Gerund as Prepositional Object

* In some cases the preposition+gerund can be replaced by an infinitive in the function of attribute:

e.g. Graham lost his chance of meeting Emily at the station.

(‘chance’ means ‘the possibility that something will happen’)

She had no chance to say anything more.

(‘chance’ means ‘the opportunity’ or ‘time’)

I seized at the opportunity to tell her I had been wrong.

(the infinitive is more common here)

Clive took the opportunity of looking up the data from Henley’s report.