Questions tagged [infinitive-vs-gerund]
For questions about the difference in meaning or grammaticality between using a gerund or an infinitive in a particular context.
348
questions
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1answer
15 views
Is it possible to change gerund to infinitive in here?
Can I change the gerund in the following sentence: "Being an activist means using your voice" to the infinitive?
That is, the sentence would look like: "To be an activist means using ...
9
votes
6answers
3k views
Why does this sentence use "to writing" instead of "to write"?
This is a quote by Hemingway.
Don't get discouraged because there’s a lot of mechanical work to writing.
Should not the sentence be the following one?
Don't get discouraged because there’s a lot of ...
1
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0answers
14 views
Continue to provoke vs continue provoking [duplicate]
Do both forms of the verb "continue" have the same meaning in these sentences? Did I even use "to continue" correctly?
He taunts the player from the opposing team. Since he did ...
0
votes
1answer
11 views
took him two months building/to build a house
Are the following sentences both okay? If so, what's the difference?
It took him two months to build a house.
It took him two months building a house.
0
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1answer
23 views
Is (have + object) followed by 'infinitive', 'gerund' or 'past participle' in this context?
I want to know which is appropriate one to fill the gap in.
Leslie had a very strange thing __(happen) when she was in Romania.
happen
happening
happened
Oxfor Grammar explains that I can use ...
0
votes
1answer
22 views
We watched the workman
We watched the workman to repair the machine.
1.repairing
2.repair
3.no change
To me, 1st is correct. What's your opinion ?
0
votes
1answer
15 views
ease off followed by a gerund or an infinitive
I eased off studying English.
or
I eased off to study English.
I think 2 is wrong but 1 is possible.
1
vote
1answer
29 views
Undertake followed by a gerund or infinitive?
Do they mean the same or different?
**
1 We might undertake going forward. 2 We might undertake to go forward.
**
Additional info.
Dictionaries say that: 1 undertake + a noun means to do or begin to ...
-2
votes
1answer
25 views
ASPIRED followed by the gerund or the infinitive? [closed]
What follows the verb ASPIRE?
1 BACK IN ENGLAND HE ASPIRED BECOMING AN ARTIST.
2 BACK IN ENGLAND HE ASPIRED TO BECOME AN ARTIST.
0
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2answers
66 views
'Forget + infinitive-to' or 'Forget + gerund'?
According to Cambridge dictionary, the word forget can be followed by either infinitive or gerund. These are the sentences I took from the dictionary:
She would never forget seeing the Himalayas for ...
0
votes
1answer
34 views
prefer to V rather than V/Ving
I'd like o know which form of verb should follow "rather than" in the following:
John prefers to watch TV rather than play/playing basketball.
1
vote
1answer
55 views
Why infinitive isn't used instead of "Contribute to + gerund"?
I can understand what does it mean but I don't know when to use gerund or infinitive. I have no problem about understanding. I just want to understand the sense. As far as I know some of these words ...
0
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0answers
18 views
Encourage followed be "possessive pronoun + gerund"
Are these grammatically acceptable?
1 He encouraged my working hard. (always)
2 He encouraged me to work hard. (always or one-off occurrence)
Is this wrong?
3 He encouraged my applying for the visa. (...
8
votes
1answer
1k views
Is it correct to say "She taught me drawing" and "She taught me to draw"?
When "teach" means to give lessons, we say "teach somebody something", for example, “He teaches them English”.
However, when “teach” means to show people how to do something, we ...
4
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1answer
980 views
Chicken out followed by an infinitive
Is it possible to use "infinitive" after chicken out?
She chickened out to go there by herself.
0
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1answer
32 views
Are "start/begin [infinitive]" and "start/begin [gerund] really interchangeable?
Many agree that there's no difference "between start/begin + infinitive" and "start/begin + gerund."
But in sentences like "When we first started to talk/started talking,"...
2
votes
1answer
58 views
The verb "arrange" followed by an infinitive or gerund
A lot of books say that "arrange" is followed by an infinitive. But can it be followed by a gerund?
