A verb in the form of an infinitive or a gerund is very common in English and at first gives beginners a lot of difficulties. Gerund mistaken for the present continuous, although the gerund looks like a verb with ing and is never used with be. For example, in the sentence "I go swimming to the lake in summer”, swimming is a gerund. We will translate it as "I walk to swim on the lake in summer.
Infinitive with the to particle causes many difficulties in translation. Very often in Russian you need to use additional words or a subordinate clause. For example, a simple sentence "He stood up to say something” as soon as they don’t translate until they guess that the correct option is “He got up, (in order to something say».
English verb forms
In total there are 5 options for what an English verb might look like:
- the initial form of the verb (infinitive)
- a verb with the ending -s (es) - We use it for present simple
- a verb with the ending ing - we use for continuous times, as a gerund, participle or adjective.
- verb with the ending -ed (2 and 3 forms)
- irregular verbs (2 and 3 form)
The most common are 2 forms of the verb - infinitive and ing verb. These 2 forms are part of different tenses, are used in conjunction with modal verbs, and often I convey only an additional action, without reference to time. We will talk about the latter case in our article.
Remember the important rule:
An infinitive or gerund is a verb that is not part of the predicate and does not carry tense.
Other names you may come across are Complex object, to-infinitive and verb -ing.
So, we already know that the verb is not always a predicate, it does not always convey time. In Russian, you can often find a verb in an indefinite form (initial form):
He wanted help.
“Help” is the initial form of the verb, it is free from tense. In English grammar, this topic is called " Infinitive and Gerund.
Infinitive(infinitive) is a verb in its initial form, a verb without changes. The infinitive is usually preceded by the particle to.
Gerund(gerund, ing-clause, participle with -ing) is a verb with the ending ing, which is not part of the continuous tense. It is never preceded by a to particle.
When there are several verbs in a row in an English sentence, the first one is a predicate (responsible for time), and the next verb, free of time, is in the form of an infinitive / gerund. There can be several such verbs in one sentence.
The infinitive and gerund are usually found in the second half of the sentence. But you may encounter situations where to-infinitive or ing-verb begin a sentence. Not always the infinitive / gerund will be in the second half of the sentence. But in most cases, you will meet them in this position.
When in a Russian sentence you see a verb in the initial form (“do”, “play”, “worry”), then in English, most likely, it will be translated as an infinitive (“to do”, “worry”), less often - a gerund. There is practically no difference in the translation of the infinitive and gerund.
The infinitive and gerund are translated in several ways:
- the initial form of the verb ("to do")
- participle ("doing")
- subordinate clause ("to do ...").
- gerund can also be translated as a noun
Unfortunately, there are no clear rules for the use of these two forms. Native speakers often use these 2 forms on a whim or because it is customary in the area. But still, there are general recommendations for choosing the right form of the verb, let's study them.
Usually the infinitive or gerund is chosen based on what is worth in front of him:
- verb
- verb + object
- adjective
- preposition
There is a list of verbs, after which the next coming verb is usually put in the form of an infinitive or a gerund. The list of such verbs must be memorized.
Now let's look at the basic rules that the infinitive or gerund obeys.
Infinitive
There are verbs in English that use the infinitive with to to indicate an additional action.
List of verbs followed by an infinitive with to
want - want
need - need
plan - to plan
decide - decide, make a decision
offer - offer
hope - hope
promise - to promise
try - try
forget - forget
learn - to study
A bunch of would like - would like
I promise to call you later. I promise to call you later.
He forgot to call me. He forgot to call me.
The infinitive usually follows immediately after the verb. But often they can be separated by the object to which the action-predicate is directed.
I asked Mike to call me. - I AM asked T-shirt call.
Between the verb asked and the infinitive to come there is an object (Mike) on which the action is directed.
Very often we specify the object after the following verbs:
ask - ask
tell - to speak
advice - advise
expect - expect
persuade - convince
teach - teach
Features of using the infinitive after make, let and help
After verbs make and let always we use the infinitive, but without the to particle.
The verb let conveys the meaning "allow".
Let me go. - Let me go. (Let me go).
In the imperative mood, we passed the let’s bundle, which in its full form looks like the verb let with the object us.
let's = let us - let us (literally)
When there is another verb after make, that in this case the verb make means "to force (someone to do)". After make, we indicate to whom the action is directed (we specify the object).
Make John work. - Make John work.
After the verb help we can indicate the infinitive with or without the to particle. The meaning does not change.
Help me finish my work. = Help me finish my work. Help me finish my work.
Infinitive after adjectives in English
If you need to put the verb after the verb copula to be + adjective, then use the infinitive with the particle to. Please note that we translate the link to be + adjective into Russian with an adverb.
It is difficult to understand English. - Understanding English is difficult.
difficult - difficult (adjective), but we translate into Russian with the adverb "difficult".
Popular turnovers:
It's good to ... - It's good ...
It's nice (of you) to ... - It's nice ...
I'm sorry to ... - Sorry for ...
I'm happy to ... - I'm glad ...
