English: Unit 7 “No Man Is an Island” – Volunteering, Gerunds and Infinitives – First Year Secondary – Algerian Curriculum

Introduction

Welcome to Unit 7 of your First Year Secondary English programme! The title “No Man Is an Island” comes from a famous poem by the English poet John Donne (1572–1631), which reminds us that no human being exists in isolation — we are all connected to one another. In this unit, we explore the theme of volunteering and community work, learning how individuals can make a positive difference in the lives of others through voluntary service. This topic is particularly relevant in the Algerian context, where volunteering (التطوع) is deeply rooted in our culture of solidarity, mutual aid, and social responsibility.

Learning Objectives

• Learn and use vocabulary related to volunteering, charity, and community service
• Master the use of gerunds and infinitives after specific verbs and expressions
• Express purpose using to + infinitive, in order to, so as to, and for + noun/gerund
• Read and understand a text about volunteering and answer comprehension questions
• Write a formal letter or email applying for a volunteer position
• Discuss the importance of community work and social responsibility

Part 1: Key Vocabulary – Volunteering and Community Work

Word / Phrase	Part of Speech	Definition	Example
Volunteer (v. / n.)	Verb / Noun	To offer to do something without being forced or paid; a person who does this	Many young Algerians volunteer to clean their neighbourhoods.
Charity	Noun	An organisation that helps people in need; the act of giving help	We donated clothes to a local charity.
Fundraise	Verb	To collect money for a specific cause or purpose	The students fundraised for the hospital’s children’s wing.
Community service	Noun phrase	Voluntary work intended to help people in a particular area	She does community service at the local elderly home.
Non-profit organisation	Noun phrase	An organisation that uses its income to help people rather than make profit (منظمة غير ربحية)	The Red Crescent is a well-known non-profit organisation in Algeria.
Solidarity	Noun	Unity or agreement of feeling between people with common interests (تضامن)	Algerians showed great solidarity during the earthquake relief efforts.
Donate	Verb	To give something (money, goods, blood, etc.) to help a person or organisation	People donated food and blankets to the flood victims.
Beneficiary	Noun	A person who receives help or advantage from something (مستفيد)	The orphans were the main beneficiaries of the project.
Advocacy	Noun	Public support for a particular cause or policy (مناصرة)	Environmental advocacy groups work to protect our forests.
Empower	Verb	To give someone the confidence, skills, or power to do something (تمكين)	Education empowers young people to build a better future.

Part 2: Grammar – Gerunds and Infinitives

In English, gerunds (verb + -ing acting as a noun) and infinitives (to + base form of the verb) can both follow verbs, but which one to use depends on the main verb. This is an important grammar point for the First Year Secondary programme.

2.1 Verbs Followed by Gerunds (-ing form)

Some verbs are ALWAYS followed by a gerund. Common examples:

• Enjoy + gerund: I enjoy helping people in my community.
• Avoid + gerund: She avoids wasting food at the charity kitchen.
• Suggest + gerund: He suggested organising a clean-up day.
• Consider + gerund: They are considering joining the volunteer programme.
• Practice + gerund: We practice speaking English with the foreign volunteers.
• Finish + gerund: She finished preparing the donation packages.
• Keep (continue) + gerund: Keep working hard for your community!

2.2 Verbs Followed by Infinitives (to + verb)

Some verbs are ALWAYS followed by the infinitive. Common examples:

• Want + infinitive: I want to volunteer at the hospital.
• Hope + infinitive: She hopes to become a social worker.
• Offer + infinitive: They offered to help with the fundraising event.
• Decide + infinitive: He decided to join the Red Crescent.
• Promise + infinitive: We promised to support the project.
• Manage + infinitive: She managed to collect over 50,000 DA for the charity.
• Learn + infinitive: They learned to work as a team.

2.3 Verbs That Change Meaning (Gerund vs. Infinitive)

Some verbs change meaning depending on whether they are followed by a gerund or an infinitive. The most important ones for BAC preparation:

Verb	Gerund (-ing) Meaning	Infinitive (to + verb) Meaning
Stop	Stop + gerund = quit an activity: She stopped smoking.	Stop + infinitive = pause in order to do something: She stopped to help the old man cross the street.
Remember	Remember + gerund = recall a past action: I remember visiting the orphanage.	Remember + infinitive = not forget to do something: Remember to bring the donations tomorrow.
Forget	Forget + gerund = not recall a past action (usually negative): I’ll never forget meeting the volunteers.	Forget + infinitive = not remember to do something: Don’t forget to thank the donors.
Try	Try + gerund = test an experiment: Try asking the charity for help.	Try + infinitive = make an effort: He tried to raise enough money.

2.4 Expressing Purpose

To explain WHY someone does something, we use purpose expressions:

Structure	Explanation	Example
To + infinitive	The most common way to express purpose	She volunteered to help the elderly. (تطوعت لمساعدة المسنين)
In order to + infinitive	More formal than “to” alone	He fundraised in order to build a new school.
So as to + infinitive	Also formal; often used in writing	They worked hard so as to finish the project on time.
For + noun / gerund	Used when purpose relates to a thing or activity	This money is for buying medical supplies.

