We continue our conversation about endings in English. Today on the agenda is everything you wanted to know about the ending - ing.

Ending - ing — a very important morpheme in word formation in the English language. Those who study English know this ending well. Let's take a closer look at the ending - ing in the English language, how it helps form new words, how it behaves in English grammar and much more. Those who have already become proficient in English will simply repeat the rules again. Beginners will find it interesting and useful to learn something new.

It is worth reminding, friends, that this ending is involved in the formation of continuous tenses of English verbs, that is, Continuous.

• Present Continuous: She is water ing the flowers now — ShewatersflowersNow.
• Jim was drinking ing coffee at 7 o’clock yesterday — JimyesterdayVsevenhoursdrankcoffee.
• Future Continuous: They will be played ing tennis from 4 till 6 tomorrow — TheywillplayVtennisTomorrowWith4 to 6.
• Future-in-the-Past Continuous: She said that we would be work ing the whole day — Shesaid, WhatWewe willworkwholeday.
• Present Perfect Continuous: He has been read ing since 3 o'clock — He is reading With three hours.
• Past Perfect Continuous: They had been walking ing for an hour when they saw the town — They walked already hour, When saw city.
• Future Perfect Continuous: The kids will have been sleeping ing since afternoon when the nurse comes — Kids There will be sleep With noon, When will come nanny.

In addition to the above advantages of this ending, it should be recalled that it forms the so-called fourth form of irregular verbs. You, of course, remember it:

• To see - saw - seen - see ing

Please note that verbs, using the ending - ing, when translated into Russian, they acquire the meaning of imperfective verbs, that is, not a completed action, but an action that is still ongoing.

-ing ending and other parts of speech

You probably already guessed that the ending - ing participates not only in the formation of verb tenses, but helps to form forms of other parts of speech in English, such as:

• Participle (gerund): Sue likes be ing praised — Sue likes to be praised.
• Participle: The talk ing girl is my sister — Talkinggirl- mysister.
• Adjective: An amus ing program — funnybroadcast. An interest ing question - interestingquestion

Read and pronounce -ing correctly!

Friends, the rules for reading this ending with words are as simple as shelling pears! Firstly, there is only one rule, secondly:

Ending - ing always pronounced like nasal [- IN] in which the sound [g] should not be heard.

That's all, dear readers! This is all you need to know about how to correctly read or pronounce such words. In a hurry or out of habit, we often pronounce not, but. However, this is wrong. Follow the correct pronunciation, friends, and you will not be distinguished from a native Englishman.

Well, that's all we wanted to tell you about the end - ing. Learn English fun and with pleasure, then you will definitely succeed!

After some verbs, both the infinitive with the particle to and the -ing form of the verb can be used. In this case, the verbs will have different meanings.

• forget + infinitive with particle to- forget, don't remember.

I forgot to buy a present for Ann’s birthday. I forgot to buy present for Ann's birthday.

• forget + -ing verb form - not to remember events in the past.

She'll never forget visiting London. She never won't forget his trip to London.

• remember + infinitive with particle to- remember, don't forget.

Do you remember to call Ashley? You remember what should call Ashley?

• remember + -ing verb form - to remember something in the past.

He remembers lending me his book. He remembers what he borrowed me your book.

• mean + infinitive with particle to- intend, intend to do something.

Our teacher meant to check your test but he was in a hurry. Our teacher was going to check your test, but he was in a hurry.

• mean +-ing verb form - to imply, to assume.

Growing up means having new problems. Growing up implies new problems.

• regret + infinitive with particle to- regret about the need for something unpleasant (usually used in the Present Simple (present simple tense) with verbs such as say(speak), tell(say), inform(inform), announce(announce, report)).

I regret to tell you haven't passed the test. To me it's a pity, but you failed the test.

• regret +-ing verb form - to regret something.

I regret telling you lie. I regret that he lied to you.

• try + infinitive with particle to- try, try to do your best.

I tried to do my best. I tried with all my might.

• try +-ing verb form - to try something as an experiment.

If you want to lose your weight, try exercising more. If you want to lose weight, try to study more physical exercise.

