UNIVERSIDAD CENTRAL DEL ECUADOR

INSTITUTO ACADEMICO DE IDIOMAS

Name (s):___________________________________________________________________ Date: ________________

TOP NOTCH 2 – 3RD EDITION – UNIT 7 – GRAMMAR WORKSHOP

GERUNDS VS INFINITIVES
 Gerunds and Infinitives are NOUNS, not VERBS and their function is to conceptualize the idea of the action, for example:
 She enjoys DANCING every Friday (NOT: She DANCING every Friday)
 They want TO DRIVE to the beach (NOT: They TO DRIVE to the beach)

 Gerunds are formed with the Base form of the verb plus ING: walking, talking, thinking, listening
 Infinitives are formed with TO plus the base form of the verb: to walk, to talk, to think, to listen

USAGE: Gerunds and infinitives can be used in different grammar positions:

 USE 1: Both gerunds and infinitives can be the subject of a sentence. When the subject of a sentence is a Gerund or
Infinitive, the verb is always conjugated in 3rd singular person.

Example: WRITING in English is difficult. / TO WRITE lets you express your feelings completely.

Exercise A. Complete the sentences with the gerund form of the verb you come up with.

1. _______________ is one of her hobbies. She loves to be in the kitchen and prepares all kinds of dishes.
2. _______________ is fun. That’s why she goes to the disco every week.
3. _______________ a good job is not easy. Therefore you have to get a good professional degree.
4. _______________ a parking space is quite difficult in this area, but I found one on the corner.
5. _______________ becomes safe when you respect all the traffic laws.
6. _______________ is not permitted here, so you have to light up your cigarette somewhere else.
7. _______________ fruits and vegetables is good for your health.
8. _______________ English can help you communicate with other people around the world..

 USE 2: Both gerunds and infinitives can be the object of a specific verb:

Example: I have enjoyed WRITING in English. / I’ll agree TO WRITE in English.

VERBS THAT ONLY ACCEPT INFINITIVE

The next Verbs only accept an INFINITIVE as an object. Read the examples.
agree consent get offer strive
achieve dare happen plan struggle
arrange decide hesitate prepare swear
ask demand hope pretend tend
attempt deserve intend proceed threaten
beg detest learn promise try
be sure endeavor long prove wait
care expect mean refuse want
choose fail need remember wish
forget seem would like

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Example:
She agreed to speak before the game.
They hope NOT to have problems. / They’ll promise NOT to be absent again
 NOTE: The infinitive form may be also NEGATIVE if the speaker emphasizes in the negative idea of the action

VERBS THAT ONLY ACCEPT GERUND

The following verbs accept only a GERUND as an object. Read the examples.
admit delay finish permit resist
advise deny forbid postpone resume
appreciate discuss imagine practice risk
avoid dislike keep quit suggest
be worth dread mind recommend tolerate
can’t help enjoy miss recall
can’t stand escape mention reject
consider excuse report
Example:
They enjoyed working on the boat.
He imagines NOT going to work. / I have admitted NOT knowing Math.
 NOTE: The gerund form may be also NEGATIVE if the speaker emphasizes in the negative idea of the action

 USE 3: Some verbs can be followed by a gerund or an infinitive with little difference in meaning.

Example: She likes swimming. / She likes to swim.

VERBS FOLLOWED BY GERUNDS OR INFINITIVES (SIMILAR MEANING)

can't bear He can't bear being alone He can't bear to be alone.
Continue She continued talking. She continued to talk.
Hate He hates cleaning dishes. He hates to clean dishes.
Like Samantha likes reading. Samantha likes to read.
Love We love scuba diving. We love to scuba dive.
neglect He neglected doing his daily chores. He neglected to do his daily chores.
prefer He prefers eating at 7 PM. He prefers to eat at 7 PM.
propose Drew proposed paying for the trip. Drew proposed to pay for the trip.
start - begin They started working out last week They began to work out last week.

