THE GERUND
The gerund or is used in a variety of grammatical situations in English.
• as the subject of a sentence in a general sense (known as the noun form of a verb - to be
replaced by a noun in French)
• after prepositions : of, on, to, for, at, like, in, with, over, about, without and consequently after
prepositional or phrasal verbs
 To can be either a particle before a verb or a preposition
• after certain verbs (see list below)
• in noun compounds as an adjective.
• In prohibitions : Ex : No smoking allowed on the premises. No drinking. No littering.etc.
English verbs followed by the gerund
to admit
to anticipate
to appreciate
to avoid
to consider
to enjoy
to escape
To face
to fancy (imagine)
to finish
To miss
To notice
To object
to pardon
to postpone
To regret
to remember
(recollect)
to resent
to resist
to defer
to delay
to deny
to detest
To deserve
to forgive
To hate
to imagine
to involve
To keep (continue)
To put off
to prevent
to propose (suggest)
To recall
to risk
to save (oneself the
trouble of)
To start
to stop
to dread
To envisage
to loathe
to mind
To recollect
To recommend
to suggest
to understand
Verbs or expressions followed by the construction possessive adjective/pronoun + gerund :
to like/dislike
to dread
to fancy
to mean
to propose
to resent
to suggest
to insist on
to mind
to recollect
to save
to understand
to object to
to involve
to remember
to stop
to approve/disapprove of
Phrases always followed by the gerund :
Can’t stand
there’s no point in
can’t help
what’s the point of
it’s not worth
it’s no good /use
Verbs taking either the gerund or the infinitive
to begin
to cease
to allow
can’t bear
to start
to intend
to permit
it needs/requires/ wants
to continue
to advise
to recommend
Note that there is no difference in meaning with such verbs when you use the infinitive or the
gerund, but the infinitive is more usual with verbs of knowing and understanding.