CHAPTER # 4
Gerunds and
Infinitives
Verb
Finite Verb
Non Finite Verb
Finite Verb:
A verb which is used according to the
subject and tense.

Examples: Wakeel washes the dishes.
They wash the dishes.
I washed the dishes.
Non Finite Verb
A verb that is not changed according to the
subject or tense.
Examples:
I want to go to school.
Hungama wants to go to school.
They wanted to go to the school.
Verbal:
Verb forms that are used as nouns or modifiers.
Gerunds
 Infinitives
 Participles

Gerund
(Verb+ ing) having the function of a noun
is called Gerund or Verbal noun.
Examples:
Meena enjoys watching TV.
G. verb
Gerund
G. phrase
Gerund can have the following
functions in a sentence
As the subject
 As the object
 As the object of preposition
 As the complement of (to be)

Examples:
Eating is good for health.
Subject
I mind making noise.
Object
Examples:
Hungama thinks about going to Pakistan.
O. of Pre
What I hate the most is coming late?
Com. Of to be
I love his crying.
Com. Of P. A
Infinitive
To+ verb or only base form of the verb
which has the function of a noun is
called Infinitive.
Example:
To play cricket is interesting.
I can perform prayer.
Infinitive
Kinds of Infinitives
Absolute Infinitive
 Bare Infinitive
 Split Infinitive
 Abridge Infinitive

Absolute Infinitive
(To+ verb) is called Absolute Infinitive.
Examples:
To save money is difficult now.
To study English is easy.
Bare Infinitive
Only base form of the verb is called Bare
Infinitive.
Examples:
Meena can cook rice.
I make him study hard.
Split Infinitive
When (to+ verb) is separated by an
adverb is called Split Infinitive.
Examples:
She wants to slowly talk on the phone.
I like to quickly tell the truth.
Abridge Infinitive

