Module 9: More About Verbs - Lesson 9.7: Choosing the Right Verbal

Module 9: More About Verbs - Lesson 9.7: Choosing the Right Verbal - Gerund, Infinitive, or Participle?

Lesson 9.7: Choosing the Right Verbal - Gerund, Infinitive, or Participle?

Welcome to Lesson 9.7, the concluding lesson of Module 9! Having explored gerunds, infinitives, and participles in detail, this lesson provides guidance on choosing the right verbal form – gerund, infinitive, or participle – in different situations. The choice depends on the intended meaning, the grammatical context of the sentence, and often, idiomatic verb patterns. Understanding these factors will allow you to use verbals accurately and effectively.

Factors Influencing the Choice of Verbal:

Selecting the correct verbal form is not always arbitrary; several factors come into play:

Intended Meaning and Function:
The primary consideration is the meaning you want to convey and the grammatical function you need the verbal to perform (noun, adjective, adverb).
- Noun Function (acting as a 'thing'): Gerunds and Infinitives can both function as nouns.
  - If you need a verbal to act as a subject, object, or complement, both gerunds and infinitives are options. Sometimes the choice is flexible, but often, certain verbs or prepositions idiomatically prefer one over the other (see points below).
  - Example: "Swimming/To swim is good exercise." (Both gerund and infinitive work as subject here). "He enjoys swimming." (Only gerund works as object of 'enjoys' - idiomatically). "He wants to swim." (Only infinitive works as object of 'wants' - idiomatically).
- Adjective Function (describing a noun): Participles and Infinitives can function as adjectives.
  - Participles (present and past) typically describe qualities or states directly related to the noun. (e.g., "barking dog," "broken window," "a book containing information").
  - Infinitives often describe the purpose or capability related to a noun. (e.g., "a book to read," "time to relax," "money to spend").
- Adverb Function (modifying verbs, adjectives, clauses): Participles and Infinitives can function as adverbs.
  - Participle phrases often express time, reason, manner, circumstance, and act as adverbial modifiers of verbs or clauses. (e.g., "Walking down the street, I saw...", "Feeling tired, she went to bed.").
  - Infinitives, when adverbial, often express purpose or reason. (e.g., "He studies to get good grades.", "She was happy to help.").
Verb Patterns and Idiomatic Usage:
Many verbs in English are followed by specific verbal forms – either a gerund or an infinitive – due to idiomatic patterns. There isn't always a logical rule; it's often based on established usage. You need to learn these verb patterns.
- Verbs followed by Gerunds: Verbs like enjoy, avoid, finish, consider, mind, dislike, practice, suggest, admit, deny, imagine, keep (on), postpone, risk, understand, and prepositions are typically followed by gerunds.
  - Examples: "She enjoys swimming.", "They avoid driving in rush hour.", "He is good at painting.", "After eating dinner...".
- Verbs followed by Infinitives: Verbs like want, decide, need, hope, learn, agree, promise, offer, refuse, seem, appear, manage, plan, expect, afford, ask, tell, advise, encourage, invite, persuade, remind, warn are often followed by infinitives.
  - Examples: "I want to travel.", "She decided to apply.", "They need to study.", "He promised to help.", "She asked him to leave.".
- Verbs followed by either Gerund or Infinitive (with possible meaning change): Some verbs can be followed by either a gerund or an infinitive, sometimes with a subtle shift in meaning. Common verbs in this category include: remember, forget, regret, try, stop, like, hate, love, begin, continue, prefer. The meaning difference is often about whether you are emphasizing the action in general (gerund) or a specific instance or purpose (infinitive).
  - Examples: "I remember locking the door." (Gerund - recalling a past action already done). "I remember to lock the door." (Infinitive - remembering a task to do in the future, a responsibility). "He stopped smoking." (Gerund - ceased the habit). "He stopped to smoke." (Infinitive - paused another activity for the purpose of smoking).
Learning these verb patterns is crucial for correct usage. Dictionaries and grammar resources often specify whether a verb is followed by a gerund, an infinitive, or both.
Prepositions are followed by Gerunds (not Infinitives):
A key rule to remember: Prepositions are always followed by gerunds (verb + '-ing' nouns), not infinitives ('to + verb'). This is a consistent rule in English grammar.
- Correct: "She is good at painting." (Preposition 'at' + gerund 'painting').
- Incorrect: "She is good ~~at to paint~~."
- Correct: "Before leaving, check your bags." (Preposition 'Before' + gerund 'leaving').
- Incorrect: "Before ~~to leave~~, check your bags."
- Correct: "He improved by practicing daily." (Preposition 'by' + gerund 'practicing').
- Incorrect: "He improved by ~~to practice~~ daily."
If you need a verb form after a preposition, always use the gerund.
Clarity and Emphasis:
Sometimes, the choice between verbals can depend on the nuance or emphasis you want to create in your sentence. For example, using a participle phrase at the beginning of a sentence can create a different flow and emphasis compared to using an adverb clause or separate sentence.
- Example: "Because she was tired, she went to bed early." (Adverb clause - straightforward). "Feeling tired, she went to bed early." (Participle phrase - more concise, can emphasize the feeling as the immediate cause).
- Example: "To achieve success, you need to work hard." (Infinitive phrase as adverb of purpose - emphasizes purpose upfront). "You need to work hard to achieve success." (Infinitive phrase at the end - purpose as a consequence of working hard).
Consider the rhythm and flow of your writing and the specific emphasis you wish to convey when choosing a verbal form.

General Guidelines for Choosing Verbals:

Determine the intended function: Do you need a noun-like verbal (subject, object, complement)? Or an adjective-like (describing noun)? Or an adverb-like (modifying verb/clause)?
If noun function: Consider both gerunds and infinitives. Check if the preceding verb or preposition has idiomatic preferences (verbs followed by gerunds/infinitives lists are helpful, prepositions always take gerunds). If no strong preference, both might be grammatically possible, but meaning or style could guide the choice.
If adjective function: Choose between participles and infinitives based on the kind of description needed. Participles for direct qualities/states, infinitives for purpose/capability.
If adverb function: Participle phrases are excellent for expressing time, reason, manner, circumstance. Infinitives are strong for purpose and reason.
Learn verb + verbal patterns: Memorize common verbs that are followed by gerunds or infinitives to improve accuracy and fluency. Consult dictionaries and grammar guides for verb patterns.
Consider nuance and style: Think about the emphasis and flow you want in your writing. Participle phrases can add conciseness and elegance.

Practice and Exposure:

The best way to master choosing verbals is through practice and exposure. Pay attention to how verbals are used in well-written English texts. Do exercises that require you to choose between gerunds, infinitives, and participles. Gradually, you will develop an intuitive sense for the right verbal form in different contexts.

Key takeaway: Choosing the right verbal (gerund, infinitive, participle) depends on intended meaning, grammatical function (noun, adjective, adverb), verb patterns, and idiomatic usage. Verbs and prepositions often have preferences for gerunds or infinitives. Participles and infinitives also have distinct adjectival and adverbial uses. Learning verb patterns and practicing verbal usage are essential for accuracy and fluency.