RULES

*HE GERUND (Far verbs and expressions followed by the gerund, see Grammar Appendix, page 216.)

Present
Perfect

Active voice
(not) doing
(not) having done

Passive voice
(not)feeingdone
(not) having been done

The gerund is used as a noun in the following cases;

as subject or object of a verb

Walking is good exercise.

after certain verbs and expressions

I postponed taking the course for another year.

It's no use complaining about your salary.
I'm looking forward to reading her new novel.

after prepositions

I paid him for servicing the car.

after the verbs go i come (usually recreational activities)

Will you come shopping with us?

No, thanks I went shopping yesterday

after sit I stand / <fe + expression of place

I stood there wondering what ta do.

He used to sit outside reading a book*

with no to show prohibition or that something Is impossible

No smoking.
There's no arguing with her - her mind is made up}

When using a gerund and referring to two people, we use:

verb + possessive pronoun i gerund

Peter resents my doing overtime, {formal}

verb + object pronoun + gerund

Peter resents me doing overtime- Onforrnaf)

verb + possessive noun 4 gerund

Sue complained about Peter's joining us for dinner* (formall

verb + noun 4 gerund

Sue objected to Peter joining us for dinner, informal)

When referring to past actions, the perfect gerund form is also possible*
I hope you don't mind my having told you.

*H5 INFINITIVE (For words and expressions fallowed by the infinitive, see Grammar Appendix, pages 216-217.)

Present
Present Continuous
Perfect
Perfect Continuous

Actove voice
(not) to do
(not) to be doing
(not) to have done
(not) to have been doing

Passive voice
(not) to be done
(not) to have been done

The infinitive is used;

* as the subject of a sentence

To resign now would be a mistake*

1 after certain verbs and expressions

The whole trip turned out to be a disappointment.

It Is up to you to decide.

after verb 4 abject

She told me (not) to post the letters.

after certain adjectives describing character, feelings,

attitudes and senses

I:m delighted to meet you.

after certain nouns

She has the ability to learn

after St + be + adjective / noun

It would he s i l l y / a mistake to resign now

with certain structures

too 4 adverb / ad'iective
so 4 adverb/adjective 4 as
adjechve / adverb 4 enough
enough 4 noun

She's too young to drive.

Would you be so kind as to post this letter?
She spoke clearty enough to be heard.
He earns enough money to live on

after 6e to for instructions, plans (see Unit 1)

No one is to leave the building.

in a phrase that begins a sentence (To be bonesf

7a tell you the truth, ...)

To be honest. I don't like him at all.

57

 alter verbs such as Arrow, decide, discover, find out* sees

show, understand* want to know t- question word

I didn't know what to d o

I wondered where to go for lunch

after something, anything, nothing, etc.

Homeless people may have nobody to turn to,
after onty to show a surprising or disappointing result
to express purpose (= in order to)

She searched her bag only to find her purse was gone.
He contacted me to Get up a meeting.

GERUND OR mFINITIVE?
Some verbs can be followed by a gerund or infinitive with little or na difference ;n meaning. (See Grammar Appendix,
pages 216-217.)
They have started working / to worc on the new airport*
m

Some verbs can be followed by a gerund or infinitive with a difference in meaning.

remember + infinitive
remember + gerund

Judy always remembers to post the letters* {= intention: ramtzmber to perform a duty, task or
responsibility; remembrr is the earlier action)
Judy remembers visiting Paris, f l remember a post action)

forget + infinitive
forget + gerund

Jill forgot to post the letters, fa forget to fulfil & 'duty or responsibility)
J'itt will never forget visiting Paris. (= former an earliar actfon, usuafiya negative or question)

regret + infinitive
regret + gerund

I regret to tell you that you failed your examination* {= announce bad news)
I regret telling her about the accident, h feel sorrow about a past action)

stop + infinitive
stop + gerund

John stopped to drink some water* {= finish one action in order to do another)
John stopped drinking wine last year* (= siop & habit or an activity)

try+ infinitive
try + g e r u n d

I must try t o improve my spoken Engtfsh. (= make an effort to do something difficult)

I tried using tapes to improve my spoken E r ^ i s h but tlisl didn't help so I tried, taking a course.
(= experiment with a new or different approach)

mean + infinitive

I d i d n t mean to interrupt you {= Mend)

mean + gerund

Going by rail means paying a tot more to get there.'(=.Involves or will result in)

need + infinitive
need + gerund

I need to borrow a pen. h it is necessary)

The car needs servicing, f=* passive meaning - it needs to be done)

go oa + infinitive

He talked about the course and went on to warn students about cheating in exams.
{= change to another action)
He went on lecturing after the bell rang* fa continue the same action)

g o o n + gerund

FULL OR BARF. INFINITIVE?let, help, make, dare, would rather, hart better* wou/d sooner
let + pronoun / noun + bare infinitive

I let the employees leave early*

help + pronoun + bare or full infinitive (same meaning)

Will you help me do the fiJfng?