Infinitive to indicate the reason for an action
If an English speaker wants to indicate cause of action(the purpose for which it is performed), then he will use the infinitive with the particle to. When translating into Russian, you need to use a subordinate clause that begins with the words: “in order to” or more short version"to".
I saw Make and stop tosay Hello. - I saw Mike and stopped, to say hello.
Gerund
A gerund is a cross between a verb and a noun. Because of this, it is translated in different ways - both by a noun, and by a verb, and by a participle, although the gerund is always formed from verbs. In English, the gerund is grammatically closer to a noun than a verb.
Gerund after prepositions
If after the first verb (predicate) there is a preposition, then we always use the second verb with the ending –ing. This is one of the "reinforced concrete" rules that you should know well.
General scheme:
predicate + preposition + gerund
keep on working. - Continue work.
Verbs followed by a gerund
List of popular verbs after which it is customary to use gerund.
Verbs that indicate the beginning, duration or end of a process:
start*, begin* - start
stop - stop
finish - finish
give up (= stop) - stop
continue* - continue
carry on / go on / keep (on) (= continue) - continue
* after these verbs, you can use not only the gerund, but the infinitive. The meaning does not change.
I gave up smoking years ago. - I AM threw smoke many years ago.
Verbs denoting attitude towards something:
love* - to love
like* - like
hate * - hate
prefer* - prefer
dislike - not to love
enjoy - like
* after these verbs, you can use not only the gerund, but the infinitive.
Those verbs that I have marked * are controversial cases. Don't be surprised if you see an infinitive after them in some cases, and a gerund in others. The choice of form depends on the person, and clear rules are not regulated.
I hate getting up early. - I AM I hate getting up early in the morning.
Sensory verbs:
see - see
watch - watch
hear - hear
listen to - listen
I saw him entering the café. - I AM had seen, like he came in in the cafe.
Other verbs:
suggest - offer
mind - keep in mind, object
avoid - avoid
practise - to practice
A bunch of can't help - I can not (do this)
A bunch of can't stand - I can't stand (I hate)
Link look forward to - look forward to (always used with particle to)
I can't help feeling responsible for what happened. - I AM I can't help but feel responsibility for what happened.
A bunch of predicate + gerund can be expanded and put between them the object to which the action is directed
verb + somebody + -ing
You can't stopmedoing what I want. - You can not interfere to me make what I want.
Gerund after the verbs go and like
When you want to say what kind of sport you do or are fond of, the verb copula is used for this. go+ gerund. Go in this case is no longer translated literally "to go", but conveys the meaning " do this sport". It may also be an action that you regularly perform. can be used instead of go like in meaning " like doing it».
go+ verb -ing- do this kind of work
like+ verb -ing- I like to do this kind of activity
A few popular go expressions:
go swimming- swim (swim)
go jogging- go jogging
go fishing- to fish
go shopping- to go shopping
go running- run
go skiing- skiing
I go jogging every morning. - I AM I run every morning.
Gerund in noun position
You can often find a gerund at the beginning of a sentence, in which case it becomes a noun. We can translate it into Russian as a noun or as a verb in its initial form.
Learning English is very useful nowadays. - Study (teach) English is very useful nowadays.
Now that we have got acquainted with the basic rules by which the infinitive and gerund function in English, you can watch additional detailed lessons on this topic: Unit 53 - Unit 68.
If you are not yet familiar with the gerund, and your level has already exceeded the Pre-Intermediate mark, then it is time to fix this matter. Just do not scroll through the entire article now and be afraid of its volumes. You are already here - there is no turning back! We will try to make your journey and acquaintance with this form of the verb as pleasant as possible. Let's do this!
What is a gerund
Gerund — special form verb with the suffix -ing, which combines the features of a noun and a verb. And distinguishes it from the usual noun easy connotation of the meaning of any process. For example:
painting- Painting;
singing- singing;
playing- the game.
In Russian, there is no such thing as a gerund. One can only draw a parallel in meaning with verbal nouns with the suffixes “-(e) nie”, “-tie”, “-ka”, “-stvo”, etc., or verbs in an indefinite form. Look here:
Singing in the shower is his biggest joy. - Pe nie in his heart gives him the greatest joy. Or - His greatest joy - sing in the shower.
You don't have to be Sherlock to find a gerund in a text. You can easily find it by the characteristic ending "- ing". And there will be no exceptions.
About communion
However, the grammar would not be itself if everything were so simple. Present participle, it is also the participle of the present tense, also has the ending "-ing". Therefore, attention! Do not confuse: gerund is a word that comes from a verb, and acts as a noun. While participle present time in this role does not perform, but describes some other word. Here for comparison:
Susie hates somebody's singing in the middle of the night. - Susie can't stand someone else's singing in the middle of the night.
Here "singing" is a gerund, since it fulfills the role of an object that is characteristic of a noun.
Waiting for everyone to fall asleep, Mr. Crabster takes a shower and starts to sing. - waiting when everyone is asleep, Mr. Crabster takes a shower and begins to sing.
Here "waiting" is the present participle, as it describes Mr. Crabster's actions.
