Infinitive / Gerund
1.V + to+V=full infinitive: I want to go
2.V + V=bare infinitive: I must go
3. V + Ving=gerund: I like swimming
Full infinitive (to+V)
- to express purpose:
I go to the shop to buy some food.
I go to school to study.
- after certain verbs advise, agree, appear, decide, expect, hope, manage,
offer, promise, refuse, seem, want, afford, pretend, etc.:
He promises to behave well.
- after verbs such as know, decide, ask, learn, remember, want to know, etc.,
when they are followed by question word what, when, who, where, how, etc.
EXCEPT “WHY” is followed by subject+verb:
I don’t know what to do.
I don’t know why he has gone.
- after adjectives:
I am glad to see you.
- after too and enough:
He is too young to drive.
He isn’t old enough to drive.
- after it + be + adjective (+ of + noun/pronoun):
It was nice of him to help.
- after would like / would love / would prefer:
I would like to go with you.
Bare infinitive (V)
- after modal verbs must, may, might, can, could, should, have to, ought to
You must do this.
You have to do this.
- after let and make
My mum lets me go out.
My dad makes me tidy up.
BUT
I am let to go out by my mum.
I am made to tidy up by my dad.
- after had better / would rather
I had better / would rather go now.
Gerund (Ving)
- as a noun / subject
Swimming is good for me.
- after prepositions of, with, without, at, on, in, under, out of, towards, over….
and adverbs always, usually, sometimes, often, rarely/seldom, never
He went without saying a word.
- after love, like, hate, dislike, prefer to express general preference.
I like swimming.
- after certain verbs consider, avoid, deny, look forward to, confess to, fancy,
involve, mention, risk, spend, mind, regret, admit, suggest, imagine…
She spent all her day shopping.
- after go for activities
I often go running.
- after: It’s no use, it’s (not) worth, it’s (no) good, be busy, what’s the use
of…?, there’s no point in…, can’t help, can’t stand, be/get used to, have
difficulty (in).
I can’t stand doing my homework.
- after the verbs see, feel, hear, watch, listen to, notice to describe incomplete
action
I saw mum watching a film. (= you didn’t see the action from the beginning
to the end)
I heard she talking on the phone. (= I didn’t hear all conversation, I just
went through)
BUT
see, feel, hear, listen to, notice + bare infinitive to describe a complete
action.
I heard she talk on the phone. (= I heard from the beginning to the end of
conversation)
