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Gerunds vs. Infinitives

Gerunds and infinitives are both verbal forms that act as nouns. Gerunds end in -ing, such as swimming, walking, or laughing. Infinitives are the basic verb form with the particle to, as in to swim, to walk, or to laugh.

Sometimes, it can be difficult to know whether it's best to use a gerund or an infinitive in a sentence. Here are a few rules:

Both gerunds and infinitives can follow a verb, as in, "I don’t like losing," or, "I don’t like to lose." They can also both be the subject of a sentence, as in, "Catching a chicken is difficult," or, "To catch a chicken is difficult."

But only gerunds follow prepositions. For example, it’s correct to say, "I can’t leave a painting without finishing it," but it’s not correct to say, "I can’t leave a painting without to finish it."

Gerunds vs. Infinitives Grammar Quiz

  1. I cannot collect Easter eggs without them.

  2. movies is very expensive.

  3. Actors don't like time while they are on the set.

  4. into a good school can be difficult and expensive.

  5. My friend Charles doesn't like eating meat; he thinks animals deserve .

  6. Working the onion fields left him of onion juice.

  7. Are we talking about basketball on Saturday?

  8. She thought about moving, however she doesn't like in big cities.

  9. Michelle considered for more time to finish her book.

  10. I stopped cigarettes last year.

Go Super to see the answers! Go Super!

Gerunds vs. Infinitives Lessons:

Cabin Fever

Outer Space

Face Swapping

Picky Eaters

Ali Krieger - Sink or Swim

Scientology

Not_Hunting

Bar Games

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Comments

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accian

accian

Pakistan

impressie<!-Session data-><!-Session data->

04:22 PM Dec 24 2009 |

Christyan Beltrame

Brazil

I don't understand every !

11:08 PM Dec 17 2009 |

toudjine

Algeria

laughing is good for health.

12:46 PM Dec 15 2009 |

ldarvenyashki@abv.bg

Bulgaria

EXCELLENT explanation

05:59 PM Dec 07 2009 |

julywidiawati

Indonesia

Leaving separately from family is hard, but I can't make it through without supporting from them. 

08:07 AM Dec 07 2009 |

realnica

realnica

Nicaragua

oooh! So in other words  " I cant't pick it up without breaking it". is that correct?

10:57 PM Nov 20 2009 |

Artien

Artien

Indonesia

Thank u 4 this website. It’s help for me to practise the english conversation.

06:23 AM Nov 03 2009 |

dennismoe

Myanmar

just simple!

08:05 AM Oct 21 2009 |