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Voltaire101 Posted 17 years ago
Grammar

What is the difference between Gerund and Infinitive

hi all

what is the difference between Gerund and Infinitive in these two sentences ?

She didn't remember setting the alarm clock

She didn't remember to set the alarm clock
  

Top answer

Hi Voltaire101, She didn't remember setting the alarm clock She DID set it, but she doesn't remember doing so. It's possible that it could mean that she didn't set it, but can't remember if she did or not. Either way, it's in the past.

— BarbaraPA

  • Hi Voltaire101, She didn't remember setting the alarm clock She DID set it, but she doesn't remember doing so.
  • It's possible that it could mean that she didn't set it, but can't remember if she did or not.
  • Either way, it's in the past.
  • What she can't remember is her action .
  • She didn't remember to set the alarm clock She did not set it.
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2 Answers
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Hi Voltaire101,

She didn't remember setting the alarm clock She DID set it, but she doesn't remember doing so. It's possible that it could mean that she didn't set it, but can't remember if she did or not. Either way, it's in the past. What she can't remember is her action.

She didn't remember to set the alarm clock She did not set it. She forgot to do it. Th
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In sentence A she couldn't remember setting the alarm clock and perhaps she still woke up but as to when she set it the night before, she had no memory. In B, she didn't set it and she didn't wake up in time.

The infinitve points to a move forward in a series of events, while the -ing looks backwards to previous activity in progress or even to a previous act completed.
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