Exercise B. Complete the sentences using either the GERUND or INFINITIVE form of the verbs in parenthesis
1) Cheryl suggested__________________ (see) a movie after work.
2) I love__________________ (work) in the travel industry. Maybe I can get my old job back.
3) Where did you learn__________________ (speak) Spanish? Was it in Spain or in Latin America?
4) Would you mind__________________ (help) me translate this letter?
5) He asked__________________ (talk) to the store manager.
6) You've never mentioned__________________ (live) in Japan before. How long did you live there?
7) If he keeps__________________ (come) to work late, he's going to get fired!
8) Debbie plans__________________ (study) abroad next year.
9) I started__________________ (help) Jack wash his car.
10) They wanted __________________ (travel) to the beach on vacation

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 GERUNDS AS THE OBJECT OF PREPOSITIONS

 Only GERUNDS can be the OBJECT OF A PREPOSITION

Example: We are talking ABOUT writing in English. / I am used TO getting up early

VERBS FOLLOWED BY A PREPOSITION AND A GERUND

agree with complain about dream about insist on succeed in
apologize for concentrate on feel like look forward to talk about
approve of confess to forget about object to thank for
argue about depend on get used to plan on think about
believe in disapprove of give up prevent (someone) from worry about
care about discourage from go on refrain from
Example:
We concentrated on doing well. / She objects to working on Saturday.
They will confess to NOT being in class all week.
 NOTE: The gerund form may be also NEGATIVE if the speaker emphasizes in the negative idea of the action
It’s also possible to have a GERUND as the Object of an ADJECTIVE and a PREPOSITION when you give a description to the
action. Read the examples.

Example: I’m TIRED OF doing a lot of homework / Were they AFRAID OF traveling by plane?

Notice that for giving a description to the action, the verb BE has to agree with the subject of the sentence

We use the Gerund after the following phrases:

Be afraid of 1) They are afraid of losing the match.
Be angry about/at 2) Pat is angry about walking in the rain.
Be bad at/good at 3) John is good at working in the garden.
Be clever at 4) He is clever at skateboarding.
Be crazy about 5) The girl is crazy about playing tennis.
Be disappointed about/at 6) He is disappointed about seeing such a bad report.
Be excited about 7) We are excited about making our own film.
Be famous for 8) Sandy is famous for singing songs.
Be fed up with 9) I'm fed up with being treated as a child.
Be fond of 10) Hannah is fond of going to parties.
Be glad about 11) She is glad about getting married again.
Be happy/sad about/at 12) The children are not happy about seeing a doctor.
Be interested in 13) Are you interested in writing poems?
Be keen on 14) Joe is keen on drawing.
Be proud of 15) She is proud of riding a snowboard.
Be sick of 16) We're sick of sitting around like this.
Be sorry about/for 17) He's sorry for eating in the lesson.
Be tired of 18) I'm tired of waiting for you.
Be used to 19) She is used to smoking.
Be worried about 20) I'm worried about making mistakes.
Be bored with 21) We are bored with waiting for you.
Exercise C. Complete the sentences with the correct preposition for each adjective or verb and the GERUND of the verbs in
parenthesis
1) She complains__________________ (bully)
2) They are afraid__________________ (lose) the match.
3) She doesn't feel__________________ (work) on the computer.
4) We are looking forward__________________ (go) out at the weekend.
5) Laura is excited__________________ (live) on a small island.
6) Andrew apologized__________________ (be) late.
7) Do you agree__________________ (stay) in a foreign country?
8) The girls insisted__________________ (go) out with Kerry.
9) Edward thinks__________________ (climb) trees this afternoon.
10) We are bored __________________ (be) in the house
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 UNIVERSIDAD CENTRAL DEL ECUADOR
INSTITUTO ACADEMICO DE IDIOMAS

Name (s):___________________________________________________________________ Date: ________________

