Gerunds and Infinitives in practice in English: rules of use

Learning English grammar is an important step in improving language learning skills. One key aspect is understanding and using Gerunds and Infinitives. This article will provide you with a framework for further study and use of these constructs in real-world situations and an opportunity to practice in practice at the end of the article. This article only covers the basics, and the main emphasis is on the implementation of practice at the end of the article, detailed information about grammar in the article – Gerunds vs Infinitives: How to Use Them Correctly in English.

Let’s go over some general rules to help you understand what Gerunds and Infinitives are and some important rules for sentence construction:

Gerunds

• Form: A Gerund is a verb form that looks like the base form of the verb with the ending “-ing” (for example, “reading,” “writing,” “swimming”).
• Usage:
  1. As a noun: Gerunds are used as the subject or object in a sentence.
     • Example: “Reading is my favorite hobby.”
  2. After some verbs and prepositions: Certain verbs and prepositions require the use of a Gerund.
     • Example: “I enjoy reading novels.”

Infinitives

• Form: An Infinitive is a verb form that starts with “to” and remains in its base form (for example, “to read,” “to write,” “to swim”).
• Usage:
  1. After some verbs, adjectives, nouns, and prepositions: Certain verbs and constructions demand the use of an Infinitive.
     • Example: “She wants to learn French.”
  2. Have the form “to + base verb”: Infinitives are frequently used after other words like verbs, adjectives, or nouns.
     • Example: “It’s important to study regularly.”

Both of these constructions play a crucial role in forming complex sentences and expressing various ideas. Understanding their rules and applying them in real contexts will enhance your proficiency in learning the English language.

Verb Patterns – Exploring the Grammar of Action

Verb Patterns encompass grammatical structures that delineate how verbs interact with other elements in sentences. These patterns elucidate the correct use of verbs depending on the context and other sentence components.

There are various types of Verb Patterns, but the fundamental ones involve the use of Gerunds (verb + -ing), Infinitives (to + base verb), and constructions where verbs collaborate with other words in diverse forms.

Key Types of Verb Patterns:

1. Dative Verb Patterns:
   • This involves the use of verbs that necessitate the presence of an object to whom or for whom the action is happening. Example: “I gave him a book.”
2. Gerund Patterns:
   • These involve the use of verbs interacting with Gerunds as subjects or objects in a sentence. Example: “I enjoy swimming.”
3. Infinitive Patterns:
   • These involve the use of verbs interacting with Infinitives as subjects or objects in a sentence. Example: “She wants to sing.”
4. Verb + Object + Infinitive:
   • Verbs in this pattern are used with an object and an Infinitive. Example: “I want him to help.”
5. Verb + Object + Gerund:
   • Verbs in this pattern are used with an object and a Gerund. Example: “I can’t imagine him leaving.”
6. Verb + Infinitive / Gerund (with no change in meaning):
   • These are verbs that can be used with either an Infinitive or a Gerund, maintaining the same meaning. Example: “I like to swim” and “I like swimming.”

These patterns assist in establishing correct grammatical connections between verbs and other components of a sentence, making expressions more precise and understandable.

Practice. Checking knowledge of Verb Patterns and the use of Gerunds, Infinitives

One important aspect is the correct use of Verb Patterns, which include Gerunds, Infinitives, and other constructions. This quiz will help you improve your grammar knowledge and test your ability to use Verb Patterns in different situations.

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Present. Gerund or infinitive – verb patterns

We watched the coastline ___ slowly.

recedes

recede

have receded

to recede

receded

How do you feel if someone laughs at you? I hate people ___ at me.

to be laughing

laughing

laughed

being laughed

to be laughed

We stopped at the motorway services ___ something to eat.

to have got

to get

got

get

was getting

Mother wants him ___ to the country during the summer

go

to go

will go

went

goes

___ many books on history helps school children to get knowledge about the past of different nations.

read

reads

has read

will read

reading

-I hope my dream will come true this year.
-And what do you dream of?
-Oh, I dream of ___ a law school and ___ a lawyer.

enter / become

to enter / becoming

entered / become

to enter / to become

entering / becoming

___ English is the best way of ___ it.

spoke / learning

speaking / learning

speak / learn

to speak / to learn

speak / learning

He warmed himself by ___ hot tea.

drank

drinking

is drinking

to drink

drunk

As well as ___ I like ___ .

run/to walk

running/walking

run/walk

run/walked

running/walked

It’s very pleasant ___ on the beach in summer.

lay

lain

lie

lying

to lie

Why didn’t you try ___ yourself a job?

finding

to find

to be found

have found

found

Nobody heard her ___ English.

speak

was speaking

spoke

had spoken

speaks

I’m not really interested in ___ to the University.

have gone

going

went

go

being gone

This article is worth ___ .

will read

to read

read

reading

has read

It is very pleasant ___ in the river on hot days in the summers.

to bathe

having bathed

bathe

bathing

bathed

She dreams of her son’s ___ a director of the company.

is becoming

becoming

became

become

was becoming

He admitted ___ the car but denied ___ it by himself

stealing / to be done

to steal / doing

stealing / to do

stealing / doing

to steal / to do

We often hear her ___ at concerts

sang

to sing

singing

sings

have sung

He sat in the arm-chair ___ a newspaper.

had read

reading

read

reads

is read

The man ___ the newspaper is my brother.

reading

reads

read

has read

will read

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Learning Gerunds and Infinitives is an important step in improving your language skills. Learning the rules and using examples will help you use these grammatical constructions with confidence. Take tests to test your knowledge and improve the material you’ve learned.