2017-08-03 Grammar: gerund/infinitive changed meanings

Greg Malivuk
[email protected]
http://www.pastebin.com/u/gmalivuk - notes from all classes
---
Homework: p. 115 exercise 9 - Combine the sentences by replacing “this” with a gerund phrase that has the same meaning as the first sentence.
1 Mary will miss John’s singing a funny song whenever he sees her.
2 Mary doesn’t really understand his wanting to become really fluent in French.
  (or: She doesn’t understand his desire to become…)
3 Mary resents his applying to the program without consulting her.
4 She’s not looking forward to not having a chance to talk with him every day.
  (or: She’s not looking forward to losing the chance to talk with him every day.)
5 John is quite excited about leaving in two weeks.
6 He didn’t anticipate needing at least three weeks to get a passport.
7 John wanted to avoid making his departure even later than expected.
---
General patterns to the meanings of gerunds and infinitives (often, but not always true)
Gerunds usually refer to real actions that have already happened or started.
	(They can also refer to actions we want to avoid.)
Infinitives often refer to potential actions that may happen or will happen in the future.
---
hope to do, want to do, wish to do, need to do, would like to do, encourage to do
avoid doing, skip doing, prevent from doing, discourage from doing, dislike doing
---
In particular, this helps explain how meanings change for verbs that can use both gerunds and infinitives with different meaning.
forget:
	I forgot to meet them. = I had an appointment and I forgot about it, so I didn’t meet them.
	I forgot meeting them. = I met them but then I forgot about this event.
remember:
	I remembered to meet them. = I had an appointment and I remembered it, so I met them.
	I remembered meeting them. = I met them before and later I remembered this event.
stop (“quit” works the same way):
	I stopped to eat fast food. = I stopped (something else) with the purpose of getting food.
	I stopped eating fast food. = I used to eat fast food, but then I stopped.
try:
	I tried to open the window. = I attempted to open it, but I couldn’t.
	I tried opening the window. = I really opened it, but it didn’t help the problem.
regret:
	I regret to tell you that you failed. = I feel bad that I have to tell you about it.
	I regret telling you that you failed. = I told you and now I feel bad about it.
go on:
	She went on to teach English. = The next thing she did was teach English.
	She went on teaching English. = She was already teaching English and she continued.
---
Handout (Azar) p. 31 - With a partner, write the correct forms of the verbs in 5-7
5 a driving, taking
  b to drive, (to) take
6 a to inform
  b not following
7 a to remain
  b crying, holding, to feed, burping/to burp, changing
---
I’ll try to do it. = I’ll attempt to do it (but I may not be able to).
I’ll try doing it. = I’ll try to solve the problem by doing it (but it may not be a solution).
---
I prefer A.
	I prefer pizza.
	I prefer to drive.
	I prefer driving.
I prefer A to B.
	I prefer pizza to burgers.
	I prefer driving to taking a plane.
I prefer A rather than B. (More common with “I would prefer”)
	I prefer pizza rather than burgers.
	I prefer to drive rather than take a plane.
I’d rather A (than B).
	I’d rather drive (than take a plane).