3. Verbs with the last stressed syllable and ending in "- r» also need a double last consonant. However, the stressed syllable should not contain diphthongs (sounds whose articulation implies a transition from one vowel sound type to another):
to sta r- star ring;
to wear to wear ing.
4. If there is a letter “-” at the end of the word l”, then it always doubles, regardless of whether it is last syllable percussion or not.
to tel l- tel ling;
to sel l-sel ling.
5. If the infinitive ends with "- ie", they are replaced by "- y»:
to l ie-l y ing;
to d ie-d y ing.
The negative form is formed using the particle " not", which is placed before the gerund:
I prefer not waiting for too long. - I prefer not to wait too long.
The best thing for you now is not watching. - The best thing for you right now is not to look.
Gerund translation
Since there is no form similar to the gerund in Russian, it can be translated in different ways. There are 2 main ways to translate the gerund:
1) a noun that conveys the process: painting - drawing, reading - reading:
Counting cash helps him calm down. - Counting money calms him down.
playing the piano is her cup of tea. - Playing the piano is what she likes.
2) a verb, most often of an indefinite form: painting - to draw, reading - to read, and sometimes, if there is a pretext, a gerund - drawing, reading.
I am fond of reading books. - I like to read books.
He has gone without saying Goodbye. He left without saying goodbye.
Complex forms of the gerund are almost always translated by subordinate clauses.
Thank you for reading this article. - Thank you for reading this article.
Do you remember taking your umbrella with you? - Do you remember how you took an umbrella with you?
Do you feel how your brain boils? Yes, we are gaining momentum. So take a deep breath and scroll on.
Gerund forms
The gerund has a simple (Simple) and perfect (Perfect) forms, and can also be used in active and passive voice.
The simple form of the gerund ( simple gerund) is used for an action that occurs simultaneously with the action of the verb-predicate:
She likes visiting her friends. - She likes to visit her friends.
She likes being visited by her friends. She loves when her friends visit.
The perfect form of the gerund ( Perfect Gerund) is used for an action that precedes the action of the verb-predicate:
He is excited of having spoken to her. - He's thrilled to have spoken to her.
He is excited of having been spoken to. He's thrilled to have been spoken to.
Functions of the gerund in a sentence
Since the gerund is something between a verb and a noun, it can take on various functions in offers. It can be an addition, a circumstance, a subject, a definition. Don't let these grammatical terms scare you, and if something is not entirely clear, then examples will help you.
- Subject:
Walking is very healthy. - Walking is very good for health.
- Prepositional addition:
Mary is fond of dancing. - She loves to dance.
- direct addition:
police officer minds your waiting here. - The policeman objects to your waiting here.
- Time condition:
On coming home Mr. Crabster came across his neighbor. - Upon returning home, Mr. Crabster ran into his neighbor.
- Circumstance of action:
Instead of doing her home task she watched "The Big Bang Theory". - Instead of doing her homework, she was watching The Big Bang Theory.
- Compound nominal predicate:
My husband's business is selling rabbits. - My husband's business is to sell rabbits.
- Definition:
Aliens liked her manner of speaking. - The aliens liked her way of speaking.
Use of the gerund
The gerund can be used after many verbs and adjectives with fixed prepositions. Let's take a look at the most common ones. Only get ready, because there is quite a lot to remember. In general, keep the following lists with you and use as a cheat sheet until these words finally settle in your head.
Verbs followed by only a gerund:
acknowledge- recognize, confirm;
admit- recognize, allow;
advise- advise;
allow- allow, permit;
anticipate- anticipate, expect;
appreciate- appreciate, evaluate, be grateful;
avoid- to avoid, evade;
be worth- worth something, deserve;
can't help- I can not, I can not (resist);
celebrate- celebrate;
consider- consider, consider;
defense- defend (sya), defend;
delay- delay, delay
detest- to hate
discontinue- stop, stop
discuss- discuss
dislike- not to love
dispute- quarrel, quarrel, question
dread- be afraid, fear
endure- endure, endure
enjoy- enjoy
escape- escape, escape, get rid of, avoid
evade- evade, avoid
explain- to explain;
fancy- to imagine, to wish, to want;
fear- afraid;
feel like- want to gather;
feign- pretend, pretend
finish- finish;
forgive- forgive;
give up- give up, give up
keep- continue;
mention- to mention;
mind- object (only in questions and negatives);
miss- miss;
necessitate- compel, make necessary;
omit- skip, do not include;
permit- allow, permit;
picture- depict, imagine;
postpone- postpone, reschedule
practice- to practice, to practice;
prevent- prevent, hinder, hinder;
put off
- postpone;
recall- recall;
collect- remember, remember
recommend- recommend, advise;
report- inform, report;
resent- to be indignant, to be indignant;
resist- to resist, to refrain;
resume- summarize, sum up, resume;
risk- to risk;
shirk- evade, evade;
suggest- suggest;
support- support, promote;
tolerate- endure, allow;
understand- understand;
urge- encourage, convince, insist;
warrant- guarantee, vouch.
I suggest waiting for a better chance. - I suggest waiting for a better opportunity.
She burst out crying. - She burst into tears.
