Infinitives

Gerunds and infinitives:

Infinitives and gerunds are verbal nouns. They occupy the same position as any normal noun in a sentence. They can be the subject of a sentence, the object of a verb or preposition, etc.
When one is the subject of a sentence we can use any one of them
E.g.:
Fishing is a nice sport
To fish is a nice sport

The problem for students begin when they are objects of verbs, Only some verbs accept infinitives as objects, only some verbs accept gerunds as objects, some verbs accept both without any change in meaning and others accept both ,but there is difference in meaning:

Verbs that accept infinitives or gerunds with different meaning
Stop
Try
Forget
Remember

E.g.:

Ekatherina stopped talking to Nelson
(She was talking to Nelson and then she didn’t do it anymore)

Ekatherina stopped to talk to Nelson
(She was doing something different and she stopped doing that to begin talking to Nelson)

Dennis tried to open Sumiko’s bedroom door
(He made an effort, worked to open the door)

Dennis tried opening Sumiko’s bedroom door.
(This is only an experiment to see if he could open the door)



Ivonne forgot to lock the door of her house
(First she forgot and because of that she didn’t lock the door)

Ivonne forgot locking the door of her house
(First she locked the door and afterwards she forgot she had locked it)

Verbs Followed by an Infinitive
She agreed to speak before the game.

agree
aim
appear
arrange
ask
attempt
be able
beg
begin
care
choose
condescend
consent
continue
dare
decide
deserve
detest
dislike
expect
fail
forget
get
happen
have
hesitate
hope
hurry
intend
leap
leave
like
long
love
mean
neglect
offer
ought
plan
prefer
prepare
proceed
promise
propose
refuse
remember
say
shoot
start
stop
strive
swear
threaten
try
use
wait
want
wish




Verbs Followed by an Object and an Infinitive
Everyone expected her to win.

advise
allow
ask
beg
bring
build
buy
challenge
choose
command
dare
direct
encourage
expect
forbid
force
have
hire
instruct
invite
lead
leave
let
like
love
motivate
order
pay
permit
persuade
prepare
promise
remind
require
send
teach
tell
urge
want
warn


Note: Some of the verbs included in the list above may be used without an
object.

The infinitive is often a complement used to help define an abstract noun. Here is a very partial list of abstract nouns, enough to suggest their nature. Try following these adjectives with an infinitive phrase.
their desire to play in the championship game, a motivation to pass all their courses, her permission to stay up late, a gentle reminder to do your work) to see how the phrase modifies and focuses the noun.


Nouns often followed by infinitives

Advice
appeal
command
decision
desire
fact
instruction
motivation
Opportunity
order
permission
plan
possibility
preparation
proposal
recommendation
Refusal
reminder
request
requirement
suggestion
tendency
wish


Infinitive phrases often follow certain adjectives. When this happens, the infinitive is said to play the role of Adjective Complement.

a. She was hesitant to tell the coach of her plan.
b. She was reluctant to tell her parents, also.
c. But she would not have been content to play high school ball forever.

Here is a list of adjectives that you will often find in such constructions.

Ahead
amazed
anxious
apt
ashamed
bound
careful
certain
content
delighted
Determined
disappointed
eager
eligible
fortunate
glad
happy
hesitant
liable
likely
Lucky
pleased
proud
ready
reluctant
sad
shocked
sorry
surprised
upset

Verbs Followed by a Gerund
They enjoyed working on the boat.
Admit
advise
appreciate
avoid
can't help
complete
consider
delay
deny
detest
dislike
Enjoy
escape
excuse
finish
forbid
get through
have
imagine
mind
miss
permit
postpone
practice
quit
recall
report
resent
resist
resume
risk
spend (time)
suggest
tolerate
waste (time)


Verbs Followed by a Preposition and a Gerund
We concentrated on doing well.

Admit to
Approve of
Argue about
Believe in
Care about
Complain about
Concentrate on
Confess to
Depend on
Disapprove of
Discourage from
Dream about
Feel like
Forget about
Insist on
Object to
Plan on
Prevent someone) from
Refrain from
Succeed in
Talk about
Think about
Worry about



MSR/mbs