Will yau help me to do the filing?

make + pronoun / noun + bare infinitive

pronoun / noun + be made (passive) + full infinitive

He made UP work late*

We were made to work late

dare + bare w fuU i n f i n i t e (ey,presang C O U T B ^

dare + bare infinitive (expressing a warning, usually
negative)
dare + someone + full infinitive (challenging someone)

i t i o n t tiare ral / to tell her abo\A the accident*

Don't you dare touch that again!

had better / would rather I would sooner + bare iifinitive

had better / would rather / would sooner + continuous
or perfect infinitive

l1d sooner stay single than marry a liar!

i*d rather be working than sitting at home bored.
You'd better not be chatting when the boss walks in*
We v;ent to Spain although rad sooner have gone to Paris

I dare you to say that to his face l

VERBS OF PERCEPTION / SENSORY VERBS: see, notice, watch, took &, observe, bear, listen to. feel, smell
verb + noun / pronoun + gerund for an incomplete c
repeated action

I saw Helen running up the stairs, (while she was running)

I can smell something burning {infinitive not possible here.

uerb + noun / pronoun + bare infinitive for complete

singte action

I saw Helen sing in a concert last night.

58

Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verbs below.
^e
buy * enter v b
ba*e

* break >' have v read v offend

offend *

This device will enable you

t&.bake

You are forbidden

j.

Tim pretended

-.

The customer wanted to know who

.1 was delighted

t.

Jan lay by the pool

&

"

lend
- speak

your own bread quickly and easily.

the laboratory without protective clothing.
a headache as he didn't want to go to school.
to about the faulty goods she had purchased*
that I had won 1.000.
a magazine.

Whydon'tyou let me

I'm sorry, I didn't mean

you the money that you need?

anyone with my thoughtless remark.

The witness said she saw the man

J

discover \

the car window*

The estate agent advised us

a bigger property.

Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verb in brackets"

Richard didnft expect

tn be chosen

(choose) lor the school team.

According to the invitation, the ceremony was

As the deadline approached, I regretted not

The accountant is rumoured

We appreciated

Sue is really lucky

"

I told my aunt about my problem, though l!d rather

As a child I always enjoyed

(hold) at the hotel.

(spend) my time more productively.
(steal) a large sum of money from the company.
(invite) to our neighbours wedding.
(give) a new car for her birthday!
(confide) r afrierd.
(take) to the lair.

Choose the correct verb to complete each sentence- Make any necessary changes-

offer/mind

helping out in the school Shop?

Did you

to help out in the school shop?

demand / make

Did you

The police officer

to see my driving licence.

The police officer

me show him my driving licence*

threaten / persuade
My father

me to stay home and study.

My father

to stop my pocket, money if I didn't stay home and study.

dare/fancy
Joseph doesn't

tell her the bad news.

Joseph doesn't

telling her the bad news.

consider/hesitate
I

not replying to her letter.

I didn't
=

to reply to her letter.

recommend/encourage
The headmistress

taking the examination a year early.

The headmistress

some students to take the examination a year early.

1 Complete the sentences with one suitable word.

"

The kids look like they're having

2.

There's

fun

trying on their mum's old shoes and hats.

getting out of the test - everyone has to do it.

3. The archaeologists carefully opened up the tomb,

: .

The play is thought to

George hates
The walls in this room

The results olthe election

Only Alex would be so silly

to find that its. contents had been stolen.

been written by Shakespeare*

kept waiting - we'd better hurry up.

painting.
to be announced tonight.
to go out in his slippers!

59

>

A*

>

.:

KEY WORD TRANSFORMATIONS Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first
sentence, using the word given. Do not change the word given. You must use between three and six words*
including the word given.
1.

Al ice d id n 't want to go to t lie shops wit h her friend s That Sat j -day.
Alice....

2.

FEEL

__

If you need any advice, you can always ask me.

shopping with her friends that Saturday.

HESITATE

If you need any advice,

3.

You can't go to lunch until you have finished the repor.

The report

4.

me,

._.^

._.._._..

_. _

NEEDS
you go to lunch.

Having an argument about the referee's decision would be a waste of time.

POINT

There's
5.

the referee's decision.

Tony doesn't have the ability to memorise long poem 5.

Tony is

6.

CAPABL E

long poems.

Janet couldn't identify the thief as she didn't get a clear view of him.

ENOUGH

Janet didn't see the thief

7.

to identify him.

I hope you broke my computer by accident!

BETTER

You
8.

my computer on purpose!

After telling us about the hotel, Max described Ihe resor: to us.

WENT

Max told us about the hotel and

B.

Circle the correct answer.

1.

I will always regret

a.
b.
c.
d.

2.

3.

We had no idea
a.
b.
c.
d-

a great deal of money?

6.

to be investing
our investing
us to invest
we investing
7.

to have brought
to be brought
to have been brought
have brought

too cruel to fail

enough cruel to fail
so cruel failing
so cruel as to fail

9.

to take how much money

taking how much money
how much money to take
how much money takin g

so generous with his time.

him being
having been
to have been
him to be

Doesrrt Harriet spend a long time

a.
b.
c.
d.

while they

to be not overheard
to not overhear
not to be overhearing
not to be overheard

I thanked him for

a*
b.
c*
d.

everyone

with us on the trip*

Christine and Joyce were careful

were gossiping.
a,
bCH
d.

your notes with you

S jrely the professor wouldn't be ..

in the class!
a.
b.
c.
d.

5.

not to have
to not have
not having had
having not

Weren't yo u supposed
to yesterday's seminar?
a.
b.
c.
d.

4.

the chance to travel.

Would the plan involve

a.
b.
c.
d.

62

a description of the resort.

putting on her make-up

to put on her make-up
having put on her make-up
to be putting on her make-up