• stop + infinitive with particle to- to stop temporarily in order to do something.

As she was driving home, she stopped to buy some food. She stopped to buy groceries on the way home.

• stop + -ing verb form - to stop doing something.

If you want to be slim you should stop eating sweets. If you want to be slim, you should stop eating so much sweet.

• go on + infinitive with particle to- finish an action and start a new one.

We did the washing up, then went on to tidy up the kitchen. We finished washing the dishes and started cleaning kitchens.

• go on + -ing verb form - to continue to do something.

He went on talking about his new job for an hour. He continued to talk about your new job within an hour.

• want + infinitive with particle to- to desire, to want something.

I want to travel to Japan. I I want to go on a trip in Japan.

• want + -ing verb form - something that requires some action.

My flat wants cleaning. My apartment needs cleaning.

• hate + infinitive with particle to- to feel displeasure about a previous action.

I hate to tell you this, but you are not in our team anymore. I don't want to tell you this (it's very hard for me to say this), but you are no longer on our team.

• hate + -ing verb form - not to like what you have to do.

My sister hates waking up up early. My sister hates waking up early.

I hate troubling you, but could you give me a hand? I hate to ask you this, but could you help me?

• be afraid+ infinitive with particle to- be afraid to do something, hesitate, doubt.

He was to afraid to go there on his own. He's too I was afraid to go one there.

• be afraid of + -ing verb form - to be afraid of something that means -ing verb form.

When exercising together, I'm afraid of injuring you. During joint training I'm afraid accidentally hurt you.

Infinitive verbs with to or -ing form, no difference in meaning Cartoons in English for beginners

That a gerund is something between a verb and a noun: reading - reading, leaving - departure.

A gerund can be any part of a sentence, including an object. And today we will talk in detail about this function. Supplement - a member of a sentence that complements the action and answers questions about indirect cases: what? what? how? What? about what?

An example of a noun complement in Russian:

I'm planning (what?) moving;
I'm thinking (about what?) about moving.

An example of a gerund object in English:

I'm tired of waiting. – I’m tired (of what?) from waiting.
I appreciate being polite to seniors. – I appreciate (what?) polite attitude towards the elderly.

Infinitive and gerund in English: rule

So the infinitive can also be an addition. This applies to both Russian and English. An infinitive is the initial form of a verb.

In Russian he answers the questions: what to do? what to do?
In English it is a form of a verb with a particle to(sometimes the particle may fall).

An example of an infinitive complement in Russian:

Igor asked his sister (about what?) help to him.
I made him (what?) answer.

An example of an infinitive object in English:

She agreed to come back later. - She agreed (to what?) to return later.
He asked to change the ticket. - He asked (about what?) to change the ticket.

The question arises: how to determine when an infinitive is needed as an object, and when a gerund is needed? Let's figure it out.

1. Need to remember: infinitive and gerund, list of verbs

Let's start with something simple: it is customary to use a gerund with some verbs, and an infinitive with others. That's all. You just need to remember these verbs.
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Verbs followed by a gerund

⠀Verb	⠀Example
⠀to admit (admit)	⠀He was admitted committing the crime. ⠀He admitted to committing the crime.
⠀to appreciate (appreciate)	⠀I appreciate being polite to seniors. ⠀I appreciate polite treatment of older people.
⠀to avoid (avoid)	⠀Please, avoid speeding! ⠀Please do not speed! (=avoid exceeding)
⠀to consider (consider)	⠀They consider traveling without children. ⠀They are thinking about traveling without children.
⠀to delay (put off)	⠀He delayed visiting a doctor. ⠀He put off visiting the doctor.
⠀to deny (to deny)	⠀They denied selling the house. ⠀They refused to sell the house.
⠀to keep (keep, store)	⠀He kept asking silly questions. ⠀He kept asking stupid questions.
⠀to miss (miss)	⠀She misses living with her parents. ⠀She misses the time when she lived with her parents.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀to suggest (to suggest)	⠀They suggested moving to another town. ⠀They offered to move to another city.
⠀to quit (throw)	⠀He quits working. ⠀He quits his job.
⠀to finish (finish)	⠀We finished renovating our flat. ⠀We have finished renovating the apartment.
⠀to practice (to practice)	⠀He needs to practice reading before the exam. ⠀He needs to practice reading before the exam.
⠀to imagine (imagine)	⠀A girl imagines being a princess. ⠀The girl imagines that she is a princess.
⠀to risk (to take risks)	⠀You risk getting a bad mark. ⠀You risk getting a bad grade.
⠀to mind (to object)	⠀Do you mind opening the window? ⠀Could you open the window?
⠀to enjoy (enjoy)	⠀He enjoys swimming in the sea. ⠀He is enjoying swimming in the sea.