She risked her life taking that medicine. She risked her life taking that medicine.
Gerund after verbs with prepositions:
accuse of- To accuse of;
agree to- agree with;
blame for- blame for;
complain of- complain about;
consist in- be included in;
count on/upon- count on;
congratulations on- congratulate with;
depend on- depend on;
dream of- To dream of;
feel like- want to gather;
hear of- hear about;
insist on- insist on;
keep from- keep (sya) from;
look forward to- look forward to, look forward to;
look like- to look like;
object to- object against;
persist in- persevere;
praise for- praise for;
prevent from- prevent from;
rely on- rely on;
result in- to lead to;
succeed in- succeed in;
suspect of- to suspect;
thanks for- give thanks for;
think of- to think about.
I don't feel like dancing with him. - I don't want to dance with him.
I "m looking forward to going to Italy. - I'm looking forward to a trip to Italy.
She suspected her boyfriend of deceiving her. She suspected that her boyfriend was cheating on her.
To be + adjective/participle + gerund:
be afraid of- to be afraid of something;
be ashamed of- be ashamed of something
be engaged in- to be busy with something;
be fond of- to love something, to be fond of something;
be good at- be capable of;
be interested in- be interested in something;
be pleased at- to be satisfied;
be proud of- to be proud of something;
be responsible for- be responsible for;
be sorry for- to regret something;
be surprised at- to be surprised at something;
be tired of- tired of that or;
be used to- get used to.
I'm tired of drinking champagne. - I'm tired of drinking champagne.
She is good at dancing the cha-cha. She is good at cha-cha-cha dancing.
I'm sorry for not coming. - I'm sorry I didn't come.
Gerund vs infinitive. Who will win?
In English, there are a number of verbs with which only the infinitive can be used, after some - only the gerund, while some verbs allow the use of both the infinitive and the gerund after themselves. To begin with, let's see what meaning is inherent in each of these rivals - the gerund and the infinitive. The following table will help you understand this.
| Gerund | verb infinitive |
| Means generalized long-term action: Kids started playing here 2 hours ago. - The children started playing here 2 hours ago. |
Precise, shorter action: She began to wash the dishes 2 hours ago. She started washing the dishes two hours ago. |
| Long-term action is associated with both the past and the present: John regret telling her the truth. John regrets telling her the truth. |
The action stretches more towards the future: He propose to start the project tomorrow. - He suggests starting the project tomorrow. |
| To forget (forget), to remember (remember) are used with a gerund when it comes to a perfect action: Chris forgot answering her message. Chris forgot he replied to her message. I remember holding the umbrella in my hand. - I remember holding this umbrella in my hand. |
To forget (forget), to remember (remember) are used with the infinitive if an action is forgotten or remembered that was never performed: Mr Crabster forgot to turn off the water tap. - Mr. Crabster forgot to turn off the water tap. I remember to find her as soon as possible. - I remember to find her as soon as possible. |
Verbs followed by an infinitive or gerund without changing the meaning of sentences:
begin- start;
can't bear- do not endure, do not endure;
can't stand- do not tolerate;
continue- continue;
hate- to hate;
like- like, love;
love- be in love;
prefer- prefer;
propose- suggest;
start- start.
Mary hates to wait for anyone. - Mary hates waiting for someone.
I can't stand listening to his guitar play. - I can't listen to his guitar playing.
I like riding in the mountains. - I like riding in the mountains.
Verbs followed by an infinitive or gerund with a change in meaning.
With these verbs, you need to keep your eyes open. Depending on what you choose - infinitive or gerund, the sentence will take on a certain meaning:
| forget - forget | forget + gerund to forget what has already been done |
| forget + infinitive forget what needed to be done |
|
| remember - remember | remember + gerund to remember what has already been done |
| remember + infinitive remember what needs to be done |
|
| stop - stop, stop | stop + gerund stop action, stop doing something |
| stop + infinitive stop to do something |
|
| try - try, try | try + gerund try different ways |
| try + infinitive try to do something, but often fail |
|
| regret - regret, regret | regret + gerund to regret what has been done |
| regret + infinitive regret to report something |
|
| quit - stop, stop, quit | quit + gerund stop doing something |
| quit + infinitive quit doing something for something else |
Conclusion
Well, the acquaintance with the gerund took place. As you can see, this topic is very extensive, there are many nuances and tables that you just need to memorize. You can use our article as a cheat sheet or sign up for our English courses via Skype to reinforce the topic. For those who have read to the end, +1000 to karma. May the force of the gerund be with you!
Big and Friendly family EnglishDom
The difficulty of studying the gerund lies in the fact that there is no similar part of speech in Russian. It is not entirely clear why it is needed at all. In this article, we will take a closer look at what a gerund is and how the gerund is used in English.
What is a gerund?
Like the verb, the gerund names the action, has various forms. Like a noun, the gerund can be used with . There is no gerund in Russian, so it is translated either as a noun or as a verb, depending on the context:
Reading is my hobby. Reading is my hobby (Reading is my hobby).
children finished reading. - Children finished reading (Children finished reading).
