A gerund is a noun, but a present participle is a verb.
Gerund:
A gerund is the –ing form of the verb. It is used as a noun.
A gerund is used in the same way as a noun: as a subject or an object.
The –ing form of the verb can be:
The present participle (used in the present progressive).
I am writing. (Present participle)
The gerund (used as the subject or the object of a verb)
Playing makes him happy. (Playing: subject)
I enjoy reading. (Reading: object)
I enjoy doing something (Doing something: gerund phrase)
Using gerunds as objects of prepositions:
The gerund is frequently used as the object of the preposition.
He insisted on coming with us.
He is excited about going with us.
She apologized for being late.
He is interested in learning German.
He is used to telling stories.
A preposition is followed by a gerund, not an infinitive.
Using by and with to express how something is done:
He turned on his computer by pushing the button:
By + gerund
She traveled by bus:
By + noun.
They cut meat with a knife:
With + noun
By + gerund is used to express how something is done.
By or with + noun is also used to express how something is done.
By is used for means of transportation and communication:
By air (plane), by boat, by bus, by car, by subway, by taxi, by train,
by foot = on foot, by mail, by (tele)phone,
by special delivery, by land, by sea,
By chance, by choice, by mistake,
By check, in cash
By hand = made by a person, not by a machine.
With my hand: with a part of a body.
With is used for instruments or parts of the body.
With = by using.
Verb + gerund:
Common verbs followed by gerunds:
Postpone - enjoy - finish - stop - quit - give up -
mind - delay - postpone - put off - keep - keep on -
consider - think about - discuss - talk about - appreciate -
Negative form: not + gerund.
I considered not going to this market.
Common expressions with GO + - ING:
Go is followed by a gerund in certain idiomatic expressions
about activities.
Go booting - go bowling - go camping - go dancing -
go fishing - go hiking - go jogging - go running -
go sailing - go shopping - go sightseeing - go skating -
go skiing - go skydiving - go swimming,
Did you go swimming?
I went shopping.
She hasn’t gone studying.
Verb + Infinitive:
Infinitives:
I want something. Something = noun = object of the verb
I want to do something.
To do: Infinitive = object of the verb
To do something: infinitive phrase.
Negative form: not + infinitive.
I have decided not to go to this market.
Common verbs followed by infinitives:
Verbs followed immediately by an infinitive:
Hope -promise - decide - agree - offer - refuse - forget -
remember - seem - appear - ask - expect - want - need.
Would like - would love - plan - intend - mean - pretend -
learn (how) - try - can’t afford - can’t wait - …
Verbs followed by a noun/pronoun and then an infinitive,
or immediately by an infinitive when they are used in the passive.
Tell - remind - advise - encourage - warn - permit -
allow - require - force - order - ask - expect - want - need.
Some verbs may or may not be followed by a pronoun/ noun
object:
Ask - expect - want - need.
I want to finish this work.
I want him to come right now.
Verb + Gerund or Infinitive:
Some verbs are followed by either gerunds or infinitives.
I like to travel = I like traveling
I continue to search = I continue searching
Common verbs followed by either an infinitive or a gerund:
Begin - start - continue - like - prefer - intend - love -
hate - can’t stand - try.
But: would like & would love are followed by infinitive only
Using Advise and remember/Forget
If there is no pronoun/noun object after advise, a gerund is used.
She advised me to call her.
She advised calling her.
A gerund is used after remember when the speaker recalls
something that happened in the past.
He remembers driving his first car when he was sixteen-years-old.
A gerund is used after forget when the speaker is referring
to a past action.
He didn’t forget to go to school.
He didn’t forget going to school.
Using gerunds and infinitive as
subjects. Using It + Infinitive:
Reading this book is fun.
Reading = The subject of the sentence
The gerund is always singular.
It is fun to read this book.
It and to read this book refer to the same meanings.
It’s less common to use an infinitive as the subject of a sentence:
To read books is fun.
It is fun to read this book.
An infinitive is more commonly used with it.
It is fun reading this book (informal)
It + Infinitive: using (FOR someone):
It is + adjective + for (someone) + infinitive.
You have to wake up early in the morning.
It’s necessary for you to wake up early in the morning.
Using Infinitives with TOO & ENOUGH:
The weather is too cold for him to go outside.
Too + adjective (for someone) + infinitive.
In the speaker’s mind, the use of too implies a negative result.
Too difficult = impossible for … to do …
Very difficult = It is possible but difficult.
She doesn’t have enough time to go dancing.
Enough can precede a noun.
She doesn’t have time enough to go dancing.
Enough can follow a noun.
He is not reliable enough to give a trust.
Enough follows an adjective.
Enough + noun (or noun + enough) + infinitive
Adjective + enough + infinitive.