TOP NOTCH 2 – 3RD EDITION – UNIT 7 – VOCABULARY WORKSHOP

A. Look up on the internet and complete the next Idioms with the correct color. Choose a color from the box.
BLACK – GREEN – WHITE – BLUE – GOLDEN – WHITE – RED

1. I have just bought a new car and all my friends are __________ with envy.
2. That car you used to have 3 years ago was a __________ elephant. It was too expensive to maintain.
3. The problem she’s had for the last weeks is not ___________ and ___________ at all. It is really difficult to find a solution.
4. The accident happened because the truck came out of the ___________. No one saw it.
5. Lionel Messi is considered to be the ________ boy of his football team.
6. After five years of paying my debt, I’m finally out of the ___________.

B. Match the expressions with their corresponding meaning.

EXPRESSION MEANING
1 PULL SOMEONE’S LEG Match or look good with something.
2 SOMETHING WOULD GO WITH OTHER THING Make a good observation
3 BE ON THE WRONG TRACK Make jokes
4 HAVE A GOOD POINT Not think about something correctly

C. Use an expression from the exercise above and rewrite the BOLDED section in each sentence.

1. My friend is used to making jokes to all of us. My friend is used to ___________________________

2. Kathy and Darwin’s decoration doesn’t match the walls’ color. Their decoration don’t ____________ the wall’s color
3. Ximena is right about the trip. Ximena has a _____________ about the trip
4. Not telling him the truth is a mistake. We are not doing well. Not telling him the truth is a mistake ______________

D. Read the next statements and according to the context decide which expression is correct.

1. It is really exciting for Andres to go sky-diving. He (is never bored with it / is clever at it)
2. My sister (discourages from / feels like) having an enjoyable dinner. So, she’s calling her best friends to invite them tonight.
3. They will never (object to /look forward to) traveling to the beach because they also like to be in a relaxing place.
4. We are (fond of / sick of) that music. It is so annoying.
5. He (is keen on / is sorry) about his presentation because it was really boring.

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 E. Read the next statements. Then use the vocabulary from the box to complete each sentence. You won’t use TWO
words.
A SHOW OFF – ENJOYABLE – A REBEL – CREATIVE – LOVABLE – OBEDIENT – POPULAR – SELF-CRITICAL

1. I’m ______________ because I always feel I should do better.

2. My best friend has a lot of friends, therefore he is______________.
3. I always break rules and I always like to do the opposite things. That’s why I’m ______________.
4. Karen is ________________ because she always plays by the rules.
5. My son is ____________ since he enjoys being a clown and making people laugh.
6. My father is really ______________ so that he is proud of the paintings and music he’s made.

F. Choose the correct letter to complete the conversation.

Marie: Sebastian!...Long time no see! What have you been up to? A. Hi Marie…I’ve been working hard. What about you?
Sebastian: ___A___
B. He is…but he is used to not worrying about
Marie: You know me! I enjoy living my life and being happy
anything….like you!...hehehe!
about everything.
Sebastian: ________ C. It’s not difficult for me to imagine living like you
Marie: How did you guess?...All my siblings are older than me. admit to. You sound just like my younger brother.
Sebastian: ________
Marie: Oh!...He surely is a really nice person. D. Well…thank you for that… I guess we all could meet
one night and focus on comparing
Sebastian: ________
ourselves…Wouldn’t it be interesting?
Marie: You are mean to me…but it doesn’t matter…is your
younger brother a show off as I am? E. Well…that’s an interesting conception. Let me
Sebastian: ________ guess…you are the youngest in your family, right?
Marie: You?...no way…you always play by the rules…you are
like the golden boy for your family. F. Actually, he is…he is never afraid of calling
Sebastian: ________ everyone’s attention…you know…he’s also a rebel,
but that’s not so bad…I confess to being a rebel
Marie: Definitely… I’m so interested in meeting your
myself too.
brother…I’m sure we could get used to being good friends.
Sebastian: _______ G. I think so too.

H. Well…I don’t know…sometimes he is tired of

playing by the rules.