English Exercises > gerunds and infinitives exercises

GERUND AND INFINITIVE




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GERUNF /INFINITIVE AND INFINITIVE WITHOUT TO

Verbs that can be followed by a gerund (ex: doing)

1- After verbs that express likes/dislikes :


like

love

enjoy

dislike

hate

don't mind

can't stand


can't bear

Example: " I like playing soccer but I hate boxing." 2

- After certain other verbs, such as :


admit

appreciate

allow

avoid

advise

consider

deny

delay

understand

finish

fancy

go (in go swimming)

involve

keep

mention

mind

stop

waste time/money

imagine

involve

keep (on)

mention

miss

postpone

permit

practice

suggest

resist

reject

risk

can't help

can't stand


Example:

" I suggest going to the theater."

3- After prepositions :

interested in ... instead of ... good at ... before ... after ...

Example: "I am interested in collecting stamps." "After playing football I drank an orange juice". 3

4- After certain expressions:

it's no use ... it's no good ... there's no point in ... I can't help... I don't mind... I can't stand/bear... It’s worth….Get/ be used to

Example: " It's no use convincing him to revise his lessons. He's so stubborn."

Infinitive ( to do)

Verbs that can be followed by an infinitive ( ex : to do)

1- After verbs that refer to a future event:


want

hope

aim

intend

arrange

attempt

promise

be determined

plan

consent

decide

demand

deserve

determine

endeavor

expect

offer

proceed

promise

threaten

swear

volunteer

want

would like

would hate

would love


Example: " I want to finish my work early.

2- After certain other verbs, such as:


afford


agree

help

choose

fail

happen

refuse

manage

need

seem

learn

choose

pretend



Example: "She refused to forgive him."

3- After adjectives :

I am glad / pleased / disappointed/ it is important/ it is easy / it nice of you / it is hard/ difficult

Example: "I'm glad to know that you passed the exam." "I'm pleased to meet you." "I'm disappointed to hear that you flunked maths."

After some question words!

She told us what to do.

She explained why to do it.

She showed us how to do it.

4- After "too" & "enough":

too difficult easy enough

Example: "It's too difficult to convince him to be helpful." " But it's easy enough to fool him to get what you want."

Verbs that can be followed by both an infinitive and a gerund:

Some verbs can be followed by either a gerund or an infinitive. Here are some examples:

start begin stop remember...

Example: "I started smoking when I was young." "I started to smoke when I left the office."

BARE INFINITIVE OR INFINTITIVE WITHOUT TO

to help’, ‘to let’ and ‘to make’:

My mother helped me do my homework.

She didn't let her go out.

Her jokes were so funny that they made me laugh all day long.

after "would rather" and "had better":

I'd rather read the book than watch the film.

She'd better get married before it is too late.

After Modal verbs like:

- can, could, must, have to, needn’t, may, might, should, ought to, etc

You can do it easily.

She could do all the work alone.

B- Fill in the blanks with the right expression


1. You can’t help ………………………. taekwondo .

A doing B do C to do

2. I must go now. I promised ………………………. late.

A to not be B not to be

3. Do you want ………………………. to the party?

A coming B to come

4. I’m sure I locked the door. I clearly remember ……………………. it.

A locking B to lock C to have locked

5. She tried to be serious but she couldn’t help …………………….

A laughing B to laugh C that she laughed

6. I like ………………………. the kitchen as often as possible.

A cleaning B clean C to clean D that I clean

7. I’m tired. I’d rather ………………………. out this evening, if you don’t mind.

A not going B not to go C don’t go D not go

8. ‘Shall I stay here?’ ‘I’d rather ……………………… you come with us.’

A prefer B to prefer C preferring

9. Are you looking forward ………………………. Ann again?

A seeing B to see C to seeing

10. When Jane came to Britain, she had to get used ………………………. on the left.

A driving B to driving C to drive

11. I’m thinking of ………………………. a house. Do you think that’s a good idea?

A buy B to buy C buying

12. I’m sure it is not that difficult ………………………. the exam.

A pass B to pass C passing

13. A friend of mine decided ……………………….a party for me.

A throw B to throw C throwing

14. The path was icy, so we walked very carefully. We were afraid of ……………………….

A to fall B falling C fall

18. You shouldn’t………………………. so hard.
A working B work C to work D worked

19. It’s late. I must ………………………. now.
A to go B go C going

20. Tina has suggested ………………………. her car.
A sell B to sell C selling

21. I don’t mind ………………………. early.
A get up B to get up C getting up

22. Do you like ………………………. early?
A get up B to get up C getting up D to getting up

23. Do you want me ………………………. you some money?
A lend B lending C to lend

24. He’s very funny. He makes me ………………………. .
A laugh B laughing C to laugh

25. Paula went to the shop ………………………. a newspaper.
A buy B to buy C buying D to buy

QUIZ 1

Rewrite the verbs between parentheses in their correct forms.

01. The following questions are easy (answer) ___________________________

02. Just avoid (make) ___________________________ silly mistakes.

03. He asks the children to stop (play) ___________________________ football in the lane.

04. He promised to help me (chop up) ___________________________ the wood.

05. Unlike Gene Kelly, I hate (sing) ___________________________ in the rain.

06. We are used to (get up) ___________________________ early in the morning.

07. I can't stand (wait) ___________________________ while she is at the hairdresser's.

08. Can you manage to finish (repair) ___________________________ my car before noon?

09. I don't feel like (go) ___________________________ jogging today.

10. She failed many times but she kept (try) ___________________________ until she made it.

QUIZ 2

Choose the right answer

1) Would you mind _______________ _______________ me that walking stick, please. | handing - to hand - hand

2) This quiz is worth ___________________________ over and over again. | doing - to do - do

3) She wanted ___________________________ the house for the party. | decorating - to decorate - decorate

4) They insisted on ___________________________ early to give her a hand. | coming - to come - come

5) She makes everybody ___________________________ stupefied. | looking - to look - look

6) Nobody helped her ___________________________ the house. | decorating - to decorate - decorate

7) It is not easy ___________________________ such a hard task alone. | accomplishing - to accomplish - accomplish

8) We are sick of ___________________________ TV all the time! | watching - to watch - watch

9) Nobody told us what ___________________________ | doing - to do - do

10) I am thinking of ___________________________ some rest after this quiz. | getting - to get – get

A-Write the verbs between brackets in gerunds or infinitives

1) I greatly enjoyed (listen to) _______________________the last song of Celine Dion
2) Most people in Morocco prefer (spend) Ramadan in their homes
3) Parents should (to support) _______________________their children
4) It’s sunny, so I needn’t (to take) _______________________an umbrella
5) She can’t help (to cry) _______________________because she has a lot of problems
6) Although the mountain is very high, I manage (to climb) _______________________it
7) I don’t feel like (to play) _______________________football today. I’m going to phone my friends to apologise for (not/be) _______________________able to come
8 ) She is too young (to get) _______________________married
9) Because he is impolite , I avoid ( to talk ) _______________________to him
10) Would you mind (to wait) _______________________for a few minutes ?


EXERCISE

CHOOSE THE RIGHT FORM OF THE VERB

1. I am keen on work/to work/working in the computer industry.

2. Amy decided see/to see/ seeing a doctor.

3. Leila enjoys read/to read/reading love stories.

4. Do you intend learn/to learn/learning Italian or English?

5. Do you mind help/to help/helping me wash the dishes?

6. Alan asked talk/to talk/talking to the boss.

7. I can't help laugh/to laugh/laughing when I watch Mr Been.