Gerunds and toinfinitives

1
Gerunds and to-infinitives
2
When do we use gerunds?
3

• A gerund is the -ing form of a verb when it acts
  as a noun.
• the subject of a sentence.
• the object of a verb.
• the object of a preposition.

We can use gerunds as
Swimming is good for you.
I love visiting Ocean Park.
Mary is good at remembering names.
4
When we talk about hobbies and activities, we
often use gerunds. Before the gerund, we use
verbs such as enjoy, like, love and hate, and
phrases like interested in and good at.
I enjoy working at Ocean Park. John is interested
in studying animals.
5
We can also talk about what we like and do not
like using a to-infinitive (to the base form of
a verb).
The verb enjoy cannot.
Dolphins like to play with people. Martin loves
to go on the Dragon. Cats hate to get wet.
Love is stronger than like. Hate is stronger than
not like.
6
A list of verbs that are followed by either
gerunds, or to-infinitives, or both
7
Verbs that are followed by gerunds
Verbs that are followed by to-infinitives
Verbs that are followed by either gerunds or
to-infinitives
begin
prefer
agree
prepare
avoid
keep
continue
remember
choose
pretend
consider
mind
forget
start
decide
promise
dislike
miss
hate
stop
hope
refuse
enjoy
practise
like
try
learn
seem
finish
suggest
love
need
volunteer
offer
want
plan
wish
8
Practice
Read the article and fill in the blanks using
gerunds or to-infinitives.
9
(go) to Ocean Park
is great fun, but did you know it can also be
educational? If youre interested in
(learn) about animals (but you
hate (read) about
them in textbooks), then you should join the
Ocean Park Academy. The academy was opened in
2004 for students who want (take) a
course about the animals in the park.
(see) the animals up close is a great way
to learn about them, so many of the courses
involve close encounters with the animals.
Going
learning
reading / to read
to take
Seeing
10
I recently took a course on dolphins, and I
really enjoyed (do)
the hands-on activities.
(touch) the dolphins was an amazing
experience, and I think they like
(be) stroked as they seemed to enjoy
it too! I also learnt a lot, and now Im really
good at (answer) any
questions about dolphins. If you like
(get) close to animals and you
want to learn about anything from crabs to
pandas, then you should join the Ocean Park
Academy!
doing
Touching
being / to be
answering
getting / to get
11
The end