The bare infinitive

♦ after modal verbs (can, should, must, etc.). He should apologize to his parents. BUT: Ought is followed by to -infinitive. e.g. She ought to find a job.

♦ after the verbs let, make, see, hear and feel. They saw her talk to the manager. BUT: be made, be heard, be seen + to -infinitive (passive). e.g. She was seen to talk to the manager. When see, hear and watch are followed by an -ing form, there is no change in the passive. e.g. / saw her getting into a taxi. She was seen getting into a taxi. can/could + see/hear + -ing form. e.g. We could see smoke coming out of the building. (NOT: We could see smoke come ...)

♦ after had better and would rather. You had better see a doctor.

♦ Help is followed by either the to -infinitive or the bare infinitive. She helped me (to) fill in my application form.

Gerund________________________________________________

- non finite form of a verb having noun and verb features.

- formed by adding the suffix -ing to the stem of the verb.

In Russian language there is no such form, close to the G.

- has the forms of tenses (temporary/preceded) and voice as verb.

Forms (4) Active Passive

Indefinite doing being done

Perfect having done having been done

Funcs (The noun features of the G)

- can act as subject, object (direct or prepositional) and predicative.

Entering (subject) his house was like returning (direct object) to a colder world. She liked being (object) alone. Her hobby is reading (predicative). Thanks so much for remembering (prep obj) my birthday.

♦ as a predicative used to express a general statement.

The most horrible thing was loosing his friendship.

- as part of compound verbal predicate.

in this case G is used with verbs denoting: the beginning, the duration or the end of an action such as: begin, burst out, cease, continue, finish, give up, go on, keep on, live off, start, stop.

He went on grinning. Polly burst out laughing and crying.

Such verbs as: begin, cease, continue, start can be followed both G/Inf with small change of meaning. The choice may be determined by style.

She began to cry (inf), and they began crying (G) with her.

The use of the G/Inf may be determined by the nature of the independent verb. Such verbs as: know, realize, think, consider, understand, can’t be used in a Gerundial form.

With horror she began to realize …

Go on + Inf = then (смена действия)

She looked up at her and went on to sort out the letters.

Go on + G = continue (продолжение)

Stop + Inf = stop to do smth else (смена действия)

He stopped to fill the tank with petrol and went on driving.

Stop + G = finish, give up (прекращение)

- as a part of Compound verbal modal predicate the G follows the verb and verbal phrases denoting modality (attempt, cant help, intend, try). Cant help doing smth. But she could not help smiling back.

Try + Inf = attempt, to do one’s best: Try to help him.

Try + G = to do smth as experiment: I try to testing this cake.

♦ as Direct Object.

- verbs that used only with G: admit, appreciate, avoid, celebrate, consider, delay, deny, enjoy, forgive, imagine, mean, mention, mind, miss, postpone, practice, put off, recall, recollect, resist, risk, suggest.

- after adjectives: busy, worth.

- verbs used either with the G/Inf such as: allow, cant effort, cant bear, deserve, dread, fear, forget, hate, like, love, neat, neglect, omit, permit, plan, prefer, recommend, regret, remember, require, want.

With the verbs expressing feelings/attitudes (cant bear, dread, hate, like, love, prefer) the G express more general / habitual action than Inf.

I hate walking when its dark (habit). I hate to see you in a bad mood.

such verbs: would love, would prefer can be followed by only Inf.

Theres an important difference btw G/Inf aft: remember, forget, regret.

I remember your coming (preceding action – прошедшее).

I remember to pay the bill (timing of the action – одновременное).

♦ Prepositional Object.

after: admit, agree, confess, devote, look, forward, object (+ to)

- approve, complain, hear, speak, think (+ of)

- warn against, interfere with, dream of/about, believe, succeed (+ in)

- insist, depend, rely (+ on)

♦ attribute (определение).

In this function the G modifies mainly abstract nouns and is always preceded by a preposition (mostly of). The following nouns with the preposition of may precede the G: advantage, art, business, chance, custom, evidence, expense, feeling, the good, habit, hope, idea, intention, importance, manner, method, opportunity, option, possibility, question, risk, recollection, thought, way, work.

It would be foolish to go to the expense of hiring a car.

The G in the function of an attribute may be preceded by limited number of nouns modified by prepositions:

for, in, at, about, to. such as: apology, excuse, reason (for) difficulty, experience, harm, skill, use (in) amazement, delight, surprise, pleasure (at) objection (to) fantasy (about)

♦ adverbial modifier (обстоятельство): circumstances, manner, time.

As the adverbial modifier of manner the G is preceded by prepositions: by, with. He left without waiting.

As adverbial modifier of circumstances the G is used after: without.

I left without saying goodbye.

As adverbial modifier of time: after, at, before, in, on.

He called me before going to the club.