The verbs followed by gerund only
| admit enjoy forgive mind risk | consider escape imagine miss suggest | delay excuse insist practise understand | dislike finish keep prevent |
She admitted telling him. Did you escape writing the test? I don't want to risk coming late.
Excuse, forgive and prevent are used with three different forms. Excuse my being late. Excuse me being late. Excuse me for being late.
The expressions followed by gerund
be against to be interested in can't stand
can't help care for give up
look forward it's no use/good it's worth
I can't stand waiting for hours. I can't help laughing. Don't give up studying this chapter. It's no use working so late. Is the film worth seeing?
GERUND OR INFINITIVE
The verbs followed by infinitives and gerunds.
A. With the same meaning.
begin it requires it needs
can't bear start it wants
allow intend continue
recommend permit advise
Did you continue driving/to drive? He can't bear smoking/to smoke.
If the verbs advise, allow, permit, recommend are used with the indirect object, they are followed by infinitive. If not, gerund must be used.
They didn't allow us to eat there. They didn't allow eating there. She recommended John to read this book. She recommended reading this book.
After the expressions it needs/requires/wants gerund is more common than infinitive.
The car needs washing/to be washed. The flower wants watering/to be watered.
B. The verbs that have a different meaning with infinitive or gerund.
Remember
I remember watching the match. It was fantastic. We use gerund to talk about earlier actions.
I remembered to watch the match.And so I sat down and switched on the TV. The infinitive is used to talk about following actions.
Try
I tried calling him because I needed to test my new mobile phone. I made an experiment with my mobile.
I tried to call him because I needed to meet him. I made an attempt to get in touch with him.
Love/like/hate/prefer
In the conditional tense these verbs are used with the infinitive. I'd like to drive. I'd love to drive. I'd hate to drive. I'd prefer to drive.
In other tenses they are used with infinitives or gerunds, but both forms have a slightly different meaning. I like driving. I love driving. I hate driving. I prefer driving. I like to drive. I love to drive. I hate to drive. I prefer to drive.
Compare: I like going to the cinema. (I enjoy it.) I like to go to the dentist twice a year. (I don't enjoy it, but I go there, because it is good for my health.) I hate ironing. (It is my least favourite activity. I never enjoy it.) I hate to iron on Sundays. (I don't mind ironing, but not on Sundays.)
Go on
After dinner he went on showing us his photos. The gerund is used when we want to say that a previous activity continues. He gave us a lecture on the Greek history. And then he went on to show us his photos from Greece. The infinitiv is used when we want to describe an activity that follows a previous action and is somehow connected to it.
Stop
I stopped smoking. This means that I do not smoke anymore.
I stopped to smoke. I made a pause to have a cigarette.
Mean
I didn't mean to hurt you. I say that I didn't do it on purpose. We can go to Spain. But it means spending more money. In this sentence we describe the consequences.
Be afraid
She was afraid of getting married. Any marriage is something that frightens her.
She was afraid to marry Bill. She doesn't mind getting married, but the marriage with Bill frightens her.
I'm sorry
I'm sorry for telling you. I apologize for a previuous action.
I'm sorry to tell you that your flight will be delayed. I apologize for something that will happen. The infinitive with this expression can also mean sorrow. I'm sorry to hear that your wife is ill.
EXERCISES
Ex. 1. Choose the correct form.
1. We are surprised at his not (coming, having come) yesterday. 2. The teacher is sure of their (passing, having passed) the exam well tomorrow. 3. We rely on your (doing, having done) the work properly next week. 4. She objected to his (being sent, having been sent) there. 5. They insist on (telling, being told) about it. 6. He denies my (seeing, having seen) him yesterday. 7. They rely on your (informing, having informed) everybody tomorrow. 8. Nobody objects to the plan (having been discussed, being discussed) at the next meeting. 9. They insisted on the work (doing, being done) within this week. 10. He hates (being disturbed, disturbing) people.
Ex. 2. Decide what prepositions are missing in the gaps. Consult the dictionary if necessary.
1. The success of your business depends much … your knowing how to manage your money. 2. Colleges are interested … recruiting mature students. 3. Without advertising there is no use … creating your product. 4.The boss insisted … his employees raising their educational level. 5. They were afraid … failing their partners. 6. Jules Vern succeeded … predicting moon journeys in his science fiction novels. 7. What would you say … increasing sales in this region? 8. We object … signing the contract on these terms.