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Gerund is also used after a verb go, if we are talking about some kind of pastime, active activities: Let's go swimming!

The gerund is often used after phrasal verbs, for example: to look forward to, to give up, to put off and etc.
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List of verbs with infinitive

⠀Verb	⠀Example
to agree	She agreed to come back later. She agreed to return later.
to appear (seem)	He appeared to be a decent person. He seemed like a decent man.
to be able (to be capable)	I won't be able to make it. I can not do it.
to can afford (to be able to afford)	We can’t afford to travel more than once a year. We cannot afford to travel more than once a year.
to choose (choose)	She chose to enter a university. She chose to go to university.
to decide (to decide)	They decided to start up their own business. They decided to start their own business.
to expect	I expected them to call. I was expecting a call from them.
to hope (to hope)	They hoped to get a loan. They were hoping to get a loan.
to learn	Mary learned to swim when she was at a summer camp. Mary learned to swim while at summer camp.
to manage (be able to)	He managed to escape from the police. He was able to elude the police.
to offer (offer)	A manager offered to change the soup when I saw a fly in it. The manager offered to change the soup when I saw a fly in it.
to plan (plan)	I plan to start learning Italian soon. I'm going to start learning Italian soon.
to prepare (to prepare)	She prepared to welcome her new relatives. She prepared to welcome her new relatives.
to pretend (pretend)	He pretended not to see me to avoid an awkward situation. He pretended not to see me to avoid an awkward situation.
to promise (promise)	Jack promised not to beat other children at school. Jack promised not to hit other children at school.
to refuse (refuse)	A student refused to retake a test. The student did not agree to retake the test.
to seem (to seem)	She seems to care a lot about her health. She seems to be very health conscious.
to tend (to have a tendency)	Prices tend to rise these days. Prices have been trending upward recently.
to want (to want)	He wants to find out more about special offers. He wants to know more about special offers.
to would like, would prefer, would love (to prefer)	I would like to get some information about your services. I would like to receive information about your services.

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In order for all these cases to be “deposited in the subcortex”, we advise you to periodically undergo our grammar training: .

2. Verbs followed by both an infinitive and a gerund

The next point is more difficult: there are verbs after which you can use both a gerund and an infinitive.

What's so difficult about it? The fact is that some of these verbs will change meaning depending on whose company they are in - in the company of a gerund or an infinitive.
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Verbs that change meaning: table of gerunds and infinitives in English

to remember
remember doing = remember something. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I remember leaving my cell phone on the table. (I definitely remember that I left the phone on the table)	remember to do = remember, don’t forget. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Remember to take your keys before you go out. (Don't forget to grab your keys before you go to work).
to forget
forget doing = forget/not have the strength to forget about something that has already happened. I will never forget meeting her. It changed all my life! (I will never forget…)	forget to do = forget to do something in the present or recent past. I think I forgot to turn off the iron. (I think I forgot to turn it off...)
to regret
regret doing = to regret something that has already happened. I regret talking to her that way! (I regret talking to her like that!)	regret to do = to regret something that you have to do now. We regret to inform you that you have not been admitted to Johns Hopkins University. (We regret to inform you, we are forced to inform you...)
stop doing = stop doing something completely. I finally stopped eating at night! (I finally stopped eating at night!)	stop to do = stop one action in order to start doing something else. He stopped to ask for directions. (He stopped to ask for directions)
to go on
go on doing = continue to do something, the same action. After a break shewent on talking about her health. (After the break, she continued to talk about her health)	go on to do = continue, but switch from one action to another. She, first, melted chocolate, added butter and thenwent on to make icing. (She first melted the chocolate, added butter and continued making frosting)
try doing = try to do something as an experiment. She tried learning English but gave up after a while. (She tried to learn English, but gave up after a while).	try to do = try to perform a difficult action, try, and make significant efforts. I tried to work, but couldn’t because of a terrible headache. (I tried to work, but due to the terrible headache I couldn't).

