Unit 11.2
Gerunds and Infinitives with Verbs with difference in meaning
Introduction
Form
These formations have the same structures:
Subject + verb + gerund + object…
Subject + verb + to + verb + object…
The most commonly used verbs are: forget, remember, stop...
Example
| GERUND | INFINITIVE | |
|---|---|---|
| Forget | It seems she will never forget loving her first boyfriend.
(*She has memories about loving in the past.) |
She forgot to meet with her uncle.
(*She needed to meet with her uncle but she forgot to do that.) |
| Remember | He still remembers listening to his favorite band.
(*He has memories in the past.) |
We were sitting at the table and he remembered to listen to his favorite band.
(*He didn’t forget to listen to his favorite band.) |
| Stop | I stopped searching for my book.
(*Means that I tried a lot but I didn’t succeed so I gave up.) |
He was walking and suddenly he stopped to look around.
(*He was doing another activity but in order to look around he stopped.) |
Use
We use the gerund or the infinitive after certain verbs, as the meaning of the sentence changes.
Summary
After certain verbs, we find the gerund (when acting as a noun) or the infinitive, but the meaning of those verbs change. {see Verbs followed by Gerunds and Infinitives, A2 level}
The most commonly used verbs are: forget, remember, stop…
These formations have the same structures:
- We start with the subject of the sentence followed by the verb, a gerund and the object of the senence.
- We start with the subject of the sentence followed by the verb, the preposition to, another verb, and the object of the senence.
For example:
— “I stopped working out a month ago.” = I stopped performing the activity of working out a month ago.
— “I was studying for an hour but then I stopped to work out.” = I stopped doing the activity of studying in order to start another activity, that of working out.
Let’s revise this content within the {Form} section. Take a look at the {Example} section that shows its use within a context.
RELATED
After certain verbs, we find the gerund (when acting as a noun) or the infinitive, but the meaning of those verbs change.
For better understanding, learn more at A2 level about Verbs followed by Gerunds and Infinitives and at A1 level about Infinitive and Gerund.