Table: gerund forms in English
There are four forms of the gerund in total: two in the Simple form and two in the Perfect form. In most cases it is used simple gerund(eg, “asking”), the majority of this article is devoted to it.
| Active | passive | |
|---|---|---|
|
Simple (Indefinite) |
having been asked |
Negative form of the gerund formed by a particle not, which is placed before the gerund: not asking, not being asked, not having asked, not having been asked.
Consider the forms of the gerund in more detail.
1. Gerund in the form of Simple (in active and passive voice)
Expresses an action that takes place:
- Simultaneously with the action expressed by the verb in the personal form.
He likes inviting his friends to his house. He likes to invite friends to his house.
He likes being invited by his friends. He likes when his friends invite him.
- Refers to the future tense.
I think of taking English classes next month. I am thinking of going to English lessons next month.
She indends selling her house. She intends to sell her house.
- Regardless of the time it took place
Running is a good hobby. - Running is a good hobby.
Reading makes you smarter. - Reading makes you smarter.
2. Gerund in the form of Perfect (in active and passive voice)
It is used when the action precedes the action expressed by the verb.
Lizzy mentioned having read the article in a magazine. Lizzie mentioned that she had read an article in a magazine.
I don't remember having seen you before. “I don't remember seeing you before.
Note:
In some cases, the Simple gerund is used instead of the Perfect gerund, even though the gerund expresses the preceding action.
- After prepositions on \ upon- after, after and after- after.
After leaving the room, he laughed. - Leaving the room (after he left the room), he laughed.
On receiving the positive answer, we agreed to cooperate. – After receiving a positive response, we agreed to cooperate.
- In cases where it is not necessary to emphasize that the action expressed by the gerund preceded the action expressed by the verb:
Thank you for coming. - Thank you for coming.
He apologized for leaving the door open. He apologized for leaving the door open.
Gerund without preposition
The cases of using the gerund can be divided into two groups: the gerund without a preposition and the gerund with a preposition. First, let's take a look at more simple cases when there is no preposition before the gerund.
1. Gerund as subject
In the role of the subject, the gerund usually denotes generalized concepts.
Hunting wolves is dangerous. “Hunting wolves is dangerous.
flying makes me nervous. Flying makes me nervous.
Brushing your teeth is important. - Brushing your teeth is important.
Knowlenge ispower. - Knowledge is power.
Learning is an easy part. Practicing is what makes it hard. Study is the easy part, practice is the hard part.
2. Gerund as part of a compound predicate
1. The predicate consists of to be + gerunds:
One of his duties is attending meetings. One of his duties is to attend meetings.
One of life's pleasures is having breakfast in bed. One of the pleasures in life is breakfast in bed.
In this case, instead of a gerund, you can use:
One of his duties is to attend meetings.
One of life's pleasures is to have breakfast in bed.
2. The predicate consists of a verb + gerund.
Especially often in this combination verbs are used:
- avoid- to avoid,
- finish- to finish
- stop, give up- stop
- keep (on)- continue,
- put off, postpone, delay- postpone, postpone.
- need- need,
- require- demand,
- want- to want,
- enjoy- enjoy, enjoy.
I avoid going to the dentist. - I avoid going to the dentist.
I have finished working. - I've finished working.
I can't give up smoking. - I can not quit smoking.
John keeps watching
The windows need washing. - The windows need to be cleaned.
Notes:
1. Combination “keep (on) + gerund” means "keep doing something, keep doing something." This is quite a useful and common combination.
She kept rereading his letters. She continued to reread his letters.
John keeps watching TV all the time. John watches TV all the time.
There are several popular patterns with him that are often seen in films:
keep moving! - Forward! (lit.: keep moving)
keep smiling! - Smile! (lit.: keep smiling)
Let's keep going. Let's go (lit.: let's keep going).
2. After some verbs, the infinitive can be used as the second part of the predicate.
I like swimming– I like to swim(I like to swim).
He started complaining– He started to complain(He began to complain).
3. After the verb stop the infinitive can be used, but then the meaning stop will not “stop”, but “stop”:
She stopped crying. She stopped crying.
She stopped to cry. She stopped to cry.
3. Gerund after the verbs mention, remember, mind
The gerund is used as a direct object after verbs. mention- to mention remember- remember mind- object
I don't mind having a drink. - I don't mind drinking.
I remember locking the door. I remember locking the door.
Did I mention going to see Vicky on the Sunday? Did I mention that I'm meeting Vicki on Sunday?
Note:
After the verb remember the infinitive can be used, but the meaning will change:
I remember locking the door = I remember locking the door.
I remember to lock the door. I remember that the door must be locked.
Gerund after preposition
The gerund can be used after a preposition preceded by , or .
Turnover scheme:
Verb \ Proverbs \ Adjective \ Ex. + Preposition + Gerund
Please note that a preposition can only govern a noun, a pronoun, and a gerund, the closest form of a verb to a noun. A verb, infinitive or participle cannot be controlled by a preposition - after preposition Every verb takes the form of a gerund.
1. Gerund as a Complement
After verbs, participles and adjectives, the gerund is used as a prepositional indirect.