Part 3: Reading Comprehension — “A Volunteer Experience in Algeria”

Comprehension Questions

1. Where did Aïcha volunteer? Be specific.
2. Why did her friends think she was “crazy”?
3. What did Aïcha learn from meeting Fatima?
4. Find in the text two examples of expressing purpose.
5. Find in the text one example of a verb followed by a gerund and one example of a verb followed by an infinitive.
6. What does the title “No Man Is an Island” mean according to the text?

Answer Key (for teachers)

1. Aïcha volunteered at the community centre in Bab El Oued, Algiers, as part of the Algerian Red Crescent programme.
2. Her friends thought she was crazy because she spent her summer holidays working without getting paid.
3. She understood the true meaning of solidarity (التضامن).
4. Examples: “…to collect more money…” (purpose), “…to work in a team…” (also purpose). Also: “…for organising the donations…”
5. Gerund: “I remember meeting an old woman” (remember + gerund ‘meeting’). Infinitive: “I decided to join” (decide + infinitive ‘to join’).
6. It means that no human being can live completely alone; we are all connected and need each other’s help.

Part 4: Writing — Applying for a Volunteer Position

When applying for a volunteer position, you need to write a formal letter or email. Here is a model structure:

Model: Volunteer Application Letter

Useful Phrases for Volunteer Application Letters

English Phrase	Arabic Equivalent
I am writing to apply for…	أكتب لأتقدّم بطلب…
I am interested in joining…	أنا مهتم(ة) بالانضمام إلى…
I have experience in…	لدي خبرة في…
I am keen on helping others…	أنا حريص(ة) على مساعدة الآخرين…
I possess good communication skills.	أمتلك مهارات تواصل جيدة.
I look forward to your reply.	أتطلع إلى ردّكم.

Part 5: Practice Exercises

Exercise 1: Choose the correct form

Complete each sentence with the correct form of the verb in brackets (gerund or infinitive).

1. I enjoy ________ (help) people in my neighbourhood.
2. She hopes ________ (become) a nurse and work for a charity.
3. They offered ________ (donate) food and clothes to the homeless.
4. He avoids ________ (waste) water during the drought.
5. We decided ________ (organise) a clean-up campaign next week.
6. She suggested ________ (create) a student volunteer club.
7. I will never forget ________ (meet) the volunteers at the shelter.
8. Remember ________ (bring) your ID card to the charity event.

Exercise 2: Expressing Purpose

Rewrite the following sentences using the expression of purpose in brackets.

1. She volunteers at the hospital. She wants to help sick children. (to)
2. They organised a fundraising event. They want to buy school supplies. (in order to)
3. He joined the Red Crescent. He wants to help during emergencies. (so as to)
4. We collected old clothes. We want to give them to poor families. (for + gerund)

Exercise 3: Vocabulary Matching

Match the words in Column A with their definitions in Column B.

Column A	Column B
1. Charity	a. A person who receives help
2. Donate	b. An organisation that helps people in need
3. Beneficiary	c. To give something to help others
4. Solidarity	d. Unity and mutual support between people
5. Fundraise	e. To collect money for a cause

Answer Key

Exercise 1: 1. helping   2. to become   3. to donate   4. wasting   5. to organise   6. creating   7. meeting   8. to bring

Exercise 2: 1. She volunteers at the hospital to help sick children.   2. They organised a fundraising event in order to buy school supplies.   3. He joined the Red Crescent so as to help during emergencies.   4. We collected old clothes for giving to poor families.

Exercise 3: 1-b   2-c   3-a   4-d   5-e

BAC Exam Tips

Although this is a First Year Secondary lesson, the grammar points covered here (gerunds and infinitives, expressing purpose) are frequently tested in the BAC exam across all streams:

• All streams: Expect a question asking you to rewrite sentences using gerunds or infinitives, or to complete sentences with the correct verb form.
• Letters and Sciences: You may be asked to write a letter of application (like the model above) or an article about volunteering in your community.
• Economics and Technology: The vocabulary of community work and non-profit organisations is useful for the reading comprehension section.
• Tip: Memorise the list of verbs that take gerunds and those that take infinitives. This is a guaranteed exam question!

Summary

In this lesson, we explored Unit 7: “No Man Is an Island” from the First Year Secondary English curriculum. We learned:

• Key vocabulary related to volunteering, charity, and community work
• The difference between gerunds and infinitives, including which verbs take which form
• How to express purpose using to + infinitive, in order to, so as to, and for + noun/gerund
• How to read and understand a text about volunteering in the Algerian context
• How to write a formal letter applying for a volunteer position

Remember: “No man is an island” — we all need each other. Volunteering is not just about giving; it is also about receiving gratitude, experience, and a sense of belonging.

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