191 Gerund and infinitive When a verb is used as a noun in a sentence, it is called a ‘gerund’ (verb + -ing). A gerund can be used as the subject or as an object of a sentence, just like a noun. Upcycling is a fulfilling hobby. (= gerund as subject)/Jamal enjoys upcycling. (= gerund as object) When there is a verb following a preposition (by, from, without, etc.), it takes the form of a gerund. You can live without eating, but you can’t live without drinking. When you use two verbs together, the second verb can either be a gerund or an infinitive. I avoid staying up too late during the week./Sophie decided to take a gap year after school. Whether you need to use an infinitive (to invite, to take) or a gerund (inviting, taking) depends on the main verb in the sentence. There are no fixed rules for this, so you need to learn which verbs take which form – and check a dictionary if you’re not sure. With some verbs the meaning can change depending on whether a gerund or an infinitive follows. Ella stopped buying fast fashion after watching a documentary. Ella stopped to refill her water bottle at the drinking fountain. Liam will always remember meeting Freddie on the train to Manchester. Next year, Liam will remember to pack reusable cups for their camping trip. Try eating less meat for a week and see how it affects your energy levels. I’ll try to reduce my screen time to save energy. Omar went on collecting plastic waste from the beach after everyone else had left. Omar then went on to organise a local clean-up campaign. = She no longer buys fast fashion. = She stopped what she was doing so she could refill her water bottle. = Liam is thinking about a past experience. He will always remember that moment. = He is thinking about something he needs to do in the future. He won’t forget it. = Do something as an experiment or see what happens if you do it. = I’ll make an effort to do something that might be difficult. = He continued the same action. = He moved on to the next action; he started planning something new. These important verbs are usually followed by a gerund: admit, avoid, can’t help, can’t stand, delay, deny, dislike, enjoy, fancy, feel like, finish, give up, imagine, mind, postpone, practise, put off, resist, risk, suggest These important verbs are usually followed by an infinitive: afford, agree, begin, choose, decide, expect, help, hesitate, hope, intend, manage, offer, prepare, pretend, promise, refuse, seem, want Some verbs can be followed by either a gerund or an infinitive: She continued laughing. She continued to laugh. Nur zu Prüfzwecken – Eigentum des Verlags öbv
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