اللغة الإنجليزية — Gerunds and Infinitives: Usage and Rules — Third Year Secondary (Literary Stream) — Baccalaureate — Algeria

Gerunds and Infinitives: Usage and Rules

Gerunds (-ing form) and infinitives (to + verb) are verb forms used as nouns. Mastering them is key for the Baccalaureate.

Gerunds

Verb + -ing used as a noun. Functions: Subject (Swimming is fun), Object (I enjoy reading), After prepositions (interested in learning).
Verbs followed by gerund: enjoy, avoid, finish, suggest, mind, consider, practice, recommend, admit, deny. Ex: I suggest waiting.

Infinitives

To + base verb. Functions: Purpose (I study to learn), After adjectives (It’s easy to do), After certain verbs.
Verbs followed by infinitive: want, need, hope, plan, decide, promise, refuse, seem, appear. Ex: I hope to pass the exam.

Verbs that take both

Some verbs change meaning:
Stop + gerund (quit an action): I stopped smoking.
Stop + infinitive (pause to do): I stopped to smoke.
Remember + gerund (recall past): I remember meeting him.
Remember + infinitive (not forget future): Remember to call him.
Try + gerund (experiment): Try pressing this button.
Try + infinitive (attempt): I tried to open the door.

Exercise

Choose gerund or infinitive:
1. I enjoy (swim) ______.
2. She promised (come) ______.
3. I stopped (smoke) ______ last year.

Secondary | Arabic grammar

📍 دروس مشابهة:

• English – Quantifiers: Some, Any, Much, Many, A lot of – 1st Year
• English — Wish and If Only: Expressing Regret and Desires — 3rd Y
• English — Prepositions of Time, Place, and Movement — BAC Literar