I was surprised at seeing them together. – I was surprised to see them together.
Who is responsible for taking a wrong way? Who is responsible for choosing the wrong path?
Anna is interested in working with her sister. Anna is interested in working with her sister.
I'm afraid of doing a wrong thing. - I'm afraid to do wrong.
Among these verbs, participles and adjectives, there are several common ones:
- be disappointed at- to be disappointed in,
- be surprised at- be surprised at something
- be responsible for- be responsible for something
- prevent from- hinder, interfere with doing something,
- consist in- be included in
- persist in- to persevere in something
- result in- lead to something
- spend in- spend on something
- succeed in- succeed at something
- be interested in- be interested in something
- accuse of- To accuse of,
- approve of- approve
- suspect of- to suspect
- hear of- hear about
- think of- to think about,
- be afraid of- to be afraid of something,
- be (in-) capable of- to be (not) capable of something,
- be fond of- to love, to adore something,
- be proud of- be proud of something
- count on- count on
- insist on- insist on
- object to- object against,
- get- get used to
Notes:
1. After all these words, nouns and pronouns can also be used as an addition (usually they are used):
I am fond of of pasta. - I'm crazy about pasta.
I'm proud of you. - I'm proud of you.
2. After some of the listed words, the infinitive can be used, but the preposition is then removed. A preposition cannot come before an infinitive.
I'm surprised at seeing you - I'm surprised to see you.
I'm proud of being with you - I'm proud to be with you.
In this case, “to” is not a preposition, but a particle referring to the infinitive.
2. Gerund as a definition
Like, gerund is used after nouns, usually with a preposition of.
There are many methods of teaching English. There are many methods of teaching English.
I study the art of cooking. I am studying the art of cooking.
Stop the process of dissolving. – Stop the dissolution process.
She didn't show any interest in joining our conspiracy. “She showed no interest in joining our plot.
Let's single out a few nouns, after which the gerund is often used:
- astonishment, surprise at- astonishment,
- disappointment at- disappointment,
- apology for- an apology
- plan for- plan,
- preparation for- preparation, preparation,
- reason for- the reason
- experience in- an experience,
- interest in- interest,
- skill in- skill, skill
- art of- art,
- chance of- opportunity,
- fear of- fear,
- habit of- habit,
- hope of- hope
- idea of- thought, idea
- importance of- importance,
- intention of- intention
- means of- means,
- method of- method,
- necessity of- necessity,
- objection to- objection
- pleasure of- pleasure,
- possibility of- opportunity,
- problem of- problem,
- process of- process,
- right of- right,
- way of- way, way
Note: after these nouns, nouns can be used, not just gerunds:
What's the method delivery? – What is the delivery method?
They have a long experience real estate. “They have a lot of experience in real estate.
3. Gerund as a circumstance
The gerund can, in combination with various prepositions, act as time, cause, mode of action, etc.
In this case, the gerund expresses:
1. Time:
Prepositions: on, upon, after- after, before- before, in- while
After saying goodbye, she closed the door. Saying goodbye, she closed the door.
On finding that the structure was wrong, Dr. Adams changed his mind. - After discovering that the structure was wrong, Dr. Adams changed his mind.
Check your bag before leaving. Check your bag before you leave.
In sayingthis, I'm not making excuses for the past. “In saying this, I am not making excuses for the past.
2. Reason:
Prepositions: for- behind, owing to thanks to, for a reason
The player was punished for cheating.– The player was punished for cheating.
The player lost owing to cheating.– The player lost due to cheating.
3. Mode of action:
Prepositions: by- by means of
The writer improved his script by adding two lines of dialogue. The writer improved the script by adding two lines of dialogue.
The wizard demolished the shield by using a powerful spell. “The wizard destroyed the shield by using a powerful spell.
4. Concomitant circumstances:
Prepositions: besides, apart from- Besides, instead of- instead of, without- without
Ask someone to help you instead of working alone. Ask someone to help you instead of working alone.
What do you like doing besidesplaying football ? What do you like to do besides playing football?
She left without saying a word. She left without saying a word.
5. Purpose:
Prepositions: for the purpose of- with the aim of
The robot was reprogrammed for the purpose ofselling. – The robot was reprogrammed for the purpose of sale.
The meeting is for the purpose ofsolving problems. The meeting is for problem solving.
6. Condition:
Prepositions: without- without, in case of- when
You'll never speak English without practicing. You will never speak English without practice.
Take this pill in case of feeling worse. Take this pill if you feel worse.
Verbal noun and gerund
In English there are verbal nouns with -ing at the end, they can be confused with gerunds, but they differ in that they are 100% nouns and denote an object / person / phenomenon, but NOT an action. Usually they denote the result of some work or type of activity. Before verbal noun can be an article or a possessive pronoun, as before a noun.
- Gerund: I like painting- I like drawing (process).
- otl. noun: How much is the painting? - How much is this painting? (item)
Despite the similarities with the noun, the gerund still names not the subject, but the process.
