스크랩 4. TO-infinitive or gerund with a difference in meaning

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Verbs followed by the TO-infinitive or gerund 

with a difference in meaning

TO-infinitive or gerund: CONSIDER, IMAGINE

Consider and imagine can be followed by either (a) a gerund or a noun phrase or (b) pronoun + to-infinitive but with different meanings:

I am considering working abroad. (I am thinking of working abroad.)

Everybody considers him to be the best person for the job. (Everybody thinks that he is the best person for the job.)

Imagine living at 2,000 metres above sea level! (Imagine what it would be like to live at 2,000 metres above sea level.)

I imagined him to be much taller. (I expected that he would be much taller.)

TO-infinitive or gerund: LIKE, HATE, PREFER, CAN'T BEAR

The verbs like and hate express (dis)liking if they are followed by a gerund:

I like getting up early in summer. (I enjoy getting up early in summer.)

I hate dancing, so don't ask me to. (I don't like dancing.)

But if these verbs are followed by a to-infinitive, they express habitual preference, something that we do not necessarily like or enjoy but consider as useful, right or wise:

I like to be punctual. (It's important to be punctual and I am.) 

I hate to lie, but sometimes I do. (It's not right to lie, but sometimes I do.)

If like is in the negative, a gerund refers to an action that we do but don't enjoy doing, while a to-infinitive means that we don't do something because we don't think it right to do:

I could tell that Sandra didn't like being photographed though she didn't say a word. (Sandra was photographed, which she didn't like.)

Sandra didn't like to be photographed, so she turned her back to the camera. (Sandra didn't want to be photographed, and she wasn't.)

Prefer and can't bear can also take a gerund or a to-infinitive:

I prefer walking to taking the bus. (I like walking better than taking the bus.)

If you prefer to walk, it will take you 30 minutes to school. (If you want to walk, it will take you 30 minutes to school.)

I can't bear seeing people being humiliated. (I don't like it when I see people being humiliated.)

I couldn't bear to see those animals suffer, so I looked away. (I didn't want to see them suffer, so I looked away.)

TO-infinitive or gerund: 

FORGET, REMEMBER, REGRET, GO ON, STOP, TRY

After these verbs, a to-infinitive refers to the future, while a gerund expresses an earlier action, relative to the time of the verb in the main clause:

Don't forget to meet Mr Moriarty at 10 o'clock this morning. (You should meet Mr Moriarty at 10 o'clock this morning.)

I'll never forget meeting her for the first time. (I'll never forget when I met her for the first time.)

Did you remember to buy tea? (Did you remember that you should buy tea?)

I don't remember ever visiting this museum. (I don't remember that I have ever visited this museum.)

We regret to inform you that your application has been rejected. (We are sorry we have to inform you that your application has been rejected.)

I regret spending so much money last night. (I am sorry that I spent so much money last night.)

Whichever page you're on, go on to read the next chapter. (Continue with the next chapter.)

Go on reading the article. (Continue reading the article.)

We stopped to drink a cup of coffee. (We stopped in order to drink a cup of coffee.)

I stopped smoking years ago. (I gave up smoking years ago.)

I tried to reach her at work, but the line was busy. (I made an attempt to reach her at work.)

Why didn't you try calling her on her mobile? (Why didn't you call her on her mobile to see if you could reach her?)

TO-infinitive or gerund: MEAN, HELP

Mean and help can be followed by either a gerund or a to-infinitive but with different meanings:

In those days, being a student meant spending long hours in the library. (In those days if you were a student, it meant that you spent long hours in the library.)

I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. (I didn't intend to hurt your feelings.)

I can't help thinking that you are hiding something. (only in the negative: I have to think that you are hiding something.)

Could you help me (to) undo my shoelaces? My fingers are frozen. (Could you undo my shoelaces?)

Help can be followed by a bare infinitive or a to-infinitive.

TO-infinitive or gerund: NEED, REQUIRE, WANT

Need, require and want can be followed by the active or passive to-infinitives to express active or passive meanings, respectively:

I need to make a phone call.

Sometimes, people need to be told the truth.

My job requires me to handle many letters from abroad.

They required the information to be sent as soon as possible.

I wanted to stay for a few more days.

It was obvious that he wanted to be invited.

But active gerunds after these verbs express passive meanings:

Your hair needs cutting. (It should be cut.)

These photos require careful handling. (They should be handled carefully.)

The windows want cleaning. (They should be cleaned.)

Try doing or to do:

1. Amaury tried ____________ a job, but nobody was hiring.

to find

finding

2. I tried ____________ a gold medal at the Olympics, but it was too difficult.

to win

winning

3. Try __________ earplugs if your wife snores.

to use

using

4. Andre tried ___________ Mount Everest, but it was too hard.

to climb

climbing

5. Hanna tried __________ her essay last, but she was too confused and tired.

to write

writing

6. If your friend is angry with you, try ___________ sorry.

to say

saying

7. Jose tried ___________ smoking, but it only lasted for one day.

to quit

quitting

8. If you want to lose weight, try ____________ for thirty minutes every day.

to walk

walking

9. Reema wanted to know if university is hard. She tried ___________some online courses to find out.

to take

taking

10. My cat would not stop meowing, so I tried ___________ her a different kind of cat food.

to feed

feeding