Part III Gerund or Infinitive

Exercise 3.1

Tick the correct form of the verb.

1. A ⊡ Do you like your new neighbours? right

⊠ Would you like your new neighbours? wrong

B Yes, they are very quiet.

2. A □ Do you like a drink?

□ Would you like a drink?

B No, thanks. I’d better have some fruit.

3. A □ Do you like doing sports?

□ Would you like to do spots?

B Oh, yes, I’m a keen tennis player and a football fan.

4. A □ Do you like going to the cinema?

□ Would you like to go to the cinema?

B Why not? There’s a good film on at the Odeon.

5. A □ What do you like having for breakfast?

□ What would you like to have for breakfast?

B I usually have a coffee and a toast. Sometimes I can eat some yoghurt.

6. A □ Who do you like inviting for parties?

□ Who would you like to invite for the party?

B Why don’t we call brother? He and his wife are rare guests at our place.

Exercise 3.2

Complete the sentences with would like (to do) or like (doing) in the positive or negative form and the correct form of the verb.

1. I travel a lot. I would like to go (go) to some remote places in Africa and Australia next year.

2. My sister is a very good tennis player. She says that one day she … (play) with Vinus Williams.

3. We … (live) in the centre of the city, the traffic is so heavy and it’s so noisy here. We want to move to the suburb.

4. Do you have a minute? I … (tell) you about my trip to Berlin.

5. My son is mad about his new puppy. He … (play) with it all the time and do nothing else.

6. This dress looks glamorous! I … (buy) it.

7. What about your future career? – I … (be) a school teacher, I … (work) with adults instead.

8. What sort of books … your daughter … (read) before going to bed? – She … (read) fairytales.

9. Your house looks so clean and beautiful. … you … (live) here? – Oh, yes, sure. And I … (potter) in the garden a lot.

10. It’s Carrie’s wedding soon. What … she … (have) as a present? – I don’t know. I think she … (travel) a lot. You can buy her a new camera.

Exercise 3.3

Choose the correct form of the verb. Sometimes two forms are possible.

1. Do you like listen/ listening/ to listen to classical music?

2. My neighbours always agree look / looking/ to look after my cat when I’m away on business.

3. Penny learned skate/ skating/ to skate when she was only 5.

4. Steve offered help/ helping/ to help me with my report.

5. Kate doesn’t mind live/ living/ to live in a foreign country.

6. My mother always makes me do/ doing/ to do my homework before I go out.

7. The doctor suggested drink/ drinking/ to drink lots of still water.

8. I’ve just refused go out/ going out/ to go out with Mike. He’s so boring.

9. Where would you like spend/ spending/ to spend your honeymoon, Monica?

10. Pete didn’t feel like play/ playing/ to play tennis, so we went straight home.

11. We decided sell/ selling/ to sell our flat and move/ moving/ to move to the country.

12. I caught a cold yesterday, I can’t help sneeze/ sneezing/ to sneeze.

13. Though it was getting dark, they continued climb/ climbing/ to climb the hill.

14. Please stop talk/ talking/ to talk. I’m trying to concentrate.

15. We can’t afford go/ going/ to go abroad this summer.

Exercise 3.4

Open the brackets and write the verb in the correct form. Sometimes you can use two forms.

1. Joan enjoys meeting (meet) new people.

2. Let me … (answer) your question. I’ve read a lot about it.

3. They dreamed of … (go) to Fiji on their honeymoon.

4. Don’t forget … (phone) me if you are late for dinner.

5. My granny is planning … (see) us this weekend.

6. Although Tom had a lot of practice, he failed … (pass) his driving test.

7. It stopped … (rain) and we went for a walk.

8. Susan hopes … (find) a new job soon.

9. Sandra apologized for…(borrow) my mobile without permission and promised never …(do) it again.

10. I don’t mind … (travel) by train but I prefer … (fly).

11. What do you want me … (cook) for dinner?

12. Bill is so funny! He always makes us … (laugh).

13. Mike started … (work) for this company 5 or 6 years ago.

14. My friend suggested … (go) bowling, but I didn’t think that was a good idea.

15. My son hates … (have) porridge for breakfast, he likes … (eat) his father’s bacon and eggs.

Exercise 3.5

Write B’s questions and complete A’s answers.

