USO DEL INFINITIVO Y DEL GERUNDIO EN INGLS.

VERBS FOLLOWED BY AN INFINITIVE OR A GERUND

1. Verbs followed by an infinitive with to.
Verb
Afford
Agree
Appear
Arrange
Ask
Choose
Continue
Decide
Deserve
Expect
Hope
Intend
Learn
Manage
Mean
Offer
Plan
Prefer
Prepare
Promise
Refuse
Want

Examples
I cant afford to fail the exam.
He agreed to help me.
His health appeared to be better.
Naomi arranged to stay with her cousin in
Miami.
She asked to leave.
He chose to help his father.
She continued to walk.
Have they decided to move again?
He deserves to go to jail.
They expect to arrive early.
I hope to begin college this year.
We intend to visit you next spring.
I learnt to speak German when I was a
boy.
He managed to open the door without a
key.
I didnt mean to hurt you.
Frank offered to drive us to the airport.
We plan to go to the USA this summer.
He prefers to eat at 7pm
They prepared to take the test.
She promised to stop smoking.
She refused to tell me.
I dont want to go with you

2. Expressions or modals followed by an infinitive.

Expression
Used to
Would like to
Ought to
Be able to
Have to

Example
I used to travel a lot when I was younger
I would like to introduce you to
I ought to do more exercise
I was able to open the door
I have to leave now.

3. Verbs followed by an object and an infinitive.

Verb
Advise
Allow
Ask

Examples
The teacher advised the students to study
harder.
My father allowed me to stay out late.
I must ask you to reconsider your
statement.

Beg

They begged her to stay for another

month.
She encouraged him to keep trying.
They didnt expect us to win the prize.
The teacher forbade us to use translators.
We invite you to attend the ceremony.
He ordered the group to leave the
building.
He prepared his son to be a scientist.
The student promised the teacher not to
cheat again.
Please remind him to check the references.
They will require you to submit an outline.
We should teach them to follow standard
procedures.
Did she tell you to make three copies?
I dont want you to come.
Why didnt they warn me to turn down the
heating?

Encourage
Expect
Forbid
Invite
Order
Prepare
Promise
Remind
Require
Teach
Tell
Want
Warn

4. Verbs followed by a gerund.

Verb
Admit
Appreciate
Avoid
Consider
Deny
Finish
Keep
Mention
Mind
Miss
Practise
Quit (AE)
Risk
Suggest

Example
He admitted cheating on the test.
I appreciated her helping me.
I avoided talking to him.
She considered moving to Paris
He denied committing the crime.
He finished doing his homework.
Mary keeps talking about her problems.
He mentioned going to that college.
Do you mind waiting here?
She misses living near the beach.
She practised singing the song.
She quit worrying about the problem.
He risked being caught.
She suggested going to a film.

5. Expressions followed by a gerund.

Expression
Cant stand
Dont mind
Feel like
Its no use
Look forward to
Get used to
Be used to
Spend (time) doing
Waste (time )doing

Examples
I cant stand being late for appointments.
I dont mind getting up early.
I feel like having a shower.
Its no use trying another method.
Im looking forward to hearing about you.
Shes getting used to working long hours.
Im used to reading in English.
He spent all day sending e-mails.
He wasted his life writing bad novels.

6. Verbs followed by an infinitive without to.

Verbs
Let
Make

Examples
He let me use the dictionary.
You have made the baby cry.

VERBS FOLLOWED BY GERUNDS OR INFINITIVES

(DIFFERENT MEANING)
begin

She began singing.

She began to sing.

CUANDO "BEGIN" SE USA EN TIEMPOS

NO CONTINUOS, SE PUEDEN USAR EL
GERUNDIO O EL INFINITIVO
INDISTINTAMENTE.

start

Marge started talking really

fast.
Marge started to talk really
fast.

CUANDO "START" SE USA EN TIEMPOS

NO CONTINUOS, SE PUEDEN USAR EL
GERUNDIO O EL INFINITIVO
INDISTINTAMENTE.

dread

She dreaded taking the test.

NORMALMENTE VA SEGUIDO DE
GERUNDIO.

forget

She is beginning to sing.

PERO SI LO USAMOS EN TIEMPOS

CONTINUOS, VA SEGUIDO DE INFINITIVO
(PARA AS EVITAR DOS VERBOS EN -ING
SEGUIDOS).

Marge is starting to talk really fast.

PERO SI LO USAMOS EN TIEMPOS

CONTINUOS, VA SEGUIDO DE INFINITIVO
(PARA AS EVITAR DOS VERBOS EN -ING
SEGUIDOS).

He dreaded to think of the

consequences of his actions.

"DREAD" A VECES VA SEGUIDO DE LOS

VERBOS "THINK" O "CONSIDER." EN
INFINITIVO. "DREADED TO THINK" SIGNIFICA
"DID NOT WANT TO THINK." EN LA ORACIN
DE ANTERIOR.

She forgot reading the book

when she was a kid.

She forgot to pay the rent this

month.