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Verbs that don't change meaning

There are other verbs that are also used with both a gerund and an infinitive. But they don’t change the meaning significantly: begin, continue, prefer, start, hate, love, like.

She begins sneezing every time she sees a cat.
She begins to sneeze every time she sees a cat.
(She starts sneezing every time she sees a cat).

After verbs advise, allow, recommend, encourage, permit You can also use both the gerund and the infinitive. BUT! If after the main verb there is an object (to whom the action is directed), then we use the infinitive:

Mum allowed me to stay overnight at my friend’s place. (Mom allowed to me spend the night with a friend).

If there is no object, then we use a gerund:

Mum allowed staying overnight at my friend’s place. (Mom allowed a sleepover with a friend).

3. A few more points: gerunds and infinitives in English

There are a few other uses of the gerund and infinitive that are worth remembering.
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Gerund: example sentences

– After prepositions.

If there is a preposition after the verb, then we use a gerund. These are the prepositions: for, before, without, by, about, of, from, in.

I'm interested in drawing. – I am interested in drawing.
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Using the infinitive in English

– After adjectives in phrases like: It is good (important, happy, hard, etc.) to…

It is nice to see you again. - It's good to see you again.

– With question words in statements.

I don't know how to open this door. – I don’t know how to open this door.

– To express the purpose of some action.

I came here to meet you. – I came here (why?) to meet you (though this is no longer an addition, but a circumstance).

To summarize: the use of infinitives and gerunds

– A gerund is something between a verb and a noun. An infinitive is the initial form of a verb that answers the question “what to do?”

– The infinitive and gerund can be objects in a sentence, in which case they are placed after the main verb.

– There are verbs that are always followed by a gerund: admit, avoid, consider etc. You just need to remember them.

– Other verbs are always followed by an infinitive: agree, choose, decide etc. They also need to be remembered.

– Another group of verbs are those that can be followed by both an infinitive and a gerund, and the meaning of the verb itself will change: remember, forget, stop and etc.

– Luckily for us, there are also verbs after which you can use both forms of the verb without significant damage to the meaning: love, hate, begin and etc.

Infinitive and gerund in English: exercises

Yes, there is a lot of information, and you won’t be able to simply memorize it. You need a lot of practice, which we will be happy to provide you with.

To get started, go through. From it you will learn about Complex Object (complex addition), which I did not dwell on today, and a few more nuances of using the infinitive and gerund.

And then periodically to bring the selection of the desired form to automaticity.

Conclusion: infinitive and gerund

That's all for today. Next month, as part of this grammatical series of articles, we will discuss another mysterious entity - the verbal noun. Let's compare it with the already familiar and native gerund. See you!

After six months of intensive learning of English, almost every student is faced with two unique concepts - “gerund” and “infinitive”. They are not in our language in this form, and the difficulty of their use lies in the similarity of translation and meaning, but in the difference in the structure and formation of the sentence. Neither the gerund nor the infinitive are most often the main members of the sentence; they are used as additions and explanations, carrying important information.

Both options are forms of verbs used in colloquial speech to complement the main predicates. Which option to choose in a particular case depends on the purpose of the story, and the rules of use: gerund or infinitive must be learned by heart. Over time, the revolutions will settle in your head and begin to be reproduced intuitively. Let's consider each of them separately, determine the similarities and differences, and analyze the rules for using them in sentences.

No smoking, or don't enter in a tuxedo! What is Gerund?

Important information - the gerund is a verb, but there is no similar form in the Russian language, so the question What? (in some cases What to do?) and the word is translated as a noun with a similar meaning.