1. A Detective novels are so boring for me.

B What/ like/ read? What do you like reading?

A I … romance. I like reading romance.

2. (in a café)

A I’ll get a slice of cheese-cake and some vanilla ice cream.

B What / would like/ drink?

A I think … some orange juice, please.

3. A Sarah is so good at swimming.

B When/ learn/ swim?

A … when she was four years old.

4. A I’m sorry I’m calling you late.

B That’s OK. What/ want/ talk about?

A … about Pete. It’s urgent.

5. A I’m exhausted! I worked on my report all day long.

B When/ finish/ write it?

A I … at 3 a.m.

6. A I’m not going to stay in tonight.

B Where/ would like/ go?

A I … to the cinema.

7. A Oh, I spent almost nine months on different business trips last year!

B You / mind/ be away from home for so long?

A No, I … , because I like travelling a lot.

8. A I hate hot weather.

B Where/ prefer/ have your summer holidays then?

A … in Scandinavian countries.

9. A My daughter went to Paris last month.

B Why/ decide/ go there?

A … because she entered a language school.

10. A My sister hopes to go to Africa soon.

B What/ want/ do there?

A … some research on wildlife.

Exercise 3.6

Complete the text with the infinitive or –ing form of the verbs.

Dear Susie,

I really apologize for (1) … (not/reply) to your letter, but I’m very busy at work now. I’m writing (2) … (thank) you for your invitation. Of course, I’d love (3) … (stay) with your family next weekend.

I have decided (4) … (come) by train. You know, I love (5) … (drive) but I don’t like the idea of (6) … (sit) in a traffic jam for half the weekend!

I’m planning (7) … (catch) the 9:40 from Paddington Station. Please, don’t worry about (8) … (meet) me at the station. It’s not so far from your house, so I don’t mind (9) … (walk). I can enjoy (10) … (breathe) fresh air, (11) … (smell) flowers and (12) … (admire) green grass!

By the way, I’d like (13) … (buy) some presents for your twins. I was thinking of (14) … (bring) them each a Lego. Are they still fond of (15) … (play) with it? Let me (16) … (know) as soon as possible.

I am looking forward to (17) … (see) you and (18) … (hear) all your news. I have some interesting things I need (19) … (tell) you. Besides, I promised (20) … (show) you the photos from my birthday party.

See you soon.

Love,

Amy.

Exercise 3.7

Two groupmates are talking about their plans before their final exams. Complete the dialogue with the infinitive or –ing form of the verbs.

• Do you have any special plans for the coming weekend?

• Well, I have to revise for my exam but I promised (1) … (help) my younger brother. He’s doing a project now. He wants (2) … (research) our family history but he’s not very good at (3) … (use) the Internet. It’s a really interesting project and it makes my brother (4) … (think) a lot. On Sunday we’re going to the country. Would you like (5) … (join) us? There’s a lake next to our house, and we often go (6) … (swim) there.

• Oh, I can’t (7) … (swim) well, I’m thinking of (8) … (have) lessons.

• Don’t worry. I’ll help you. Actually, I taught my brother (9) … (swim).

• Did you? OK, I’ll come then. Do you mind (10) … (have) my dog around?

• No problem.

• And what are your plans for the future?

• I’m going to Britain after my exams for three months. I’m planning (11) … (travel) around the Lake District and Scotland. I’m fond of (12) … (visit) places I’ve never been to. I’d also like (13) … (stay) in London. I’m really looking forward to (14) … (make) new friends and I hope (15) … (improve) my English.