Grammar 2 s2 English Studies Gerund Infinitive LEARNING ONLINE / BA DEGREE (UNIVERSITIES & COLLEGES)
GrammarII S2
INFINITIVE AND GERUND
THE INFINITIVE
I- FORM
- The infinitive is a verbal form that consists of two words: to + verb (to work/
to sleep …etc). In some cases, we use the infinitive without ‘to’ when it
follows certain verbs or expressions as in (You should see the doctor). The
infinitive without ‘to’ is called ’bare infinitive’
- There are different infinitive forms :
1- Present infinitive: to watch/ to do/ to talk
Present continuous infinitive: to be living/ to be doing (He seems to be
living in the area)
2- Perfect infinitive: to have watched/ to have been (he seems to have been
a great athlete)
Perfect infinitive continuous: to have been watching / to have been doing
(He appears to have been waiting for a long time)
3- Present infinitive passive: to be done (He wants the work to be done)
Perfect infinitive passive: to have been done (the work must have been
done)
II- Uses of the infinitive:
- The infinitive may be used as a subject as in:
-To swim is my favorite hobby.
-To speak slowly is how you should speak to people.
- As object or complement of a verb: see the list 241
- I want to sleep early.
- His aim is to win the competition
- After certain adjectives:
- I am happy to meet you.
- He is lucky to marry her.
( angry/ glad/sorry/ likely/ fortunate/ lucky/ necessary/ important/
dangerous/ nice / wonderful/ agreeable…..etc)
- The infinitive can be used to express commands or instructions:
-You are to respect the laws.
- To express purpose: She works hard to pass the exam
He plays sport to lose weight
-Verb+ what/when/how/where/which/why+ infinitive:- He doesn’t know what to say.
- I couldn’t think what to say.
- He shows me where to sit.
- He wants to know when to come.
-
-Verb+ object+ infinitive: see the list 244
- I want you to do that homework.
-I asked Marry to talk to him.
- She begged him to go.
- We expected them to come earlier.
- They encouraged her again.
- My mum reminded me to lock the door.
- I consider him to be the most intelligent man.
- The infinitive can follow certain nouns like: ability/failure/ request..etc (see
the list of nouns 251)
- His failure to reach his dream was a shock for him.
- He has the ability to swim for hours.
- The infinitive can occur with:
Too+ adjective/adverb +infinitive:
- She is too young to go out alone at night.
- He speaks too quickly for me to understand.
- Adjective/adverb+ enough+ infinitive :
- She is old enough to assume her responsibility.
- The man speaks slowly enough for us to understand.
- Bare infinitives occur after some expressions and verbs like:
- Modals: can/may/could/might/should/will/would/must
- With ‘need’ and ‘dare’: except whenthey are conjugated with ‘do’ ‘did’ ‘will’ ‘would’
- He needn’t take his umbrella but I don’t need to take/ I won’t need to take
- I dare not wake him but I don’t dare to wake him/ I didn’t dare to wake him
- feel/hear/see/watch/make/help+ object+ bare infinitive:
- I heard her lock the door.
- They see her cross the street.
- He made me move my car.
- She helped them (to) do the job.
- would rather/sooner/had better/ rather than/sooner than
- I would rather leave the place.
- You had better go to the dentist.- Rather than risk his life, he postponed his trip.
- Do anything/everything/nothing + but+ bare infinitive:
- He does nothing but complain
- We can do nothing but wait.
- Two infinitives joined by ‘and’, the ‘to’ of the second infinitive is generally dropped:
- She wants to meet us and solve the problem.
THE GERUND
The gerund has an ‘ing’ form .It can be used in the followings ways:
1- As subject: - Swimming is my favorite sport.
-Collecting stamps is my best hobby.
2- As complement: - His hobby is collecting stamps.
3-After prepositions: - He gave up smoking.
-He is keen on painting
-He is good t swimming.
4- After certain verbs (see the list 261): (enjoy/avoid/escape/dislike/forgive/ mind…etc)
-She avoids meeting him.
- She dreads getting old.
5- In compound nouns: driving board/ swimming-pool ...etc
6- Verbs +possessive adjective /object pronouns+ gerund: (see the list of these verbs 262)
-He disliked me (my) working late.
- I can’t understand his/him leaving his wife.
7- After Certain expressions like: keen on/ can’t bear/ can’t stand/can’t afford/look forward
/accustomed to…etc
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lah irham biha lwalidin akhoya.