It can be compared to an adverbial phrase. In sentences it acts as a subject or object. In structure, it is a verb + the suffix -ing, for example, reading, dancing. Moreover, in translation these words will sound like “reading” and “dancing”, respectively. Plural and singular look the same. The main thing to remember is:

All verbs in the Gerund form have the suffix –ing, or “ing” ending, but not all words ending in “ing” are gerunds.

• Her singing is not good - her singing is not very good.
• I have finished explaining the rule. – I finished explaining the rule.

The phrase can be translated in another way, then the wording will become more clear - “I finished explaining the rule.” Here the gerund acts as an addition to the verb and reveals the main action of the speaker. Moreover, what is happening relates to the present or past tense; for such an action, Infinitive is used in plans.

The gerund is used in 3 main cases

• In conjunction with some prepositions before, in, after, instead of, good at;
• In the expressions there is no point in, it’s no good, it’s no use;
• In conjunction with some basic verbs, as an addition.
  If the gerund serves as the subject, then the sentence looks something like this:
  singing is very good for your mood - singing is good for your mood.
  smoking is prohibited - smoking is prohibited.

The gerund used with prepositions is already an object and is translated as follows:

• Before going out, please take your keys - before going out, please take your keys;
• She went to work instead of staying home and taking the medicine - she went to work instead of staying at home and taking medicine.

The gerund form is used here because the action happened in the past and has an effect on the present. You should use a similar design in the following cases:

1. The action is not tied to time: no smoking! (no smoking!).
2. Some action is planned: we think of going Moscow in next weekend - we are thinking about going to Moscow next weekend.
3. If both verbs used describe the action occurring at the moment of conversation: I’m surprised to hear it - I’m surprised to hear it.
4. The main action is a consequence of what is happening, indicated by the addition: I don’t remember doing it before - I don’t remember that I did it before.

Verbs followed by the form "gerund"

Separately, we should consider the situation when there is a bunch of two verbs, one of them should be in the form of an infinitive or gerund and complement the main one. There are options when you can use only one form, when both are suitable without changing the meaning, and when the form of the verb affects the translation of the sentence. There are examples where the gerund and the infinitive bring completely different meanings to the story.

If the sentence contains one of the following verbs, then we use a gerund:

A gerund will always be used with them, and the copula will be constructed as follows:

• V (verb) + v-ing.

How to recognize an infinitive?

The other side of the coin, or another form of the verb in a sentence, is the infinitive. It denotes an action that is shorter and shorter in duration than the gerund. As a rule, the infinitive suggests doing something in the future, it is aimed at planned things, in order to achieve them you need to take some action. Eg:

• She asked me to protect her– She asked me to protect her.

The infinitive suggests more general actions, while the gerund specifies the situation. Therefore, in the sentence in the first version everything is limited to verbs, and in the second version they are often supplemented with explanations.

In structure, the infinitive is an indefinite, initial form of the verb and answers the questions What to do? and What to do? The word in this case is translated as action, and is used in a sentence with the particle “to”. Moreover, two infinitives in a row are separated by the preposition “and”, and the second is pronounced without “to”. In this case, it is called “bare infinitive”, or bare infinitive. Example:

• He went to the pool to swim and meet friends– he went to the pool to swim and meet with friends.

The infinitive is used in a sentence in the following cases:

1. After the adjectives glad, nice, good, happy and sorry: I’m glad to see you - I’m glad to see you.
2. To clarify the purpose of the action, when you can ask the question “Why?”: She told me a news to surprise me - She told me the news to surprise me.
3. After expressions with the word “would”, for example: I would like to read book - I would be glad to read a book.
4. After the modal verbs can, should, must, as well as after make and let, the infinitive is used without the particle “to”: I can take your bag - I can take your bag.
5. After the list of verbs such as agree, beg, choose, the list will be provided below.

To understand the rules for using the infinitive form, you should know when it is used:

• To denote two actions occurring simultaneously, as well as if they occur sequentially in the near future;
  - in the case of denoting hopes, dreams, plans or desires;
• After modal verbs, or in conjunction with was and were, denoting incompleteness, imperfection of the process: you should have stayed at home - you should have stayed at home;
• To denote a long process preceding the statement in the present tense: I know that he played football for 3 years - I know him to play football for 3 years;

The infinitive is used in speech 2-3 times less often than the gerund. If you find it difficult to choose the correct form in a conversation, construct a phrase in such a way as to use a familiar structure. The advantages of the gerund and the infinitive are their interchangeability, depending on the situation and the placement of words in a sentence.

