The ESL HELP! Desk

Welcome to the ESL Help! Desk. Today we're going to discuss gerunds and infinitive phrases.

A gerund and an infinitive phrase can exist in several positions in a sentence: as the subject of a sentence or as the object of a verb.  In this unit, we will discuss gerunds and infinitive phrases as the object of a sentence, that is, the object of the verb.

Before you begin the activities, we suggest that you read, listen to, and study the two podcast and grammar lessons, "He's Always Talking about Grammar" and What Is a Gerund? What Is an Infinitive Phrase? which are also in our Library.

 

Pattern 1 (Part 1):  Verb + Infinitive Phrase

  

I chose to do it my way.
verb + infinitive phrase
       (to) choose      +      to do             

Notice that in the above sentence, "to do" is the object of the verb (the main verb "chose").  It answers the question chose what?"  Can you see that the infinitive phrase "to do" functions as a noun?

For the following common transitive verbs, the object of this verb takes the form of
an infinitive phrase:

(to) (be) able/unable to do it	agree to do it	choose to do it	decide to do it
forget to do it	have to do it	learn to do it	need to do it
offer to do it	plan to do it	promise to do it	refuse to do it
remember** to do it	seem to do it	stop* to do it	(be) supposedto do it
try to do it	volunteer to do it	want to do it	wish to do it
* = to stop one thing in order to begin something else ** = to have in mind in the present to do something in the future

Look at the first example in this lesson, I chose to do it my way.

Notice that the verb (to) choose is in the list above.  Thus, the object of the verb chose must be in an infinitive phrase form.  Thus, we end up with chose to do (it).

Listen to these examples:

   *
   *
   *

Try It Yourself!

Try these below.  These sentences were taken from the essays of other learners of English such as yourself.  You'll find the answers in the Answer Key.

WHERE'S THE ERROR?

Problem:       Many children, on the other hand, only want enjoy life.
Solution:       Many children, on the other hand, only  ___________  life.

Problem:      You have forget him.
Solution:      You  _____________ him.
 

You will find the answers in our "Answer Key".

Are you ready for more exercises?  

Let's go to the next page in our "Gerunds and Infinitive Phrases" unit .

So from the ESL Help Desk, thanks for dropping by this week and remember to email us your questions about English grammar by sending your comments through our ESL blog.