GERUNDS AND INFINITIVES – COMPLEX FORMS Flashcards
All forms of gerunds and infinitives
You can see all the gerund and infinitive forms in the table below. Some forms are not included in the table because they don’t exist or are very rarely used.
SIMPLE
INFINITIVE FORMS
ACTIVE
present or future (TO) DO
I need to talk to John
PASSIVE
present or future (TO) BE DONE
He wants to be sent home
ING FORMS
ACTIVE
DOING
Any time
She regretted marrying so young
PASSIVE
BEING DONE
any time
He denied being offered a bribe
All forms of gerunds and infinitives
Simple, continuous and perfect infinitives and gerunds
We use the perfect infinitive or the perfect gerund to emphasize that the action is complete or in the past.
Simple gerund vs perfect gerund
There is usually no difference between using the simple gerund or the perfect gerund because the context usually makes it clear when the action happened
give examples and explain
He denied stealing the money. (=It’s clear the money was stolen before denying it)
He denied having stolen the money.
She regretted marrying too early. (=It’s clear she married before regretting it)
She regretted having married too early.
But sometimes there is a difference in meaning between using the simple gerund or the perfect gerund.
He denied being married. (=he denied that he was married ‘now’, at the time of the denial)
He denied having been married. (=he denied that he had been married before, in the past)
Simple infinitive vs perfect infinitive
As it happens with the gerund, sometimes there’s no difference between using the simple or the perfect forms of the infinitive.
give examples
It was stupid of me to say anything on Twitter.
It was stupid of me to have said anything on Twitter.
However, there is usually a difference in meaning between using the simple or the perfect infinitive forms, and we need to use the perfect forms to make clear that the action expressed by the infinitive was previous to the action described by the main verb.
I’m very glad to work here. (=now)
I’m very glad to have worked here. (=in the past)
Continuous infinitive
We use the continuous infinitive the express that the action is in progress around the time expressed by the main verb.
give examples
I’m glad to be spending this weekend with you.
You shouldn’t be doing this right now, should you?
Perfect continuous infinitive
We use the perfect continuous infinitive to express duration from earlier in the past towards the time expressed by the main verb.
give examples
I’m glad** to have been sharing** my life with you.
They are thought to have been hiding in the mountains.
Perfect infinitive after passive reporting verbs
After a passive reporting verb, we use a simple or continuous infinitive to refer to the present or future, and a perfect infinitive to refer to the past. give examples
They are believed to be lovers. (=now)
They are believed to have been lovers. (=in the past)
She is thought to be living in Brussels. (=now)
She is thought to have been living in Brussels (=from the past till now)
Perfect infinitive after would like, would hate, would rather, would pre
Perfect infinitive after would like, would hate, would rather, would prefer explain
We always use the perfect infinitive after would like, would hate, would rather, would prefer to refer to an earlier action or event. Compare:
I would like to see you once more. (=in the future)
I would like to have seen you once more. (=in the past)
She would rather be with you. (=now)
She would rather have been with you. (=in the past)
Passive infinitives and gerunds
We use passive infinitives or passive gerunds to describe actions which are done to the subject. (⇒ See B1+ Grammar » The passive voice – all tenses)
He is too young to be allowed to be here.
This place needs to be taken care of.
I don’t mind being told what to do.
He denied having been offered money to kill the senator.
When to use gerund or infinitive
USE TO + INFINITIVE
To express purpose
I’ll call her to tell her what happened
we’re going to the market to buy some food
-* After too/enough with an adjective*
* - He is too young to be here
* he isn’t old enough to vote
After would + like/love/hate/prefer
I’d like to go to the cinema
I’d hate to see that
After most verbs + person
He told me to wait
I want you to study more
After what, where, when, why, etc
I don’t know what to do
Can you tell us how to find the place
After certain verbs what, where, when, why, etc
we wanted to stay a bit longer
He offered to help us
VERBS + TO INFINITIVE
afford, agree, appear, be able, choose, decide, deserve, expect, happen, help, hesitate, hope, learn make, manage, offer, plan, petend, promise, refuse, seem, teach, tend, want
Negative form: NOT + TO + infinitive
He pretended not to see me
I promise not to do it again.
When to use gerund or infinitive
USE INFINITIVE WITHOUT TO
After modal verbs: will, can, must, should, etc
- I can’t lend you any money, sorry
After make/let + person
He made us wait for a long time
They won’t let me express myself
USE ING VERB
As the subject of a sentece
Cheating is not allowed
Eating candy is bad for your teeth
After a preposition
I’m tired of waiting for you
He’s very good at painting
After spend/waste + time/money/etc
He spends a lot of time playing with his kids
Don’t waste your money buying in that store
After like/love/hate/prefer/don’t mind
I love cycling
I hate getting up early
After certain verbs
He suggested going to the museum
He denied stealing the money
VERBS + ING
admit, avoid, deny, enjoy, fancy, fell, like, finish, keep, imagine, involve, mind, miss, practise, recommend, regret, spend, suggest
Negative form NOT + verb-ING
I love not having to go to work
Can you imagine not needing money to live