Uncompleted Infinitive:
I want to buy a new car. But I can’t afford to.
Can’t afford to = uncompleted infinitive.
I couldn’t stay. I didn’t have to.
When the meaning is clearly understood, an infinitive
phrase is not completed following TO.
Uncompleted infinitive are also common with these auxiliaries:
Have to, be going to, used to and ought to.
Infinitive of purpose: Using In order to:
I go to school because I want to learn English.
I go to school in order to learn English.
I go to school to learn English. (In order to is omitted:
the meaning is the same)
In order to: expresses the purpose.
In order to: answers the question: Why?
For: can be followed by a gerund. But in the case of
purpose, it is followed by a noun phrase.
I write down to remember.
I write down for knowledge.
Verbs of perception:
He can see her run quickly.
He can see her running quickly.
The -ing form of the verb which refers to present participle
(Not a gerund) and gives the idea of “while”
Either the simple form or the -ing form of the verb
follows certain verbs of perception.
Common verbs used in this pattern:
Watch - see - notice - look at - observe -
hear - listen to - feel.
Notice is stronger than see.
Watch is longer than look at.
Observe = watching and analyzing.
Listen is a conscious act. But hear
happens by chance.
Using causative verbs: let - make and have:
They are followed by the simple form of the verb.
(Not an infinitive)
She let her daughter read her book.
She made her daughter read her book.
She had her daughter read her book.
(The meanings are not the same)
Let:
Let me see.
Let = permit
Make:
Make somebody do something gives the idea that there
are no choice, no alternatives.
He made his daughter make her bed.
Make someone + adjective gives the same idea (no chance)
She makes him laugh.
He makes her happy.
Have:
Have somebody do something.
He had the mechanic repair his car.
Have something done.
He had his car repaired. (Passive meaning)
Using help and get:
Help:
Help is also followed by the simple form of the verb.
An infinitive is also possible.
They helped him find the right street.
They helped him to find the right street.
Get:
Get someone to do something has the same
meaning than have somebody do something.
He got his friend to repair his computer.
He had his friend repair his computer.
Special expressions followed
by the -ing form of the verb:
Have fun dancing
Have a good time reading
Have trouble writing
Have difficulty speaking
Have hard time learning
Have a difficult time listening the news.
Spend + expression of time +-ing
She spends two hours waiting for him.
Sit/ stand/ lie + expression of place + -ing
He stood there staring at her.
Verbs followed by gerunds:
admit - advise - anticipate - appreciate - avoid -
complete - consider -delay - deny - discuss - enjoy -
finish - can’t help - keep - mention - mind - miss -
postpone - practice - quit - recall - recommend -
regret - remember - resent - resist - risk - stop -
suggest - tolerate - understand.
List of verbs followed by infinitives:
Verbs followed immediately by an infinitive:
afford - agree - appear - arrange - ask - beg - care -
claim - consent - decide - demand - deserve - expect -
fail - forget - hesitate - hope - learn - manage - mean -
need - offer - plan - prepare - pretend - promise - refuse -
regret - remember - seem - struggle - swear - threaten -
volunteer - wait -want - wish.
Verbs followed by a pronoun or
noun + an infinitive:
Advise - allow - ask - beg - cause - challenge - convince -
dare - encourage - expect - forbid - force - hire - instruct -
invite - need - order - permit - persuade - remind - require -
teach - tell - urge - want - warn.
Passive and perfect forms of infinitives and gerunds:
Passive infinitive: To be + past participle
He didn’t expect to be visited by friends.
To be visited is a passive.
Passive gerund: Being + past participle
She avoided being visited by friends.
To being visited is a passive.
Prefect infinitive: To have + past participle
They seem to have left.
She seemed to have visited
The event expected by perfect infinitive and perfect gerund
happened before the time of the main verb.
They seem: now. To have left: before.
She seemed: before (yesterday).
To have visited: before (before yesterday).
Perfect gerund: Having + past participle
She finishes having had courses.
They finished having had courses.
She finishes now having courses before (last week).
They finished before having courses before (before last week).
Perfect-passive infinitive: To have been + past participle
He is fortunate to have been passed the exam.
He is fortunate: now to have been passed the exam before.
Perfect-passive gerund: Having been + past participle
She regrets having been visited by some friends.
She regrets: now having been visited by some friends before.
Using gerunds or passive infinitives
followed need:
He needs to buy some books.
He needs to be respected.
Need is usually followed by an infinitive.
She needs calling.
= She needs to be called.
In certain situations, a gerund may follow need. In this case, the
gerund carries a passive meaning. Usually the situation involve
fixing or improving something.
Using a possessive to modify a gerund:
She is worried about the fact that Frank is wasting his time. (Noun clause)
= She is worried about Frank’s wasting his time. (Gerund phrase)
Frank’s is possessive.
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