Gerund and Infinitive

      

A gerund = the -ing form of a verb (e.g., talking, walking, buying, etc )
An infinitive = to + the simple form of a verb ( e.g., talk, walk, buy , etc )

A. USING GERUND AS OBJECT OF A PREPOSITION 
a. We talk about going to Bali for our vacation
b. Sam is in charge of organizing the Drawing Club
c. I am interested in learning more about English Grammar
A gerund is frequently used as the object of a preposition

d. I am used to living in clod weather
e. I look forward to going home next month
f. They object to changing their marketing plans at this late date
g. I am accustomed to sleeping with the light off
In d through g, to is a preposition, not part of an infinitive form, so a gerund follows

h. We talked about not going to the meeting, but finally we decided we should go.
Negative form: not precedes a gerund

B. COMMON PREPOSITION COMBINATIONS FOLLOWED BY GERUNDS

be excited                   about doing it

be worried              

complain
dream                        about/of doing it
talk
think

believe
be interested
participate                        in doing it
succeed

insist                                on doing it


apologize
blame (someone)
forgive (someone)
have an excuse                for doing it
have a reason
be responsible
thank (someone)


keep (someone)
prevent (someone)                       from doing it
prohibit (someone)
stop (someone)


be accused
be capable
for the purpose
be guilty
instead                                    of doing it
take advantage
take care
be tired


be accustomed
in addition
be committed
be devoted
look forward                       to doing it
object
be opposed
be used

C. COMMON VERBS FOLLOWED BY GERUNDS
appreciate, avoid, consider (think about), delay, discuss (talk about), enjoy, finish (get through), keep (keep on ), mind, mention, postpone put off ), quit, suggest, stop.
Note: stop can also be followed immediately by an infinitive of purpose ( in order to ). Compare the following sentences:
1. stop+gerund : When the teacher entered the room, the students stopped talking. The room became quite.
2. stop+infinitive of purpose : When I was walking down the street, I ran into an old friend. I stopped to talk to him. ( I stopped walking in order to talk to him ).

D. GO + GERUND
Go is followed by a gerund in certain idiomatic expressions to express, for the most part, recreational activities.
Example :
I went fishing yesterday
I go hiking

go birdwatching, go boating, go bowling, go camping, go canoeing, go dancing, go fishing, go hiking, go hunting, go jogging, go mountain climbing, go runnig, go sailing, go shopping, go sightseeing, go skating, go skiing, go sledding, go swimming, go togogganing, go window shopping.

E. COMMON VERBS FOLLOWED BY INFINITIVE 
Some verbs are followed by immediately by an infinitive, as in the examples below :
a.  I hope to see you again soon
b. He promised to be here by ten
In negative form: not precedes the infinitive
c. He promised not to be late.

Some verbs are followed by a pronoun and then an infinitive, as in d and e. See the  examples below :
d. Mr. John told me to be here at ten o'clock
e. The police ordered the driver to stop

Ask, expect, would like, want, and need may or may not be followed by a pronoun object. Let see the examples below:
h. I expect to pass the test.
i. I expect Jane to pass the test.

Here is the list for common verbs followed by infinitive ( verb+infinitive )
agree to, ask to, appear to, decide to, expect to, hope to, intend to, need to, offer to, promise to, pretend to, plan to,  refuse to,  seem to, would like to, want to.

Here is the list for common verbs followed by pronoun and infinitive ( verb+pronoun+infinitive) 
advise someone to, ask someone to, allow someone to, expect someone to, encourage someone to, force someone to, invite someone to, need someone to, permit someone to, order someone to, require someone to, remind someone to, tell someone to, would like someone to, want someone to, warn someone to.

F. COMMON VERBS FOLLOWED BY INFINITIVE OR GERUND
Some verbs can be followed by either an infinitive or gerund, sometimes with no difference in meaning.

Here is the list for: Verb+ infinitive or gerund ( with no difference in meaning ) 
begin, can't stand, can't bear, continue, hate, like , love.
Examples :
It began to rain / It began raining 
There is no difference between "began to rain" and "began raining".
It was beginning to rain. 
If the main verb is progressive, an infinitive ( not a gerund ) is usually used.

Here is the list for: Verb + infinitive or gerund ( with difference in meaning )
remember, regret, forget, regret
Examples:
I regret to tell you that I failed the test.
I regret lending him some money. He never paid me back.
Regret + infinitive = regret to say, to inform someone of some bad news
Regret + gerund = regret something that happened in the past.

I always forget to lock the door.
I'll never forget seeing The Merapi Mountain for the first time.
Forget + infinitive = forget to perform a responsibility, duty or task.
Forget + gerund = forget something that happened in the past.

G. INFINITIVE OF PURPOSE : IN ORDER TO 
In order to is used to express purpose. It answers the question "why". Example :
She came here in order to studt English.

For is sometimes used to express purpose but it is a preposition and is followed by a noun object. Example:
I went to the store for some bread.
I went to the store to buy some bread.
Note: An exception! The phrase be used for expresses the typical or general purpose of a thing. In this case, the preposition for is followed by a gerund: A saw is used for cutting wood. Also possible to say : A saw is used to cut wood. However to talk about a particular thing and a particular situation, be used + an infinitive is used.   A chain saw was used to cut down the old oak tree. Incorrect to say : A chain saw was used for cutting down the old oak tree.
 

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