- Gerunds (verb + -ing)
- After certain verbs/verbal phrases (admit, appreciate, avoid, can’t bear, suggest, understand…)
- Example: I enjoy reading books.
- After prepositions (after, before, by, for, in, on, with, without…)
- Example: She is good at painting.
- After verb + preposition phrases (apologise for, succeed at/in, think about/of…)
- Example: He succeeded in passing the exam.
- Example: He succeeded in passing the exam.
- After noun + preposition phrases (congratulations on, the idea of, a good chance of…)
- Example: Congratulations on winning the prize.
- Example: Congratulations on winning the prize.
- After adjective + preposition phrases (famous for, good at, used to, worried about…)
- Example: She is famous for singing beautifully.
- Example: She is famous for singing beautifully.
- Infinitives (to + verb)
- After modal verbs (must, can, should, could, will) – without “to” .
- Example: You must study hard.
- After certain verbs/verb phrases (had better, would rather, let, make…) – without “to”
- Example: Let him go.
- After most nouns (aim, ambition, attempt, decision, fool, mistake, need, nuisance…)
- Example: I made an attempt to solve the problem.
- Example: I made an attempt to solve the problem.
- After most adjectives (able, advisable, afraid, anxious, bound, careful, certain, dangerous…)
- Example: He is afraid to speak in public.
- Example: He is afraid to speak in public.
- After indefinite pronouns (somewhere, nothing, someone…)
- Example: There is nothing to worry about.
- Example: There is nothing to worry about.
Gerund or infinitive
- The following verbs can be followed by an infinitive or a gerund, with a difference in meaning.
-
Gerund (-ing)
المصدر المستمر (-ing)
Infinitive (to + verb)
المصدر (to + verb)
forget + gerund – lose a memory of something
you have done:
فقدان ذكرى شيء فعلته
forget + infinitive – fail to do something because it slips your mind
فشل في القيام بشيء لأنه فات من ذهنك
I will never forget seeing The Grand Canyon for the first time – what a spectacular view!
لن أنسى أبدا رؤية جراند كانيون لأول مرة – يا لها من منظر رائع!
Caitlin forgot to tell her manager about a
meeting and she is in trouble now.
كايتلين نسيت أن تخبر مديرها عن لقاء وهي الآن في ورطة.
- Gerund → remember something that already happened
- Infinitive → forget to do something you should do / future action
go on + gerund – continue the same activity
الاستمرار في نفس النشاط
go on + infinitive – start a new activity after finishing something else
بدء نشاط جديد بعد الانتهاء من شيء آخر
Brian went on practising despite injuries.
استمر بريان في ممارسة الفنون القتالية رغم إصاباته.
After Frank had quit his office job, he went on to become a farmer.
بعد أن ترك فرانك عمله في المكتب، انتقل ليصبح مزارعًا.
- Gerund → same activity continues
- Infinitive → a new activity starts after finishing something else
like + gerund – enjoy doing something
الاستمتاع بشيء
like + infinitive – do it because it is a good idea / prefer to do
القيام بشيء لأنه فكرة جيدة / يفضل القيام به
I like knitting – it’s relaxing.
أنا أحب الحياكة – مريحة جدًا.
I like to switch my phone off sometimes.
أحيانًا أحب إيقاف هاتفي.
mean + gerund – involve / result in something
ينطوي على شيء / يؤدي إلى شيء
mean + infinitive – intend to do something
يعتزم القيام بشيء
Accepting this job meant getting up early.
يعني قبول هذه الوظيفة الاستيقاظ مبكرًا.
I meant to call you yesterday.
كنت أعتزم الاتصال بك بالأمس.
propose + gerund – suggest a plan
اقتراح خطة
propose + infinitive – intend to do something
يعتزم القيام بشيء
I proposed having a garden party.
اقترحت إقامة حفلة في الحديقة.
How do you propose to solve this problem?
كيف تقترح حل هذه المشكلة؟
regret + gerund – be ashamed / sorry about something done
الندم على شيء قمت به
regret + infinitive – feel bad now
الأسف أو الندم في الوقت الحالي
I honestly regret lying to you.
أندم على الكذب عليك.
We regret to inform you your application was rejected.
نأسف لإبلاغك بأن طلبك رُفض.
remember + gerund – remember a past action
تذكر شيئًا فعلته في الماضي
remember + infinitive – remember to do something
تذكر القيام بشيء في المستقبل
I remember locking the door.
أتذكر أنني قفلت الباب.
Please remember to keep your rooms clean.
تذكروا الحفاظ على نظافة الغرف.
stop + gerund – to no longer do something
التوقف نهائيًا عن فعل شيء
stop + infinitive – stop something in order to do another thing
التوقف عن شيء للقيام بشيء آخر
I stopped drinking fizzy drinks.
توقفت عن شرب المشروبات الغازية.
We stopped to ask for directions.
توقفنا لنسأل عن الاتجاهات.
try + gerund – do something to see what is like / if it works:
تجربة شيء لمعرفة النتيجة أو للتجربة
try + infinitive – make an effort to do something
محاولة فعل شيء وبذل جهد للقيام به
if you are stuck with your essay, try taking a break
جرب أخذ استراحة إذا علقت في مقالك.
We tried to convince Mum to go on holiday in the mountains this summer, but she just loves
the beach too much to change her mind.
حاولنا إقناع الأم بالذهاب في عطلة.