread,
propose. and infinitive patterns.
2. common uses of –ing and infinitive
patterns
Being the youngest child was always the best. I never had to ask permission to do anything because
my parents were much more relaxed. It’s hard to believe they were the same people! My older sister
was afraid to ask to go out because she knew they would want to know every detail. She was very
good at making up stories! When she left to go to university, she finally found freedom.

preposition + –ing as a subject noun + to + adjective + to + infinitive of

infinitive infinitive purpose
Good at making Being the Permission to Afraid to ask Leave to go
up youngest child do Hard to believe

Look at the story above.

Can you find examples of
these common uses of – Good
Hard
Permission
Afraid
Leave
Being
to
at to
believe
making
to
the
ask
goto
ing and infinitive patterns? youngest
up
do child
 2. common uses of –ing and infinitive
patterns
Being the youngest child was always the best. I never had to ask permission to do anything because
my parents were much more relaxed. It’s hard to believe they were the same people! My older sister
was afraid to ask to go out because she knew they would want to know every detail. She was very
good at making up stories! When she left to go to university, she finally found freedom.
+ -ing + to + infinitive
preposition + –ing as a subject noun + to + infinitive adjective + to + infinitive of purpose
infinitive
She was very good at Being the youngest I never had to ask for My older sister was She left to go to
making up stories! child was always the permission to do afraid to ask. university.
best. anything. It’s hard to believe
they were the same
people!
When and how do we
All phrasal verbs are also You can also use the
use the expressions
followed by –ing. E.g. He phrases in order to or
would rather, had better
gave up smoking. so as to here.
and it’s time?
3. verb patterns with would rather,
had better and it’s time
I’d rather watch the comedy than
What do you want to the horror film. We had better call
watch at the cinema? Jimmy to make sure he’s ready
because it’s nearly time to go!

Look at the three Look at the patterns which

phrases in bold. Which follow the three phrases.
one do we use to Do we use –ing, to +
express a preference? infinitive, or a bare
infinitive?

I’d rather
watch… Look at the three phrases Look at the three phrases 1. would
in bold. Which one do we in bold. Which one do we rather/had
use to give advice or talk use to talk about the better + bare
We had about a personal appropriate time to do infinitive
better call… obligation? something? 2. It’s time + to
It’s
time to + infinitive
go…
3. verb patterns with –ing and infinitives
Remember
A. I remembered to turn off the lights before we left.
B. I remember turning off the lights before we left. Look at these sentence
pairs.
Forget
A. He forgot to call his mother.
B. I will never forget going on a plane for the first time.
Sentences A are followed
Stop by to + infinitive whereas
A. Mary stopped at the bank to take out some money. sentences B are followed Different.
B. Tim stopped working here last week. by –ing. Are the meanings
of the verbs in bold the
Regret same of different in both
examples?
A. I regret to inform you that you didn’t get the job.
B. I regret eating all that cake!
Try
Look at the sentence pairs
A. They tried to call, but I had already left.
and try to work out the
B. I tried staying up late to study, but felt too tired. difference in meaning.
3. verb patterns with –ing and infinitives
remember
A. I remembered to turn off the lights before we left. Remember that you have to do something.
B. I remember turning off the lights before we left. Remember that you did something.
forget
A. He forgot to call his mother. Forget that you have to do something.
B. I will never forget going on a plane for the first time. Forget that you did something in the past.
stop Some verbs can
Stop in order to do something (purpose). be followed by
A. Mary stopped at the bank to take out some money. to + infinitive or
B. Tim stopped working here last week. No longer do something. –ing, but the
meaning of the
regret verb changes.
Formal meaning ‘I’m sorry to tell you that’.
A. I regret to inform you that you didn’t get the job.
Regret something from the past you can’t
B. I regret eating all that cake! change.
try
Attempt to do something.
A. They tried to call, but I had already left.
B. I tried staying up late to study, but felt too tired. Experiment with something to see if it
works.
Let’s practise!
Practice activities
Use the correct form of the verbs in bold to complete the gaps.
speaking
1. I really miss ……………………………… to my best friend every day. speak

2. putting them in your bag?

A: I can’t find my keys anywhere! B: Do you remember …………………… put

didn’t bring
3. I’d rather you …………………………… your dog to the party. There will be too many people. not bring

clean up
4. Do your parents make you …………………………. after dinner or not?
clean up
to say
5. I saw Cecilia by the pet shop and she stopped ……………………….. hello.
say
to write
6. Sophie didn’t have enough information ………………………………. the book.
write
making
7. Patrick is excellent at ……………………… people laugh.
make
to be
8. My parents always taught me …………………. patient.
be