A warning: the article has a lot of complex concepts like “morphology, addition, participle”, etc. We hope you will master and not write angry comments that you can do without it. Because no, you can't. But after the article, you will finally understand English gerund. We promise. 🙂
Gerund in English - the rule
So that same morphology (the science of parts of speech) is closely related to syntax (the science of sentences). I'll explain now. Let's take the word "canteen" in Russian:
The dining room was open.
The word "dining room" here is the subject (the main member of the sentence that performs the action), because it was she who "was opened." So, before us is a noun.
I was asked to lay out cutlery.
Here "canteens" is a definition (indicates a sign of an object). And this is already an adjective.
English has the same system. Outwardly, the same word - in our case, the ing form of the verb - can mean different things depending on where it stands in the sentence and what role it plays there.
–Reading girl is sitting in front of me. (The reading girl is sitting opposite me) - This is.
– I don’t like his manner of reading. (I do not like his manner of reading) - And this is already a gerund.
Gerund in English: examples, analogue in Russian, difference from participle
Today you will learn how and when to use the gerund, what “analogue” it has in Russian and how it differs from the participle. Congrats, you've finally figured it out!
But, as I warned, you will have to learn (or rather, remember from school) all sorts of complex concepts. But do not be afraid: I will describe everything in the most accessible language. I will first explain difficult things using the example of the Russian language, and then transfer it to English.
Functions of the gerund in English
So the gerund is the form of the verb. But the conditional analogue of the gerund in Russian can be called a verbal noun. For example:
drive off - departure(leaving), swim - swimming(swimming), watch - view(watching) and so on.
Why do I say "conditional"? Because the gerund still has signs of a verb that a verbal noun does not have. For example, the gerund has active and passive forms. But I will talk about this at the end of the article, so as not to blow your mind.
Let's get back to analogy. Gerund, like our Russian noun, can do almost anything in a sentence! It can become any member of the proposal. So, let's deal with cases of using the gerund. And along the way, where necessary, we compare the gerund and the participle so that you do not confuse them.
The use of the gerund in English
1. Gerund as subject
Let's remember: the subject is the main part of the sentence. The entity that performs the action, experiences the state, and so on.
In russian language a verbal noun can be a subject.
Smoking ⇒ smoking ⇒
Smoking is bad for your health.
In English the same:
Smoking is bad for your health.
The gerund subject can carry dependent words:
Smoking cigarettes is bad for your health.
The subject is usually placed at the beginning of a sentence.
2. Gerund as a predicate
Let's remember: the predicate is the action or state of the object expressed by the subject.
In russian language A verbal noun can also be a predicate:
Swim ⇒ swimming ⇒
Her passion is swimming. (Passion is the subject, swimming is the predicate).
Same in English, only a linking verb is added (without a verb in English in any way). The gerund in such a sentence is that part of the compound predicate that makes sense:
His hobby is collecting stamps. (His hobby is collecting stamps).
The predicate usually comes after the subject.
3. Gerund as a complement
Let's remember: addition is what the action is directed to; something that completes the action.
An object can be direct (accusative, without a preposition) when the action is directly directed at it: I read (what?) A book, I see (what?) a figure. 🙂
Can be prepositional (with a preposition): thinking about a friend, fighting for freedom.
Most often, the addition in the sentence refers to the predicate.
So, in Russian A verbal noun can be both direct and prepositional object:
Move ⇒ move ⇒
I am planning a move.
I'm thinking about moving.
The same with the gerund in English:
He enjoys swimming in the sea. He likes to swim in the sea (direct object without preposition).
I'm tired of waiting. - I'm tired of waiting (prepositional object).
Note that the complement gerund comes after the predicate. And the predicate can be:
- simple (ordinary verb in any tense and voice),
- compound (be + adjective, be + participle),
- expressed as a phrasal verb.
List of verbs: sentences with gerund in English, examples
Here is a list of verbs that are usually followed by a gerund:
admit, appreciate, avoid, consider, delay, deny, keep, miss, suggest, quit, finish, practice, imagine, risk, mind, enjoy, need;
Example: My car needs repair. My car needs to be repaired.
Here are examples compound predicates(to be + adjective or participle), immediately with prepositions:
to be afraid of, to be ashamed of, to be engaged in, to be fond of, to be good at, to be interested in, to be proud of, to be surprised at, to be tired of, to be sorry for and others;
Example: I'm sorry for disturbing you - Sorry for disturbing you.
Here is a list of phrasal verbs that are often followed by a gerund as a prepositional object:
accuse of, agree on, apologize for, approve of, believe in, blame for, care about, complain about, complain of, confess to, consent to, consist of, count on, depend on, disapprove of, dream of, feel like , feel up to, forget about, forgive for, insist on, keep from, lead to, long for, look forward to, mean by, object to, pay for, persist in, prevent from, remind of, result in, return to , save from, succeed in, suspect of, take to, talk into, talk out of, thank for, think about, think of, work on, worry about.
Example: She blames him for losing her suitcase. She blames him for the loss of the suitcase.
4. Gerund as a definition
Let's remember: definition is a sign of the subject, both the subject and the object. Answers the question "What?".
