0
  1. He never remembers 1. _______ his mother a birthday card. It has been so long since he did it that she can't remember ever 2._RECEIVING_one from him

Could it be in 1 sending: I know the solution is to send but I think sending could make it too because he did send... may be a long time ago but he did it.

I know the difference between "remember to" or "remember gerund" but in this particular case I think both can fit. I don't see a real difference.

https://www.dailystep.com/en/blog/remember-and-forget-gerund-or-infinitive-how-does-the-meaning-change

Improve this question
4
  • It might help to note that I will remember to do it is a perfectly natural way of saying I know I must do it, and I will not forget. For which the Past Tense version is I remembered / did remember to do it (I didn't forget) is also natural. But Present Tense + Infinitive (I remember to do it) and Future + Continuous (I will remember doing it) are extremely unlikely forms that would only occur in "unusual" contexts. With the infinitive, what's remembered is the need to act; with the continuous, what's remembered is the (past) act of doing it.
    – FumbleFingers
    Mar 8, 2020 at 17:16
  • so sending is better as it is a present tense
    – Yves Lefol
    Mar 8, 2020 at 17:22
  • He didn't remember to send her a card means he forgot that he was supposed to send her a card (consequently, he didn't send it). But He didn't remember sending her a card means he has no recollection of doing that. Maybe he did send it, but subsequently forgot what he did; OR maybe he never sent it anyway, which explains why he has no memory of doing it.
    – FumbleFingers
    Mar 8, 2020 at 17:30
  • I'm not sure if this is a duplicate, but you might find Why is “He knows to swim” incorrect? (Spoiler alert: It's not "incorrect"; it just has a different meaning to He knows swimming).
    – FumbleFingers
    Mar 8, 2020 at 17:34

0

Reset to default

You must log in to answer this question.

Browse other questions tagged .