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Jonathan1980tr Posted 20 years ago
Grammar

How to keep Gerunds and Infinitives in your mind???

How do you keep gerunds and infinitives in your mind? Do you have any practical solutions or methods to differentiate them? Please help
  

Top answer

I compartmentalize infinitives, gerunds, and participles in my brain “under” verbals. They’re all various forms of the verb that act as subjects, objects, and modifiers. Then I move on from there.

— Ikia

  • I compartmentalize infinitives, gerunds, and participles in my brain “under” verbals.
  • They’re all various forms of the verb that act as subjects, objects, and modifiers.
  • Then I move on from there.
  • Is that what you mean?
  • Ikia
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12 Answers
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I compartmentalize infinitives, gerunds, and participles in my brain “under” verbals. 
They’re all various forms of the verb that act as subjects, objects, and modifiers.
Then I move on from there. Is that what you mean?
Ikia
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Methods to differentiate them? Hmmm.
Infinitives have "to" in front. Gerunds end with "ing".

Infinitive - Gerund
to take - taking
to see - seeing
to find - finding
to ask - asking
to think - thinking

I don't know what else you are asking.

CJ
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Jim, I think Jonathan knows how to form infinitives and gerunds. From what he wrote I understand that he wants to know how he can know whether a verb is used as an infinitive or a gerund. But I think one has no choice but to memorize them. Rymond Murphy in his English Grammar in Use says:

"Often we use -ing for an action that happens before the first verb or at the same tim
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"know whether a verb is used as an infinitive or gerund"
You know that by looking at it or listening to it!
You will know that a verb is used as an infinitive if it has a "to": I want to meet with you tomorrow. "to meet" is a verb used as an infinitive.
You will know that it is used as a gerund if it has an "ing". I enjoyed meeting with you yesterday. "meeting" is a ver
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He wants to know whether there is rule which governs the process of adding "ing" to the second verb or inserting "to" after the first verb? Jim, try a bit, I am sure you'll understand.
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Not fair! Now you've edited and added more information to your original post, so my response doesn't make sense any more! Emotion: smile
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CalifJimNot fair! Now you've edited and added more information to your original post, so my response doesn't make sense any more!
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DiamondrgHe wants to know whether there is rule which governs the process of adding "ing" to the second verb or inserting "to" after the first verb? Jim, try a bit, I am sure you'll understand.
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Maybe at this point we can discuss whether the rule Murphy gave applies to most verbs or not.

"Often we use -ing for an action that happens before the first verb or at the same time:

- They denied stealing the money.

- I enjoy going out.

stealing - denied

enjoy - going

Often we use to... for an action that
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Jonathan1980tr
DiamondrgHe wants to know whether there is rule which governs the process of adding "ing" to the second verb or inserting "to" after the first verb? Jim, try a bit, I am sure you'll understand.
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