2015-12-23 Grammar: infinitives vs. gerunds

Greg Malivuk
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http://www.pastebin.com/u/gmalivuk
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Homework: p. 100 exercise 12
1 Most people can be trusted to return books to the library.
  Most people can be trusted not to steal things from your car.
2 Children should be allowed to do what they want.
  Children should be allowed not to eat all their vegetables.
3 All teachers should be encouraged to teach very well.
  All teachers should be encouraged not to yell at students.
  (Teachers should be discouraged from yelling at students.)
4 Noisy people should be told to shut up.
  Noisy people should be told not to be so loud.
5 Teenagers should be warned not to use cell phones or computers all day.
  Teenagers should be warned to avoid disrespecting their parents.
6 Students should be expected to do their homework.
  Students should be expected not to come late.
7 Guests should be invited to eat lunch.
8 Rich people should be required to pay more taxes.
  Rich people should be required not to put their money in offshore tax havens.

You have to continue to try to learn to stop to smell the roses.
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Infinitives and gerunds can also go in other parts of a sentence.

Both can be the subject of a sentence:
Buying cigarettes is not a good idea.
To be happy is all I want in life. (more natural: Being happy is…)
To practice English every day is important. (more natural: Practicing English every day is…)

With infinitives, we usually move it to the end to sound less awkward:
All I want in life is to be happy.
It’s not a good idea to buy cigarettes.
It’s important to practice English every day.
(We can’t use gerunds with this word order.)

We use infinitives after adjectives and adverbs in other situations, too:
It’s too cold to eat outside today.
I was very glad to meet you at the party.

Nouns can be followed by gerunds or infinitives (but usually with a different meaning):
I made a decision to study more.
It’s a good time to go. (It’s a good clock-time for this obligation.)
I had a good time dancing. (The activity was a good period of time.)
I had difficulty understanding. I had fun fishing. I had problems reading. (have+noun+gerund)

Only gerunds can be the objects of prepositions:
Let’s talk about doing something on vacation.
I had some problems with pronouncing the words.
I look forward to meeting them. I am used to eating spicy food.
Turn it on by pressing this button. (This answers the question “how”.)

Infinitives of purpose can go at the end of almost any sentence:
I went to the store to buy milk. = I went to the store in order to buy milk.
(This answers the question “why”.)
Who did you go with to buy milk? (The object of “with” is “Who”, so it’s no problem to have an infinitive after “with”.)
I bought a new coat in order not to be cold this winter. (With negative purpose, we should use “in order”.)

(If the main verb is “use”, infinitives of purpose can be replaced with “for” + gerund.)
I use my computer to send emails. = I use my computer for sending emails.
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He went on to teach English. = Later in his life, he taught English. Teaching was the next step in his life.
He went on teaching English. = He was already teaching English, and he continued.