Gerunds and infinitives (0)

The gerund form -ing
The gerund form -ing is used:
After some main verbs .
(admit, appreciate, consider, delay , deny, detest, dislike, enjoy, escape, face , feel like, finish, forgive, give up, imagine , involve, mention , mind, miss , postpone, practise, prefer , put off, recommend, resent, risk, suggest, understand )
I do not recommend going to that restaurant.
After an adjective , verb or noun followed by a preposition.
She is really good at swimming .
He apologised to arriving late .
I quite like the thought of working in a travel agency .
In some fixed expressions
I can not bear listening to people who complain .
I can not help feeling that he is cheating us.
That book is not worth reading.
The infinitive with to
The infinitive with to is used:
After some main verbs
( afford , agree , appear, arrange, ask, attempt, bear, begin , care, choose , consent, decide, determine, expect , fail, forget , happen, hate, help, hesitate, hope, intend , learn, like, love, manage , mean, offer , prefer, prepare , pretend, promise, propose, refuse , remember , seem , start, swear, try, want, wish )
I can not afford to eat in that restaurant.
After some main verbs
Followed by object + infinitive with to
(advise, allow, ask, cause , command, encourage , expect, forbid, force, get, hate, help, instruct, intend, invite , leave, like, mean, need, oblige, order , permit, persuade , prefer, press, recommend, remind, request, teach , tell, tempt, trouble, want, warn, wish)
He asked me to help him.
Her parents forbade her to see Tom again .
After some adjectives
I was happy to see her.
They were wrong to refuse.
After some nouns
She never regretted her decision to be a teacher .
It is time to leave.
He has no wish to become involved in the matter .
To express purpose
I went to London to see my aunt .
The infinitive without to
The infinitive without to is used:
After some main verbs
Followed by an object + infinitive without to
(let, make, hear, help, see)
He made me repeat the exercise .
Her parents won`t let her stay out late.
I heard her play in Milan.
WATCH OUT! In passive sentences make, hear, help are followed by an infinitive with to.
He was made to report to the police .
Let can not be used in the passive form. Instead, allowed must be used.
My parents let me stay out late.
I am allowed to stay out late by my parents.
After modal verbs
You must leave now.
After would rather /had better
You would better come in now.
Verbs followed by a gerund or to-infinitive with a difference in meaning

• Can`t bear/ stand, hate, like, love, prefer
  

When these verbs are used with the infinitive, they refer to more specific situations. When they are used with the gerund, they refer to more general situations. The difference in meaning is very slight.
I prefer to work on a computer than to write by hand.
I can not bear listening to her complaining all the time.

• Remember, forget, regret , stop, try
  

remember/forget + -ing refers to an action that happened before the moment of remembering/ forgetting .
remember/forget + infinitive refers to an action after the moment of remembering/ forgetting.
I remember seeing you somewhere before. (= that I have seen you)
Did you remember to lock the door ?
She had completely forgotten telling him about her brother .
I forgot to give Sally the book.

• Regret + -ing means be sorry about an action in the past.
  

Regret + infinitive means be sorry about a present
action.
I regret going to the party last night .
I regret to have to tell you that your car has been stolen. ( formal )

• Stop + -ing means stop something you do.
  

Stop + infinitive with to means stop in order to do
something.
I stopped drinking coffee because it kept me
awake at night.
We stopped to have a coffee on the way home.

• Try + -ing means do an experiment – doing the action may not be succesful.
  

Try + infinitive means make an effort – the action may be difficult or impossible to do.
Try studying at a different time of day – it might suit you better.
Try to study at regular times .
EXERCISE 1
1) I can't imagine Peter_________ (go) by bike .
2) He agreed___________ (buy) a new car.
3) The question is easy____________ ( answer ).
4) The man asked me how_________ (get) to the airport .
5) I look forward to__________ (see) you at the weekend .
6) Are you thinking of____________ (visit) London?
7) We decided___________ (run) through the forest .
8) The teacher expected Sarah__________ (study) hard .
9) She doesn't mind__________ (work) the night shift.
10)I learned___________ (ride) the bike at the age of 5.
EXERCISE 2
1) We decided__________ (buy) a new car.
2) They've got some work___________ (do).
3) Peter gave up__________ ( smoke ) .
4) He'd like__________ (fly) an aeroplane.
5) I enjoy___________ (write) picture postcards.
6) Do you know what________ (do) if there 's a fire in the shop ?
7) Avoid____________ (make) silly mistakes.
8) My parents wanted me______ (be) home at 11 o' clock .
9) I dream about____________ (build) a big house.
10) I'm hoping____________ (see) Lisa.