CUANDO "FORGET" SE USA CON

GERUNDIO, SIGNIFICA"OLVIDAR
HABER HECHO ALGO (CON
ANTERIORIDAD)." LA ORACIN

CUANDO SE USA CON INFINITIVO, SIGNIFICA

"OLVIDARSE DE HACER ALGO." LA ORACIN

ANTERIOR SIGNIFICA QUE ELLA LEY

EL LIBRO SIENDO NIA, PERO LO HABA
OLVIDADO.

ANTERIOR SIGNIFICA QUE ELLA SE HA

OLVIDADO DE PAGAR LA RENTA ESTE MES.
OLVIDARSE DE LUEGO HACER ALGO

HACER ALGO Y LUEGO OLVIDARSE DE

HABERLO HECHO.

remember

I remember mentioning the

meeting yesterday.

He remembered to turn off the

lights before he left.

CUANDO "REMEMBER" SE USA CON

GERUNDIO, SIGNIFICA "RECORDAR
HABER HECHO ALGO." LA ORACIN
ANTERIOR SIGNIFICA QUE AYER
MENCION LA CONFERENCIA Y AHORA
RECUERDO HABERLO HECHO.

CUANDO SE USA CON INFINITIVO, SIGNIFICA

"ACORDARSE DE HACER ALGO (DESPUS).
LA ORACIN ANTERIOR SIGNIFICA QUE ME
ACORD DE APAGAR LAS LUCES ANTES DE
SALIR.

RECORDAR HACER ALGO

RECORDAR BHABER HECHO ALGO,

keep

She kept talking.

"KEEP" VA SEGUIDO NORMALMENTE

DE GERUNDIO PARA DECIR QUE
SIGUES HACIENDO UNA ACCIN.

The attackers kept hostages to

prevent the police from entering.

"KEEP" TAMBIN PUEDE USARSE SEGUIDO

DE OBJETO E INFINITIVO, PERO ENTONCES
HAY QUE INTERPRETAR EL INFINITIVO COMO
UNA ORACIN FINAL (PARA +
INFINITIVO).EN LA ORACIN ANTERIOR, LOS
ASALTANTES COGIERON REHENES PARA
EVITAR QUE LA POLICA ENTRARA.

need

The house needs cleaning.

CUANDO "NEED" SE USA CON

GERUNDIO, TIENE SIGNIFICADO
PASIVO. LA CASA NECESITA SER
LIMPIADA / SE NECESITA LIMPIAR LA
CASA

regret

I regretted being late to the

interview.

"REGRET" SE USA NORMALMENTE

CON GERUNDIO.
LAMENTO HABER HECHO ALGO
(ANTERIORMENTE). IMPLICA
ARREPENTIMIENTO.

a) He needs to call his boss.

b) He needs him to call his boss.

"NEED" NORMALMENTE SE USA CON

INFINITIVO (A) O CON OBJETO + INFINITIVO
(B).

We regret to inform you that your

position at the company is being
eliminated.

A VECES SE USA SEGUIDO DE INFINITIVO

CON VERBOS COMO "TO INFORM" O TO
SAY. LA ORACIN DE ARRIBA SIGNIFICA
"LAMENTAMOS TENER QUE INFORMARLE DE
QUE..." (OJAL NO TUVIRAMOS QUE
HACERLO). IMPLICA MALAS NOTICIAS.
LAMENTO TENER QUE...

stop

He stopped smoking for

health reasons.

He stopped to rest for a few

minutes.

"STOP" SE USA NORMALMENTE CON

GERUNDIO.

CUANDO SE USA CON INFINITIVO, STE SE

DEJAR DE...

INTERPRETA COMO UNA ORACIN FINAL

(PARA + INFINITIVO). EN LA ORACIN

ANTERIOR L PAR PARA DESCANSAR UNOS
MINUTOS.
PARAR PARA...

try

She can't find a job. She tried

looking in the paper, but
there was nothing. She tried
asking friends and family, but
nobody knew of anything.
She also tried going shop to
shop, but nobody was hiring.

"TRY + GERUND" SIGNIFICA PROBAR

POR DISTINTOS MEDIOS PARA VER SI
ALGO FUNCIONA 8SUELE IMPLICAR UN
PROBLEMA QUE SURGE Y AL QUE HAY
QUE BUSCAR SOLUCIN).

She tried to climb the tree, but she

couldn't even get off the ground.

CUANDO VA SEGUIDO DE INFINITIVO,

SIGNIFICA INTENTAR HACER ALGO (PORQUE
QUIERES HACERLO). EN LA ORACIN
ANTERIOR ELLA INTENT SUBIR AL RBOL,
PERO NO LO CONSIGUI.

INTENTAR HACER ALGO.

Try not to wake the baby when

you get up tomorrow at 5 AM.
PROBAR HACIENDO ALGO.
AN INFINITIVE IS ALSO USED IF YOU ARE

She tried eating the snake

soup, but she didn't like it.

"TRY + GERUND" IS OFTEN USED

WHEN YOU EXPERIMENT WITH
SOMETHING, BUT YOU DO NOT REALLY
LIKE IT OR WANT TO DO IT AGAIN.

ASKING SOMEONE TO TRY SOMETHING THEY

MAY OR MAY NOT BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH.