Gerund and Infinitives: exceptions

ATTENTION!

SOME VERBS CAN BE FOLLOWED BY GERUND OR INFINITIVE. THERE IS A DIFFERENCE IN MEANING.

 

REMEMBER

 

I REMEMBER DOING SOMETHING = I DID IT AND I REMEMBER IT

 

I REMEMBER COOKING DINNER = FIRST I COOKED THE DINNER AND NOW I REMEMBER THAT I COOKED THE DINNER

 

I REMEMBER TO DO SOMETHING = I REMEMBERED TO DO SOMETHING AND I DID IT

 

I REMEMBERED TO BUY BUTTER = I REMEMBERED TO BUY BUTTER AND I DID THAT

 

FORGET

 

I FORGET DOING SOMETHING = I DON'T REMEMBER DOING SOMETHING

 

I FORGOT MEETING THE POSTMAN = I DIDN'T REMEMBER MEETING THE POSTMAN

 

I FORGOT TO CALL MY MUM = I DIDN'T REMEMBER TO CALL HER AND I DIDN'T DO IT

 

REGRET

 

I REGRET DOING SOMETHING = I AM SORRY THAT I DID IT

 

I REGRET BUYING THIS HOUSE = I WISH I HADN'T BOUGHT THIS HOUSE

 

I REGRET TO INFORM SB = UNFORTUNATELY, I HAVE TO INFORM YOU THAT

 

I REGRET TO INFORM YOU THAT WE HAVE TO FIRE YOU = UNFORTUNATELY, WE HAVE TO INFORM YOU THAT WE CANNOT EMPLOY YOU ANY LONGER

 

GO ON

 

GO ON DOING SOMETHING = CONTINUE DOING SOMETHING

 

I WENT ON TALKING = I CONTINUED TALKING

 

GO ON TO DO SOMETHING = TO DO SOMETHING NEW

 

HAVING FINISHED TALKING ABOUT OUR MOTHER, WE WENT ON TO TALK ABOUT MY HOLIDAYS = WE FIRST TALKED ABOUT OUR MOTHER AND THEN WE TALKED ABOUT MY HOLIDAYS.

 

STOP

 

STOP DOING SOMETHING = NO LONGER CONTINUE DOING SOMETHING

 

YESTERDAY I STOPPED SMOKING = YESTERDAY I DECIDED TO NOT SMOKE ANYMORE

 

STOP TO DO SOMETHING = STOP ONE ACTIVITY TO DO ANOTHER ACTIVITY

 

I STOPPED TO EAT LUNCH = I WAS DOING SOMETHING AND I STOPPED THAT ACTIVITY IN ORDER TO EAT LUNCH

 

TRY

 

TRY DOING SOMETHING = DO SOMETHING AS AN EXPERIMENT

 

TRY GETTING ON A NEW DIET = IF YOU GET ON A NEW DIET MAYBE IT WILL BE GOOD FOR YOU

 

TRY TO DO SOMETHING = MAKE AN EFFORT TO DO SOMETHING

 

I WAS HUNGRY SO TRIED TO MAKE A SANDWICH = I MADE AN EFFORT TO MAKE A SANDWICH.

 

NEED

 

SOMETHING NEEDS DOING = SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE

 

THE CARPET NEEDS CLEANING = THE CARPET NEEDS TO BE CLEANED

 

NEED TO DO SOMETHING = IT IS NECESSARY FOR SOMEBODY TO DO SOMETHING

 

I NEED TO CLEAN THE CARPET = IT IS NECESSARY FOR ME TO CLEAN THE CARPET

 

SOME VERBS ARE FOLLOWED BY AN OBJECT AND INFINITIVE:

TELL, REMIND, FORCE, ENABLE, TEACH, ORDER, WARN, INVITE, PERSUADE, GET ( = PERSUADE, ARRANGE)

 

TELL HIM TO COME HERE

REMIND ME TO CALL HER

YOU CAN'T FORCE ME TO DO IT

WORKING ENABLED ME TO PAY MY BILLS

CAN YOU TEACH ME HOW TO SING?

HE ORDERED ME TO TELL YOU TO COME LATER

I WILL WARN THEM THAT THEY MAY GET HURT

THEY HAVE DECIDED TO INVITE ME TO THEIR WEDDING

STOP PERSUADING ME TO DO IT

CAN YOU GET ME A NEW PASSPORT?

 

THESE VERBS CAN BE FOLLOWED BY TWO POSSIBLE STRUCTURES:

 

ADVISE, RECOMMEND, ENCOURAGE, ALLOW, PERMIT, FORBID

 

I ADVISE PUTTING YOUR MASK ON

I ADVISE YOU TO PUT YOUR MASK ON

 

I RECOMMEND WORKING LESS

I RECOMMEND YOU TO WORK LESS

 

SHE ENCOURAGES SELLING ONLINE

SHE ENCOURAGES US TO SELL ONLINE

 

WE DON'T ALLOW STAYING UP LATE

WE DON'T ALLOW YOU TO STAY UP LATE

 

THEY PERMIT SMOKING IN THE LOBBY

THEY PERMIT US TO SMOKE IN THE LOBBY

 

HE FORBIDS USING A MOBILE PHONE IN THE BUILDING

HE FORBIDS PEOPLE TO USE A MOBILE PHONE IN THE BUILDING

 

VERBS MAKE AND LET ARE FOLLOWED BY AN OBJECT AND INFINITIVE WITHOUT TO

 

I WILL LET YOU KNOW SOON

LET ME HELP YOU WITH THIS

 

DON'T MAKE ME DO THIS!

MY GIRLFRIEND MADE ME BUY A CAT

 

*IN THE PASSIVE VOICE VERB MAKE IS FOLLOWED BY INFINITIVE WITH TO

 

I WAS MADE TO BUY A CAT

 

SOME VERBS CAN BE FOLLOWED BY GERUND OR INFINITIVE WITHOUT ANY DIFFERENCE IN MEANING

 

BEGIN, START, INTEND, CONTINUE, BOTHER

 

DON'T BOTHER READING/TO READ THAT BOOK!

PLEASE, CONTINUE TALKING/TO TALK

 

LIKE DOING VS WOULD LIKE TO DO

 

VERBS LIKE, HATE AND THEIR SYNONYMS ARE USUALLY FOLLOWED BY GERUND

 

I LIKE/LOVE/ENJOY ECT. COOKING

I HATE/DISLIKE/DESPISE ECT. COOKING

 

WOULD LIKE/WOULD LOVE/WOULD HATE/WOULD PREFER ARE FOLLOWED BY INFINITIVE

 

I WOULD LIKE/WOULD LOVE/WOULD HATE/WOULD PREFER TO GO TO THAT COUNTRY

 

 

ATTENTION!

                             LIKE DOING VS WOULD LIKE TO DO

 

VERBS LIKE, HATE AND THEIR SYNONYMS ARE USUALLY FOLLOWED BY GERUND:

 

I LIKE/LOVE/ENJOY ECT. COOKING

I HATE/DISLIKE/DESPISE ECT. COOKING

 

WOULD LIKE/WOULD LOVE/WOULD HATE/WOULD PREFER ARE FOLLOWED BY INFINITIVE:

 

I WOULD LIKE/WOULD LOVE/WOULD HATE/WOULD PREFER TO GO TO THAT COUNTRY

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