0
Guevara Posted 17 years ago
Grammar

ING or infinitive???

I have doubts about which verb tense should I use in these situations:

1) Wandering around the shops or sitting in bars was all we did all week.
2) All we did all week was wander around or sit in bars.

Why should I use the -ing form in the first case and the infinitive in the second case?

Thanks folks!
  

Top answer

Guevara I have doubts about which verb tense should I I should use in these situations: ... Why should I use the -ing form in the first case and the infinitive in the second case? By doing so, you are merely following the usual conventions of English.

— CalifJim

  • Guevara I have doubts about which verb tense should I I should use in these situations: ...
  • Why should I use the -ing form in the first case and the infinitive in the second case?
  • By doing so, you are merely following the usual conventions of English.
  • It is not very usual to begin a sentence with an infinitive.
  • The first sentence is actually rather awkward, though, even with the gerunds, and most people use only the second pattern to express that sort of idea.
Free · every Monday

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.

5 Answers
0
GuevaraI have doubts about which verb tense should I I shoulduse in these situations: ...
Why should I use the -ing form in the first case and the infinitive in the second case?
By doing so, you are merely following the usual conventions of English. It is not very usual to begin a sentence with an infin
0
0
Thank you for being so helpful, CJ.
But, in order to generalize what you taught me, which is the rule? I think it is clear that those are the conventions, but how do those conventions work in those cases. The first one was clear: I shouldn't begin a sentence with an infinitive (although you considered it awkward, this was actually an exercise from my English workbook). But how about the sente
0
0
GuevaraDoes that happen because of the type of the verb?
Yes, it does. In fact the formula that I showed you above depends entirely on the verb do. The pattern is called a 'pseudo-cleft with do', and there are other posts on English Forums that deal with this pattern specifically. (Use the search box above.)

[All / What ] ... [do / do
0
0
GuevaraIn other words, I thought that, as an object (noun), I should use the verb in the -ing form, and not in the infinitive.
Actually, the infinitive can also serve the function of a noun and be an object. It depends on the verb.

Note, below, how the choice is the same as when the verb is used as the main verb in a clause. For example,
0
0
Thanks, CJ.
Now things are really clear.
I really appreciated your help.
G.
0

Related Questions