GERUNDS AND INFINITIVES

A GERUND is the –ing form of a verb (e.g. talking, playing, under standing)

AN INFINITIVE is to + the simple form of a verb (e.g. to talk, to play, to understand)

Gerunds may perform all the function that nouns do. A gerund is the –ing form of a verb that can be used as a noun. A gerund can function as a subject as well as an object

Examples:

1. Playing tennis is fun

s v

in this example, playing is a gerund. It is used as the subject of the sentence. Playing tennis is a gerund phrase.

2. We enjoy playing tennis

s v o

In this example, playing is used as the object of the verb enjoy

3. He’s excited about playing tennis

Prep o

In this example, playing is used as the object of the pre-position

I. USING GERUNDS AS THE OBJECTS OF PREPOSITION

A gerund is frequently used as the object of preposition

1. We talked about going to Canada for our vacation

2. I am interested in learning karate.

3. Sue is in charge of organizing the meeting

Negative form of Gerund: not precedes a gerund

4. We talked about not going to the meeting, but finally decided we should go

prep not gerund

II. COMMON VERBS FOLLOWED BY GERUNDS (beberapa kata kerja yang di ikuti Gerunds)

Examples:

1. I enjoy playing tennis

V

Gerunds are used as the objects of certain verbs in this example, enjoy is followed by Gerund

(playing)

Enjoy is not followed by an infinitive

The most common incorrect form is: I enjoy to play tennis

2. Joe quit smoking

3. Joe gave up smoking

The above examples (number 2 & 3) have the same meaning. The verb ‘quit’ and the two-word verbs ‘give up’ should be followed by gerunds. The following is a list mentioning about verbs that should be used with gerunds

Enjoy appreciate

Quit (give up) finish (get through)

Avoid postpone (put off)

Keep (keep on) consider (think about)

Suggest discuss (talk about)

Mind stop

Delay mention

III. COMMON VERBS FOLLOWED BY INFINITIVES (beberapa kata kerja yang di ikuti Infinitive)

Examples:

1. I hope to see you again soon

v infinitive

2. He promised to be here by ten

v infinitive

Negative form of infinitive: not precedes infinitive

3. He promised not to be late

v not infinitive

Some verbs are followed immediately by an infinitive, as in (1) and (2). For the negative form not precedes the infinitive, as in (3). Below are verbs which are followed by infinitive

Hope to intend to

Promise to offer to

Seem to pretend to

Expect to want to

Plant to decide to

Agree to refuse to

Appear to ask to

Would like to need to

4. My grandmother told me to be here at ten o’clock

V pronoun infinitive

5. The police ordered the driver to stop

V noun infinitive

Some verbs are followed by pro(noun) and then an infinitive, as in (4) and (5). Below are verbs which are followed by pro(noun) then an infinitive.

Tell someone to advise someone to

Encourage someone to remind someone to

Invite someone to permit someone to

Allow someone to warn someone to

Require someone to order someone to

Force someone to ask someone to

Expect someone to would like someone to

Want someone to need someone to

6. I was told to be here at ten o’clock

v infinitive

7. The driver was ordered to stop

v infinitive

these verbs are followed immediately by an infinitive when they are used in the passive, as in (6) and (7).

IV. COMMON VERBS FOLLOWED BY EITHER INFINITIVE OR GERUND (beberapa kata kerja yang diikuti gerund dan infinitive)

The following are a verbs which are followed by infinitive or gerund (with no different in meaning)

Beginning like hate

Start love can’t stand

Continue prefer can’t bear

Examples:

1. It began to rain/raining

2. I started to work/working

(there is no differences between “began to rain” and “began raining”)a