Тема 11. Gerund. Gerund

Active

Passive

Виражає дію

Indefinite

doing

being done

одночасну з дією дієслова-присудка.

Perfect

having done

having been done

попередню до дії дієслова-присудка.

The Gerund is used

- to talk about earlier actions:

I remember watching the match. It was fantastic.

Subject

Knowing English is helpful.

Reading books is useful.

after verbs:

avoid, burst out, deny,

Part of Predicate

Seeing is believing. His favourite pastime is reading.

How about/What about postponing the test.

Object

He likes asking questions. Ann likes studying foreign languages.

Prepositional Object

He insisted on her being told about it.

He insisted on translating the text.

Attribute

I studied the method of solving the problem.

The boiling temperature of water is 100˚C.

Adverbial

Modifier

In translating the text he made a lot of mistakes.

After discussing the problem, they arrived at important conclusions.

Some English verbs are followed by infinitive other verbs are followed by gerund and there are also verbs followed by infinitive and gerund:

They agreed to come.

Did you enjoy flying?

She began to work – working.

I. Verbs followed by:

infinitive only:

gerund only:

agree

appear

choose

decide

permit refuse

manage

remind

forbid

force

swear

invite

learn

offer

order instruct

persuade

encourage

prepare

pretend

promise

demand

arrange

fail

plan

hope

ask

allow

warn

seem

admit

delay

dislike

enjoy escape excuse

finish

forgive

insist

keep

mind

miss

practise

prevent risk suggest understand

consider

imagine

He decided to study at university.

We hoped to find it.

Did he seem to like it?

They allowed me to smoke.

I ordered my son to send it.

She admitted telling him.

Did you escape writing the test?

I don't want to risk coming late.

II. The expressions followed by

infinitive

gerund

be about

turn out

set out

do one's best

make up one's mind

He was about to start.

I did my best to learn it.

I haven't made up my mind to start yet.

It turned out to be your car.

We set out to cut the tree.

be against

it's worth

can't stand can't help

care for

give up

look forward to

it's no use/good

be interested in

I can't stand waiting for hours.

I can't help laughing.

Don't give up studying this chapter.

It's no use working so late.

Is the film worth seeing?

III. The verbs followed by infinitives and gerunds.

1. With the same meaning.

begin

start

it needs

it wants

intend

advise

allow

permit

can't bear recommend

it requires continue

Did you continue driving/to drive? He can't bear smoking/to smoke.

If the verbs advise, allow, permit, recommend

are used with the indirect object, they are followed by Infinitive.

are not used with the indirect object Gerund must be used.

They didn't allow us to eat there.

She recommended John to read this book.

They didn't allow eating there.

She recommended reading this book.

IV. Verbs that have a different meaning with infinitive or gerund.

Try

I made an attempt to get in touch with him.

I tried to call him because I needed to meet him.

I made an experiment with my mobile.

I tried calling him because I needed to test my new mobile phone.

Love/like/hate/prefer are used

In the conditional tense - with the infinitive:

In other tenses - with infinitives or gerunds, but both forms have a slightly different meaning.

I'd like to drive. I'd love to drive. I'd hate to drive. I'd prefer to drive.

I like driving. I love driving. I hate driving.

Go on

when we want to describe an activity that follows a previous action and is somehow connected to it:

when we want to say that a previous activity continues:

He gave us a lecture on the Greek history. And then he went on to show us his photos from Greece.

After dinner he went on showing us his photos.

Stop

I stopped to smoke. (made a pause to have a cigarette)

I stopped smoking. (do not smoke anymore)

Mean

I didn't mean to hurt you. (I didn't do it on purpose.)

We can go to Spain. But it means spending more money. (describing the consequences)

Afraid

She was afraid to marry Bill. (She doesn't mind getting married, but the marriage with Bill frightens her.)

She was afraid of getting married. (Any marriage is something that frightens her.)

I'm sorry

I'm sorry to tell you that your flight will be delayed. (I apologize for something that will happen.)

I'm sorry for telling you. (I apologize for a previous action.)

V. Excuse, forgive and prevent are used with three different forms.

Infinitive

Participle

Gerund

Excuse me for being late.

Excuse me being late.

Excuse my being late.

a) after the expressions it needs/ requires/ wants is more common.

The car needs washing/to be washed. The flower wants watering/to be watered

b) after "Go" + sports or recreational activities

Let's go shopping, they went skiing.

c) after prepositions

I will talk with you before going to lunch.

I am looking forward to working with you.

d) in expressions with have, spend, waste

She had fun skiing. He wasted all his time worrying.