Gerunds and Infinitives

Gerunds and infinitives are forms of verbs that act like nouns. They can follow adjectives and other verbs. Gerunds can also follow prepositions.

A gerund (often known as an '-ing' word) is a noun formed from a verb by adding '-ing'. Not all words formed with '-ing' are gerunds.

An infinitive is 'to' + the verb.

When a verb follows a verb it either takes the gerund or infinitive form.
Some verbs can take either the gerund or the infinitive with no loss of meaning.

For example:
With the verb start - "It started to rain." or "It started raining." Both sentences have the same meaning.

Sometimes the use of the gerund or infinitive changes the meaning of the sentence.

For example:
With the verb remember - "I remembered to do my homework". or "I remembered doing my homework."

In the first sentence ("I remembered to do my homework"), the person speaking remembered they had some homework first and then carried out the action and did it. In the second sentence ("I remembered doing my homework."), the person speaking carried out the action (their homework) first and then remembered doing it.

Other verbs only take one or the other, unfortunately there is no rule as to which form the verb takes. The same is true when the verb follows an adjective.

The best way to learn their correct use is with practice.


+ Gerunds after Prepositions:

When a verb is used after a preposition the verb takes the '-ing' form.

For example:
"You can't make an omelette without breaking eggs."


http://www.learnenglish.de/grammar/gerundinftext.htm

Level: Pre-intermediate (A2), Intermediate (B1)
Student Type: adult, elementary school
Skill: Reading
Grammar focus: Gerunds and Infinitives
Vocabulary focus: Sports, basketball
Material Type: worksheet
Solution: no