Dolly arranges singing at church.
Molly arranged staying at her flat.
Molly arranged ...
1
vote
1answer
56 views
Difference between "to develop" vs "developing"
What is the difference between:
The objective of the project is to develop a framework
Versus:
The objective of the project is developing a framework
Is any of them incorrect?
0
votes
1answer
33 views
Being treated vs to be treated
An outpatient is a patient _____ at a hospital during the thay but not staying overnight
Which one is correct, being treated or to be treated?
I think it's being, though. But I don't know why.
0
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1answer
35 views
Some grammar questions from the test
I'm doing a random test from the internet, and need help with clarifying grammar structures in several sentences.
The test is on "gerund vs infinitive"
1.I prefer getting up early to ______ ...
0
votes
1answer
55 views
Please help identify subject/noun/verbs?
Can anyone help me to identify what the subject, nouns, and verbs are in this sentence?
Recognizing and pursuing only your interests results in a selfish, collapsing world order.
0
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1answer
44 views
Which sentence is correct and why? (Gerund vs infinitive)
It was driving me crazy not knowing what they were.
It was driving me crazy not to know/ to not know what they were.
0
votes
2answers
35 views
to + ing form. as an example, "to connecting people
In this sentence:
Lincoln Park Zoo is dedicated to connecting people with nature by providing a family-oriented...
Can I write "dedicated to connect people with nature"? If not, why do I ...
1
vote
2answers
32 views
"What is fun for you?" "It is to play baseball."
I'm an ESL teacher, and I'm having a difficult time deciding if these sentences are grammatically correct or natural:
A: "What is fun for you?"
B: "It is to play baseball."
A: &...
0
votes
1answer
65 views
Is it correct to say "I saw Tom opening the door"? [duplicate]
Or should I say
I saw Tom open the door.
I want to know if there is a difference in meaning between using "verb + noun + infinitive" and "verb + noun + gerund" in case both are ...
0
votes
2answers
71 views
What is the difference between "to play" or "to be playing" [closed]
I need to be playing in Europe
I need to play in Europe
Which sentence is more correct or is there any difference at all?
0
votes
2answers
35 views
Still confused to differentiate try+to and try+gerund
What I learned from try-to-do-something-vs-try-doing-something, to+do is used to attempt to do or accomplish and to+gerund is used to test the effect or result or an effort based on more of a guess ...
0
votes
3answers
82 views
Helping or Help?
Could the word "help" be used instead of "helping" in this sentence? Would the meaning be the same either way?
Money will also go to helping the pink iguana and the Floreana
...
0
votes
1answer
21 views
Is it correct to change "Would you mind if I..." to "Don't mind me..."?
Suppose this is the original sentence:
Would you mind if I changed the channel?
What I learned from here, I assume that we have to use past verb after "I". Otherwise, we use a gerund after ...
1
vote
2answers
34 views
What kind of verb is "is" in this sentence?
She is crying for help.
What kind of verb is the verb "is" in this sentence? Whether it is finite or helping verb or both?
1
vote
1answer
43 views
Can infinitive-to and gerund be alternated in a sentence if it contains more than 2 "to"?
Sally reminded me to ask you to tell Bob to remember to
bring his soccer ball to the picnic.
The sentence above, somehow seems unnatural and not good to me. Can I alternate with gerunds as follows?
...
0
votes
0answers
22 views
which one is correct? "...continued to not be done" or "...continued to be not done." or "...continued to not to be done."
Here is the sentence:
The action was not done in the past and has continued to not be done.
I am not quite sure about whether the part of the sentence, which is after "continue...." is ...
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0answers
50 views
Gerund or Infinitive? (an example sentence)
Which sentence is true?
I think there is a hidden agenda in the proposal to reduce the staff in order to make the company more efficient.
I think there is a hidden agenda in the proposal reducing ...
0
votes
1answer
638 views
'end up to find' or "end up finding"? Gerund vs Infinitive?
