following by a gerund, to infinitive or both of them

[AB]

Dear teacher,

I confuse when I use gerund or to infinitive forms. Please correct the following sentences. By the way, please tell me if there is any special way to remember a verb followed by a gerund, to infinitive or both of them.

1. My sister can’t stand touching another person’s feet.
2. I love eating (/ to eat) pizza. (Are both of two forms correct?)
3. The students began working (/ to work) on their project last week.
4. I hate cutting (/ to cut) onions. They make my yes water.
5. The students intend to study for their next test.
6. I went shopping (/to shop) this afternoon.
7. My parents haven’t gone dancing (/ to dance) in over a year. They have been busy.
8. Does he go skating(/to skate) every Sturday?
9. Did the student go fundraising (/to fundraise) last week?

Thanks a lot

[Pete]

>I confuse when I use gerund or to infinitive forms. Please correct the following sentences. By the way, please tell me if there is any special way to remember a verb followed by a gerund, to infinitive or both of them.

1. My sister can’t stand touching another person’s feet. ["to touch" is also correct. *]
2. I love eating (/ to eat) pizza. (Are both of two forms correct?) [Yes. *]
3. The students began working (/ to work) on their project last week.
4. I hate cutting (/ to cut) onions. They make my yes water. [Both are correct. *]
5. The students intend to study for their next test. [OK.]
6. I went shopping (/to shop) this afternoon. ["Shopping" is more common, though "to shop" isn't incorrect.]
7. My parents haven’t gone dancing (/ to dance) in over a year. They have been busy. [I think "dancing" is much better.]
8. Does he go skating(/to skate) every Sturday [b]Saturday? [Choose "skating".]
9. Did the student go fundraising (/to fundraise) last week? [The infinitive doesn't sound at all natural here.]

* In these cases where both are fine, the infinitive is more general, more abstract. The gerund seems more concrete, as though a specific instance is intended, or more personal.

-- I don't know of any tricks to help remember which verbs take infinitives, which take gerunds, which take either, or which take either but with different meanings. Reading a lot of English to become familiar with the common uses is the best way. Certainly there are on-line sites and grammar books with lists and examples.

[Rusty]

Here is a site that should be helpful
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/gerunds.htm

[Rupali]

Sr. No. 8 - to skate is also right because if we say - He goes to skate every saturday. Infinitive tell us the fact. therefore to skate is right. If we put this in question. Does he go to skate every saturday - is also right.


>I confuse when I use gerund or to infinitive forms. Please correct the following sentences. By the way, please tell me if there is any special way to remember a verb followed by a gerund, to infinitive or both of them.

1. My sister can’t stand touching another person’s feet. ["to touch" is also correct. *]
2. I love eating (/ to eat) pizza. (Are both of two forms correct?) [Yes. *]
3. The students began working (/ to work) on their project last week.
4. I hate cutting (/ to cut) onions. They make my yes water. [Both are correct. *]
5. The students intend to study for their next test. [OK.]
6. I went shopping (/to shop) this afternoon. ["Shopping" is more common, though "to shop" isn't incorrect.]
7. My parents haven’t gone dancing (/ to dance) in over a year. They have been busy. [I think "dancing" is much better.]
8. Does he go skating(/to skate) every Sturday [b]Saturday? [Choose "skating".]
9. Did the student go fundraising (/to fundraise) last week? [The infinitive doesn't sound at all natural here.]

* In these cases where both are fine, the infinitive is more general, more abstract. The gerund seems more concrete, as though a specific instance is intended, or more personal.

-- I don't know of any tricks to help remember which verbs take infinitives, which take gerunds, which take either, or which take either but with different meanings. Reading a lot of English to become familiar with the common uses is the best way. Certainly there are on-line sites and grammar books with lists and examples.