Gerund/ infinitive

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Gerund/ infinitive
Message from nish101 posted on 10-01-2012 at 15:48:34 (D | E | F)
Hello,

I can't distinguish between gerund and infinitive.
Can someone help me? so that I could easily distinguish between them.
Thank you for your answers. ^^

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Edited by lucile83 on 10-01-2012 16:08

Re: Gerund/ infinitive from gerondif, posted on 10-01-2012 at 20:16:35 (D | E)
Hello,
an infinitive is written like this : "to play"
A gerund is written like this: "playing"
So far, it is easy to distinguish between them.

What you mean maybe is that you don't know when to use them.

Here are some simple clues but there are more:

a) Use an infinitive:
- after an adjective: I am happy to see you. I am sad not to come.

- after verbs indicating a wish, a will, an order:
I want to come, I would like to come, I order you to come, I expect you to come at 5,
I promise to come....

b) A gerund is a verb + ing thus transformed into a noun .

use it:
- after a preposition normally followed by a noun:

Thank you for helping me. I am interested in running, I am fond of jogging, I am keen on sailing,
I am mad about wind-surfing. I am fed up with waiting.

- Use it after a verb indicating what you like or hate doing:

I like books: I like reading.
I enjoy sports: I enjoy running.
I love guns: I love shooting.

I don't mind questions: I don't mind answering them.

I hate violence: I hate fighting.
I can't stand heights: I can't stand climbing.

a gerund can become the subject or the object of a verb:
Swimming is good for you ! I love swimming.

Watch out!
"I like swimming" means that you are used to swimming (to is a preposition here), that you have already swum many times.

"I would like to swim with dolphins" is a dream that you have never fulfilled,done, so use the infinitive here.

This is just a start....

Re: Gerund/ infinitive from phrasemix, posted on 12-01-2012 at 14:16:16 (D | E)
Hello,

How do you know which one to use? It's really just a matter of memorization. You should memorize phrases that can be followed by an infinitive and ones that can be followed by a gerund.
There are only a few that can have either one, like "Stop doing something" and "Stop to do something". In those cases, you can just learn the difference in their meanings.

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Edited by lucile83 on 12-01-2012 17:57
Please don't copy so many phrases from the internet, thanks.

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