So in Russian a verbal noun can also be a definition:
travel ticket - travel ticket
swimming cap swimming cap
That is, the noun characterizes the subject. Used with a preposition.
English gerund can do the same:
The risk of losing money scares him. The risk of losing money scares him. (Risk what? - loss of money).
He has five years' experience in teaching. (He has five years of teaching experience).
Such a definition usually comes after the word being defined, together with a preposition.
Participle and gerund in English
We agreed to compare the gerund with its "twin" - the present participle,. The time has come, because the sacrament can also be a definition. I warn you right away that the ability to distinguish them is unlikely to be useful to you in live speech, at most, in any exam. If this is not your case, then the table can be skipped. 🙂
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| ⠀Communion⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ | ⠀ Gerund |
| Formally: the single stands before the word being defined, the participial turnover - after. | Formally: usually comes after the word being defined, together with a preposition. |
| By value: denotes a sign by action, and this action is performed by the defined object itself:⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ boiling water - boiling water (water boils by itself)⠀ |
By value: The object being defined performs no action. In this case, even if the -ing form is BEFORE the noun, we have a gerund: the boiling point (the point does not boil itself) |
5. Gerund as a circumstance
Let's remember: circumstance denotes the cause, place, time, mode of action.
In russian language a verbal noun can be a circumstance:
I was very nervous about the move. (gives reason for action)
English gerund it can also do this:
He called her before leaving. He called her before leaving. (gives time of action)
Usually in this function the gerund is used after prepositions:
after, before, on, by, without, besides, instead of, etc.
The circumstance can be just a preposition + a gerund:
Let's discuss it after eating . Let's discuss this after the meal.
Or maybe a preposition + gerund + dependent words. The result is a turnover:
He passed them without saying hello. He walked past them without saying hello.
The circumstance is either at the beginning or at the end of the sentence.
Compare with a participle: sentences with a gerund in English
Let's compare it again with the sacrament, because it can also be a circumstance.
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But in terms of content, both sentences, in principle, are translated the same way. For a native speaker, the shades of meaning are very difficult to notice, just as for us in the examples “I was nervous when moving” - “I was nervous because of the move.”
Again, this knowledge can only be useful to you for the test. Just remember: the gerund is with a preposition.
Gerund in English - examples
In live speech, constructions with gerunds are often replaced with other, simpler ones, for example:
Your not wanting to go there surprises me. (Your reluctance to go there surprises me) -
I'm surprised that you don't want to go there (I'm surprised that you don't want to go there).
But remember a number of cases when the gerund is usually used:
– In prohibitions after NO:
– In questions that begin with “what about” and “how about” and express an inducement sentence:
Example: How about helping me in the kitchen? (How about you help me in the kitchen?)
– As part of a compound noun: drinking water, frying pan, writing desk, etc.
Example: In some countries, more than 10 percent of the people can't get any clean drinking water. (In some countries, more than 10% of the population does not have access to clean drinking water).
– The gerund is used after expressions: in spite of, no point in, can’t help/couldn’t help, can’t stand, it’s no use/no good, it is worth, feel like.
Example: In spite of saving money all her life, she wasn't rich. Despite the fact that she saved up all her life, she was not rich.
- The gerund is used after the verb go when it comes to some kind of pastime:
Example: Let's go swimming!
Gerund in English: exercises with answers
Gerund exercises - on the rules of formation, forms, use, etc. - you .
But in conclusion, I will say a couple more things about the gerund in English:
1. It has not only a simple form in the active voice, but also complex ones:
- perfect (perfect gerund):
having asked, having written;
- passive (passive gerund):
being asked, being written;
- perfect passive (perfect passive gerund)
having been asked, having been written.
But they are rarely used in live speech.
2. Often in the role of an object instead of a gerund in English, an infinitive is used. But this issue. If you don't want to wait, you can, and then fix the result.
3. Gerund, as a noun, can be defined by possessive pronouns and nouns in the possessive case (my singing). But it cannot have an article or a plural.
4. Please note that you will not always translate the gerund into Russian as a noun. It is often more logical to translate the gerund as a verb. I compared it with a noun only to make it easier to understand.
Moreover, English has its own verbal nouns. Moreover, some of them are twins of the gerund (also with the suffix -ing).
You can use the article with them, make them plural, and so on. In general, they behave grammatically in completely different ways! This is a twist, right? But it is also worth writing about this separately - we will do that later.
As long as you have enough trouble. 🙂
Gerund in English: examples, use
So let's sum it up:
- Gerund is something between a verb and a noun. For your understanding, I compared it with a verbal noun, but in fact it is more complicated and has the features of a verb - active and passive forms, it can be determined by an adverb.
- But as a noun, it can be defined by a possessive pronoun and a noun in the possessive case, have a preposition, and perform any function in a sentence.
- More precisely, it can be subject, predicate, object, circumstance and definition.
- Often in live speech, gerunds can be replaced with simpler constructions. But there are cases when native speakers use the gerund.
- To know everything about the gerund, it stands separately and with a verbal noun. But we'll deal with that later.
In the meantime, you can dig into the . See you!
