2017-09-28 Grammar: gerunds vs. infinitives

Greg Malivuk
[email protected]
http://www.pastebin.com/u/gmalivuk - notes from all classes
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Homework: exercise 4
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Handout p. 116 - Gerunds and infinitives can both be subjects. However
“Collecting stamps is fun.” and “It’s fun to collect stamps.”
are much more common than
“It’s fun collecting stamps.” or “To collect stamps is fun.”
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Gerunds also come after prepositions and most phrasal verbs.
“Thank you for helping.” “I’m nervous about performing.” “You should look into traveling.”
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exercise 10 - Complete each sentence with true information and share with your partner.
1 Talking to strangers is scary.
2 Eating ice cream makes me happy.
3 I’m nervous about presenting tomorrow.
4 I’m never afraid of riding a bike. (We could also say, “I’m never afraid to ride a bike.”)
5 My friends are concerned about my drinking.
6 I would like to give up smoking.
7 Growing older makes you smarter.
8 I get tired of studying English.
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With many verbs, there’s a pattern where gerunds refer to actions that have already started or been experienced, and infinitives refer to actions that haven’t (and may not) happen.

I enjoy swimming. I can’t stand swimming. I don’t mind swimming. = I have been swimming.
I want to swim. I plan to swim. I would like to swim. I intend to swim. I hope to swim. = I haven’t been swimming yet (in this particular situation).
- This is a general pattern but not a complete rule. For example, some verbs can be used with both gerunds and infinitives with the same meaning:
I like to swim. = I like swimming. / I can’t stand to swim. = I can’t stand swimming.
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Some verbs change meaning when followed by a gerund or an infinitive. They generally follow this same pattern:
I stopped smoking. = I smoked before, and then I stopped (I quit and now I don’t smoke).
I stopped to smoke. = I stopped (another thing) and then I smoked.
I remembered locking the door. = I locked the door, and then I remembered it.
I remembered to lock the door. = I remembered, and then I locked the door.
I forgot locking the door. = I locked the door, but then I forgot about it.
I forgot to lock the door. = I forgot about it, and then I didn’t lock the door (because I forgot).
I tried opening the window. = I really did open it (but maybe it didn’t help the problem).
I tried to open the window. = I attempted, but I couldn’t open it.
I’m sorry for bothering you. = I already bothered you.
I’m sorry to bother you. = I will bother you right now.
I regret telling you. = I already told you, and now I regret it.
I regret to tell you… = I will tell you now, and I feel bad about it.
She went on teaching. = She was teaching already, and she continued to do it.
She went on to teach. = Teaching was the next thing she did (after something else).
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p. 118-119 exercise 12 - Complete the sentences with the correct forms of the verbs.
1 to avoid / avoiding (different meaning)
2 talking
3 to pick up
4 talking / to talk (same meaning)
5 smoking
6 to bring
7 playing, to prefer, playing/to play (same meaning)
8 eating (I might not like it, but I know I’ll be able to eat it.)
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Homework (optional): p. 119 exercise 13