When to Use the Gerund (-ing) and Infinitive (to): Is There a Difference in Meaning?

In today’s lesson we are going to compare two verbals: the gerund and the infinitive. From previous lessons, you learned that a gerund is a verb form that acts like a noun. And an infinitive is also a verb form that can take the form of a noun, an adjective, and an adverb. You will also hear infinitives and gerunds referred to as verb complements because they complete the meaning of the verb and they are also classed as non-finite verbs, meaning that they do not show tense. They always follow a main verb because on their own, the gerund and the infinitive do not indicate past, present or future.
But for today’s lesson we are going to look at the to-infinitive acting as a noun because if we’re going to compare it to the gerund, you know what the gerund acts like a noun so we want to be comparing the same function.
Let’s quickly review what gerunds and infinitives are. To start, gerunds and infinitives are verb complements because they complete or add to the meaning of the verb. Simply stated a gerund is a verb plus the -ing ending. And it functions as a noun in the sentence by appearing as the subject, the subject complement, a direct object, an indirect object, the object of the preposition, an appositive, and following a possessive adjective.
The infinitive can function as an adjective and as an adverb and if you want to learn more about this, please check out the previous lesson and I’ll link it below. But for today’s lesson we’re looking at the infinitive when it functions as a noun
We will compare the gerund vs the to infinitive and their functions as subjects, subject complements, and direct objects.
We will also look at verbs that take only the gerund, verbs that take only the infinitive, verbs that take both the gerund and the infinitive with little or no change in meaning, verbs that take the gerund and infinitive with a change in meaning, and verbs that are followed by “to” plus the gerund.
Before we look at all the syntactic constructions, let's try to answer the burning question that all students have: What is the difference in meaning between a gerund and an infinitive. Is there a difference between a gerund and an infinitive?
Examples are given.
Infinitives: • (Bonus Quiz) INFINITIV...
Participial Phrase vs. Gerund Phrase: • The Participial Phrase...
What is a Gerund?: • What is a Gerund? How ...
00:00 Introduction
00:00 Review of the Gerund and the Infinitive
01:52 Linguistics & Definition of the Gerund and Infinitive
04:45 Gerunds and Infinitives as Subjects, Subject Complements and Direct Objects
06:27 Does the Verb Take a Gerund or Infinitive?
07:35 Verbs That Change Meaning Depending on Gerund or Infinitive
10:19 Verbs Followed by Preposition + Gerund
10:59 Conclusion

[@thelearningdepot]

Link to PDF: thelearningdepot.org/gerunds-and-infinitives-what-is-the-difference/

[@Harshit88000]

Thanks my favourite teacher 😘😘😘😘

[@gurpreetchhabra4732]

@Learn English with The Learning Depot Please reply does myth and false means same or boath are diffrent

[@martinshaw8582]

I've got to say, as a student of the English language, learning for over 20 years now, that was the most interesting explanation I have watched. Thank you for taking your time to explain it so well.

[@thelearningdepot]

You're welcome. Glad to help you learn! 😊

[@AhmedPuno]

I do appreciate your straight to the point, easily understood approach.

[@thelearningdepot]

Thank you! Glad you liked it.😊

[@eduardob.paolucci1114]

Excellent explanation. Thank you.

[@sabyasachisarkar5342]

I'm impressed with your teaching

[@thelearningdepot]

Thank you so much. Glad to help you learn. 😊

[@ylchu4]

Your videos deserve more views, no qualms in recommending!

[@thelearningdepot]

😊thank you

[@asimimran6]

Explained in the best possible way. Thank you so much 'Teacher' for your grammar lessons.

[@thelearningdepot]

😊 thank you so much.

[@gurpreetchhabra4732]

@@thelearningdepot Please reply does myth and false means same or boath are diffrent

[@Harshit88000]

Hi gorgeous teacher ,I have been waiting for your new video for long , thanx for the video you always looks 24

[@jimmuelgacos9755]

oh my gosh thank you this is what I exactly needed!

[@nazmiocalms7670]

Thank you for your effort. I appreciate it.

[@thelearningdepot]

My pleasure 😊

[@fundaozkan8193]

Thank you 🙏

[@Godofwarcollector]

I love you videos ❤

[@thelearningdepot]

Thank you! 😊

[@mohsenbagheri9267]

I will highly appreciate, please explain Cleft sentence🙏💚

[@thelearningdepot]

I’ll add it to my list. Thanks for watching. 😊

[@nilanjandey5366]

I forgot to write an example using the verb "forget" @ "remember" that occurred to me now . I remember visiting various puja pandals with my friends during Durga Puja . By the way The Durga Puja is one of the most popular festivals in India and people celebrate it with utmost devotion . The puja goes on for four days . Remember to take the umbrella with with as the sky looks dark and dismal .

[@thelearningdepot]

Excellent as usual. And the Durga Puja festival sounds very interesting. I’ll have to learn about it. Thank you for your comments. 😊

[@nilanjandey5366]

....teacher 🙏 I am going to write some example sentences using gerund @ infinitive . I continued doing the boring job to get it finished by the 25 th of December. People should avoid driving too fast until they pass the driving test . He grudged paying my money back . I look forward to watching your videos . 😊 ............. She seems to have spent a sleepless night bz she looks pale and haggard . She is reported to have been killed here . I demand that he be punished for his misbehavior ( bare infinitive ) . They seem to have been painting the pictures since they were asked to do the job . ....... I forgot to lock the door before going out the day before yesterday and the thief stole everything and escaped . The police blame the stealing on my irresponsibility .

[@thelearningdepot]

Good job!

[@gurpreetchhabra4732]

@Learn English with The Learning Depot Please reply does myth and false means same or boath are diffrent

[@thelearningdepot]

Hi, technically they mean different things. A myth is lore based on a people’s history while something false means not true. However, people will say something is a myth to imply it is not true.

[@gurpreetchhabra4732]

Tq

[@tehseenfaraz8076]

thnxMam for sharing such a valueable stuff but this time your delivering speed is too much even i could not read a sentence and you flip the page. grammar needs focus, on learner's part .so speed should hv been more slow .hopeful for next class .

[@thelearningdepot]

Thank you. I do tend to speak very fast, so I'll take your suggestion for next lessons. 😊

[@asimimran6]

" She survived him for four years". Could you explain the grammatical structure of this sentence cos it doesn't make any sense to me. I read it in a book. There is a lady whose husband died in 1727 and after four years of her husbands death.

[@thelearningdepot]

Hi Asim, it’s a fairly common construction of subject + verb + direct object + prepositional phrase. If the verb “survived” is throwing you off, then substitute another verb in its place. She “loved” him, she “helped” him, etc. Hope this helps.

[@Aanit6736]

While reading,he slept. Please explain the function of while here Please

[@thelearningdepot]

While is a subordinating conjunction that explains concurrent or simultaneous events. The sentence you wrote would need to be adjusted because one can't read and sleep at the same time.

[@sammodkumargurudev9263]

Hello mam

[@sammodkumargurudev9263]

I'm from india. I watch each video

[@thelearningdepot]

@@sammodkumargurudev9263 👋

[@sammodkumargurudev9263]

@@thelearningdepot can we use Article the before Gerund?? Mam