Verbs for the infinitive

For the infinitive form the following construction is used:

• V (list verb) + V/ to V.

Using this scheme, it is easy to create options with the following words:

Here are the main verbs used in colloquial speech; they are quite sufficient for full communication with native speakers.

Similarities between gerund and infinitive

There are verbs and expressions after which you can put either option without changing the meaning of the sentence. These include:

• To begin, to continue, to intend, to love, to start, to finish.

Examples of sentences with the following conditions:

• She began to cry/crying - She began to cry.
  - She continued to talk/talking – She continued to talk.
  - I love to dance/dancing – I love to dance.
  - We started to read/reading – We started reading.
  - They finished to discuss/discussing - They finished the discussion.

The main differences between the gerund and the infinitive

Despite the similarity of concepts and application, these two forms of the verb have several fundamental differences.

• Firstly, the infinitive explains a shorter action; a gerund is used to define a longer process.
• Secondly, in the prohibitions indicated on the tables, the gerund is used; it is more popular and is used almost 2 times more often.
• Thirdly, the infinitive indicates a predicted action planned in the future. A gerund indicates an event or process that is happening in the present or lasting in the past.

Each form has a list of verbs, with some you can use only the gerund, or only the infinitive, but there are words when both are applicable, but they carry different meanings.

For example, the verb “be anxious” can be translated as “to want very much” or “to be afraid of the consequences,” depending on whether the gerund or infinitive comes after.

• I’m anxious about leaving my son alone in the house- I'm afraid to leave my son at home alone.
• I'm anxious to hear your news– I really want to hear your news.

And the verb “forget” in a similar sentence has a radically different meaning, depending on the “neighborhood”.

• I forgot giving you my book– I forgot that I gave you the book (Past tense), or
• I forgot to give you my book- I forgot to give you my book.

These verbs also include:

Despite the volume of information about the forms of gerunds and infinitives, remembering them is quite simple, especially with a high level of preparation. Start analyzing the intricacies of their use at the intermediate level, not earlier, then all the rules will be easier to perceive and easier to remember.

The easiest way to learn foreign words

All methods of any school have basic ways to quickly memorize foreign words so that you can later use them in speech. Each teacher builds lessons from a set of basic memorization methods:

• Visual;
• Auditory (by hearing);
• Mechanical (writing);
• Associative.

• Working with educational materials – exercises, tasks, rules, diagrams;
• Maintaining a personal dictionary to record learned words and concepts and for repetition;
• Listen to songs and audiobooks in English, you can watch the news, listen to the radio or download material to your phone’s memory;

• Watching videos: films, cartoons, programs in English with or without subtitles;
• Conversational speech and communication with native speakers;
• Exchange of knowledge in group classes or individually by the teacher.

With the right combination of methods, with regular training and repetition of the material covered, understanding and addiction will come within a couple of months. And you can start talking quite fluently within a year or a year and a half. The most effective way is always the most difficult - traveling for a long time to an English-speaking country without the opportunity to communicate with fellow countrymen. In extreme conditions, the brain is able to activate accumulated resources and get a fairly good result in the shortest possible time.

As an afterword

To summarize the story about the peculiarities of English, I would like to outline the main points:

1. In classical English, Gerundium accounts for about 80% of situations, while Infinitve is slightly behind. But the modern version of language rules already speaks of the equal rights of these two forms; many schools recommend replacing the infinitive form with a gerund to simplify communication and understand the nuances.
2. For everyday communication, it is enough to remember the main verbs that precede each form, as well as the meaning they give. Some links will start to play automatically without thinking. And it will become much easier to translate without getting hung up on canons and rules.
3. Both the gerund and the infinitive have an important function for understanding the sentence as a whole; using them incorrectly can mislead your interlocutor. Therefore, you need to train more, do exercises and communicate in English.