When the marker to is used alone and
the verb is implied is called Abridge
Infinitive.
Example:
Do you want to play soccer?
I would like to (play).
Uses of Infinitives
As a subject of a verb.
Examples:
To play soccer is fun.
As an object of a verb.
Examples:
She likes to play soccer.
I want to get married.
As an object of preposition.
Examples:
Rubina is about to laugh.
Meena is about to come.
As a complement of (to be)
Examples:
Her hobby is to play games.
What I love is to see her alone.
As a verb of an object. ( object complement)
Examples:
She wants him to call her.
I saw her teach in the class.
As a qualifier of a verb.
Examples:
She comes to learn.
I went to see my folks in Pakistan.
As a qualifier of a noun (as an adjective)
Examples:
It is his ability to solve the problems.
It is time to earn money.
As a qualifier of an adjective (as an adverb)
Examples:
We are glad to see each other.
It is nice to call her on the spot.
Common verbs followed by either
Infinitives or Gerunds
The following verbs are followed by both gerund and
Infinitives with no difference in meaning.
Begin
Like
Hate
Start
Love
Can’t Stand
Continue
Prefer
Can’t bear
Examples:
I began teaching here.
I began to teach here.
I was beginning to teach here.
The following verbs are followed by both
Gerund or Infinitive with difference in
meaning.
Remember+ Infinitive: To remember to perform one’s
duty, responsibility.
Example: I remember to take her books.
Remember+ Gerund: To recall something that
happened in the past.
Example: She remembers going to India.
Forget+ Infinitive: Forget to perform one’s duty
or responsibility.
Examples: I forgot to wash my car.
Forget+ Gerund: Forget something that
happened in the past.
Example: She forgot deceiving me.
Regret+ Infinitive: Sorry to tell bad news.
Example: I regret to tell you that I lost
your gift.
Regret+ Gerund: Sorry about something
that one did in the past.
Example: I regret going to Pakistan.
Try+ Infinitive: To attempt, to struggle, to
make effort.
Example: I tried to pass the exams.
Try+ Gerund: To examine something
whether it works or not.
Example: I tried using all the mobiles.
Infinitive of Purpose
Whenever we talk about purpose we use (in
order to)
Example: We eat in order to live.
We eat to live.
We eat for live. (Incorrect)
Note: (To) in the contraction form of in order to.
For isn’t used to show purpose.
Exception: When it is used with the
phrase (be used for+ gerund) to show
common or general purpose.
Example: Pens are used for writing.
Pens are used to write with. (possible)
I go to Bazaar for bread.( Possible)
for+ noun
Adjectives followed by Infinitives
Here adjectives are used to describe a
person or persons, not a thing.
Examples:
Rubina is happy to meet me.
Shazia is upset to go to Pakistan.
Infinitives with too and enough
Examples:
The weather is too hot to play soccer.
The weather is very hot, but we can play soccer.
The class is big enough to study in it.
The class has students enough to take exam.
The class has enough students to take exam.
Passive & Past forms of Infinitives
& Gerund
1. Present Active Infinitive:
Sub+ Inf verb+ to+ verb
Examples:
He wants to play soccer.
Rubina refuses to call me again.
2.Present Passive Infinitive
Sub+ Inf verb+ to+ be+ 3rd verb
Examples:
Abdullah wants to be taught.
Baqi wishes to be annoyed.
3.Past Active Infinitive
Sub+ Inf verb+ to+ have+ 3rd verb
Examples:
Jasmine decided to have studied English.
They needed to have stolen money.
4. Past Passive Infinitive
Sub+ Inf verb+ to+ have+ been+ 3rd verb
Examples:
Meena managed to have been helped.
She is happy to have been written a letter.
5.Present Active Gerund
Sub+ G. verb+ V- ing
Examples:
Shakila finishes writing a letter.
She postpones visiting her friend.
6.Present Passive Gerund
Sub+ G. verb+ being+ 3rd verb
Examples:
Arzoo minds being teased in the class.
Karim enjoyed being watched by his friend.
7.Past Active Gerund
Sub+ G. verb+ having+ 3rd verb
Examples:
Hungama appreciates having gone to Pakistan.
Wali disliked having studied.
8.Past Passive Gerund
Sub+ G. verb+ having+ been+ 3rd verb
Examples:
I appreciated having been given the chance.
They deny having been taken away.
Using Gerund or Passive Infinitive
following “Need”
Examples:
She needs to buy a car.
The car needs repairing. (fixing or
developing situation)
The car needs to be repaired.
Using a Possessive to modify a Gerund
Examples:
Meena likes my writing a message. (formal)
Meena likes me writing a message. (informal)
I love Rubina’s laughing. (formal)
I love Rubina laughing. (informal)
Verbs of Perception
Are those verbs which refer to the five senses
of human being (smell, taste, see, hear and
touch). They are also called Sense verbs.
1.
Sub+ sense verb+ obj+ verb:
This structure shows that one has seen or
heard the action completely (from the
beginning to the end).
Example:
I saw Rubina cook rice.
Sub+ sense verb+ obj+ verb-ing
This structure shows that only a part of
someone’s action has been seen or
heard (not a complete action).
Example:
I saw Rubina cooking rice.
Causative Verb
Is a verb the subject of which doesn’t
perform the activity, but it causes the
object to do it.
Examples:
I had Karim open the door.
Rubina makes Hungama clean the room.
Make, Have, Let, Get and Help
Make: To force someone to do something.
It is followed by Bare Infinitive.
Examples:
Ali makes Laila wash the car.
Arzoo made Dilroba write a letter.
Note: Rubina was made to wash the dishes.
Have: To hire, to choose someone to do
something. It is followed by Bare Infinitive.
Example:
Karim had Wali bring a chair.
Let: To allow someone to do something.
It is followed by Bare Infinitive.
Example:
I will let her come in.
Get: To persuade, to encourage someone
to do something. It is followed by Full
Infinitive.
Example: I get Arzoo to get married.
Help: To assist someone to do something.
It is followed by either Full or Bare Infinitive.
Examples:
Yasmine will help Hungama write HW.
Shabnam helps Karim to cook rice.
Special Expression followed by the
-ing form of a verb
Spend/ Waste+ expression of time or money+ gerund.
Examples:
Ali spends twenty rupees watching TV.
Karim wastes two hours walking on the road.
Sit/ Stand/ Lie+ expression of place+ gerund
Examples:
Rubina sits on the mattress reciting the Holy Quran.
Karim stood in the class calling Karima.
Wakeel lies in the bed writing messages.
Find/ Catch+ pro(noun)+ gerund (means to discover)
Examples:
I found Hungama chatting with her mom.
She caught Arzoo eating rice.
Let’s
Practice