Gerunds and infinitives are verb forms that can take the place of a noun in a sentence. The following guidelines and lists will help you figure out whether a gerund or infinitive is needed. Following a verb (gerund or infinitive) Both gerunds and infinitives can replace a noun as the object of a verb. Whether you use a gerund or an infinitive depends on the main verb in the sentence. Consult the lists below to find out which form to use following which verbs.

Some common verbs followed by a gerund (note that phrasal verbs, marked here with *, always fall into this category): Acknowledge She acknowledged receiving assistance.* accuse of He was accused of smuggling contraband goods.admitThey admitted  falsifying the data. Advise The author advises undertaking further study. Anticipate He anticipates having trouble with his supervisor.appreciateI appreciated having a chance to read your draft. Avoid He avoided answering my question. completeI finally completed writing my thesis. Consider They will consider granting you money.deferShe deferred writing her report. Delay We delayed reporting the results until we were sure. deny They denied copying the information. discuss They discussed running the experiments again.entail This review procedure entails repeating the test.* look after He will look after mailing the tickets.* insist on He insisted on proofreading the article again.involveThis procedure involves testing each sample twice. Justify My results justify taking drastic action. mention The author mentions seeing this event.* plan on They had planned on attending the conference. Postpone The committee has postponed writing the report. recallI cannot recall getting those results before. resentHe resented spending so much time on the project.recommend She recommends reading Marx. Resist The writer resists giving any easy answers. Risk She risks losing her viewing time. sanctionThey will not sanction copying without permission. suggestI suggest repeating the experiment.* take care of He will take care of sending it to you. tolerateShe can't tolerate waiting for results.

GERUNDS A GERUND is a verb in its "ing" form (the present participle); for example, raining, dancing, laughing, thinking, creating, running, and so on.  By definition, they are activities . either physical or mental.  These words function as NOUNS in a sentence: The subject of the verb:          Swimming is a lot of fun and good exercise. The object of the verb:            I really like swimming. The object of a preposition:   I am looking forward to swimming in the ocean.

1.1  GERUNDS AS THE SUBJECT OF THE SENTENCE Any activity that can be expressed with the "ing" form of a verb can be the subject of a sentence.  All gerunds can be the subject of a sentence. Breathing is necessary. Driving a car requires good vision. Helping other people feels good.

1.2  GERUNDS AS THE OBJECT OF A PREPOSITION Prepositions (for, with, about, &) must be followed by an object.  The object can be a noun or a gerund (a verb acting as a noun). I am tired of waking up too early. I look forward to meeting your friend. I am interested in learning baseball. She is responsible for implementing new policy.

1.3  GERUNDS AS THE OBJECT OF A VERB When it comes to gerunds as the object of a verb, not all verbs are equal.  That is, some verbs can take a gerund as their objects, but other verbs cannot.  (Some verbs can take infinitives as their objects. Some verbs never take an object at all.)  These differences can only be learned, as individual vocabulary items.

2   INFINITIVES An infinitive may exist with or without the word "to".   For example, following modal verbs (can, may, must, ... ). Infinitives with the word "to" can function as either the SUBJECT or the OBJECT of a verb. 2.1 INFINITIVES AS THE SUBJECT OF THE SENTENCE To read a good book is my favorite form of relaxation. To win means everything to him. To speak a foreign language well requires practice. 2.2 INFINITIVES AS THE OBJECT OF THE VERB Most people like to win. I don't want to go. We don't need to fight like this.

2.2.1 Verb + Infinitive Here are some verbs that are followed by an infinitive.  (These verbs can be followed by any infinitive. The infinitives used in these sentences are only examples.)    We can't afford to remain outside the market. Should we agree to buy from them? It appears to be a mistake. I will arrange to talk with them as soon as possible. I asked to see the manager about it. I beg to differ with you, sir. Would you care to try a California wine? They claim to make the best potato chips in the world.  We will never consent to allow your name to be put on our product.  Finally, I decided to do it myself. I demand to know who is responsible for this! He deserves to get a promotion. She expects to hire an apprentice. Do not fail to let us know your decision. If you have trouble, don't hesitate to call us for help. We hope to begin by next week. I intend to go home early. He learned to speak English as a child. You managed to overlook something. Did you mean to put my report in the waste basket? I need to talk to an expert. They offered to buy the rest from us. We plan to expand our product range. Are you prepared to explain this disaster? I don. t pretend to know all the answers. I promise to do my best.  He refuses to answer my calls. He seems to be the one who is in charge.  We had to struggle to open the window. Do you swear to keep this a secret? They threatened to sue us if we didn't pay their fee. No one volunteered to clean up after the picnic. I cannot wait to see the expression on his face when he hears the news. I want to find the right person for this job. I do not wish to be a part of your scheme.