What is the reason for using "finding" in this sentence and not "to find"?
"These newcomers often end up not (to find)/(finding) the opportunities they are looking for."
1
vote
1answer
928 views
Feel comfortable to do or doing
I come across some opinions of native English speakers that "I don't feel comfortable to do something" is not idiomatic and should be replaced with "I don't feel comfortable doing ...
0
votes
1answer
33 views
"You must not forget ..... (turn) off your stove, it's very dangerous."
I saw this fill in the blanks question on my practice book and it left me confused
You must not forget ..... (turn) off your stove, it's very dangerous.
For the book, answer is to turn. My answer ...
3
votes
1answer
104 views
“to find a friend to practice speaking with" or "finding a friend to practice speaking with"?
In the following conversation:
--- Did you have any problems in your English study?
--- Yes, _____ a friend to practice speaking with.
Is it correct to fill in the blank with "to find” Or "...
asked Mar 30 '21 at 2:37
HypnoticBuggyWraithVirileBevy
1,8851 gold badge9 silver badges26 bronze badges
0
votes
0answers
23 views
Extend vs Extending
We are also working with our customers as they make changes, including in sectors that are difficult to decarbonize, such as aviation, shipping, road freight, and industry. We will contribute to '...
1
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0answers
17 views
Watching or to watch. Which one is correct in these two sentences? [duplicate]
Is it ok to say:
Then, I started watching an episode of...
or should I say
Then, I started to watch an episode of...
Which one is correct or are both correct? Can you explain me what's the ...
0
votes
0answers
873 views
"Begin to" or "Begin v.-ing"
It seems that "Begin/start to do something" is generally the correct form, as opposed to "Begin/start doing". Are there situations in which the latter is correct?
I've just come ...
0
votes
1answer
83 views
What I hope for is to V/Ving
I'd like to know "what someone hopes for is" should be followed by a to-infinitive or a gerund:
What Peter hopes for is to buy/buying a sports car.
0
votes
1answer
436 views
"started to get", "started getting" or "started to getting" - which is correct?
From that point things started to get complicated.
From that point things started getting complicated.
From that point things started to getting complicated.
Which of these sentences would be correct,...
1
vote
1answer
124 views
Except + infinitive or gerund
This has done nothing except______ an already delicate situation.
a) to inflame
b) inflaming
c) inflame
Which one is correct?
1
vote
1answer
62 views
“To solve” vs “For solving”: what is the difference? [duplicate]
What are the differences between:
An algorithm to solve optimization problems
and
An algorithm for solving optimization problems
I think only the second one is correct but I can’t explain why the ...
-1
votes
1answer
61 views
Using infinitive instead of gerund?
Are these sentences have a difference with meaning, tense or etc. between each other:
Playing is easy.
To play is easy.
and
They need getting up early.
They need to get up early.
1
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0answers
51 views
There are some benefits to have/having an experience
Can you help me with this rule?
I have no idea about its name (maybe gerund?).
But Word offers me to change "have" to "having".
Why should (or shouldn't) I do it here?:
There are ...
0
votes
1answer
22 views
What + sb + verb + [be (in the appropriate tense)] is followed by to + infinitive or a gerund?
When we have a sentence of the form: What + sb + verb + [be (in the appropriate tense)] + ... (for instance, what I like is ...), which rules do we have to apply to determine whether the sentence is ...
0
votes
0answers
6 views
Can I use a gerund after "having"?
The sentence I'm having trouble with is:
Show the class how to perform the activity by having one student act as the giver and you acting as the receiver.
Should it be "you act as the receiver&...
1
vote
1answer
385 views
"Start to feel better" vs. "Start feeling better"
Which is correct?
He will enjoy this when he starts to feel better.
Or
He will enjoy this when he starts feeling better.
0
votes
1answer
62 views
like somebody TO do something VS like somebody doING something
I’m studying Complex Object with the verbs of desire. “Like” is one of them.
And it seems to me that this structure isn’t widely used at least in American English today.
e.g I like her to sing
I feel ...