Gerunds and infinitives are sometimes referred to as verb complements. They look like verbs but
do not function like them.
A gerund ends with -ing and names an activity rather than a person or thing. Any action verb can
be made into a gerund: bake baking.
Gerunds look like present participles, which are used to form an action in progress or incomplete
actions: she was baking cookies. However, gerunds are different from present participles because
gerunds are -ing verbs that function as nouns.
Gerund
Present Participle
Baking takes a lot of time.
She was baking cookies.
I don’t like living alone.
I am living alone.
Spelling is my best subject.
He was spelling the new words.
Gerunds can appear at the beginning of a sentence when used as a subject:
Gerunds can act as an object following the verb or preposition:
An infinitive is a verb + to: to think. Infinitives can function as nouns (as subjects of the sentence),
adverbs, or adjectives.
Infinitive as nouns (subjects) at the beginning of a sentence:
Infinitives as adverbs following the verb:
Infinitives as adjectives following a noun:
Jogging [subject] is [verb] a hobby of mine.
Fidgeting helps me focus.
Daniel [subject] quit [verb] smoking [object] two months ago.
I look forward to helping you paint the house.
To travel [noun/subject] around the world requires [verb] a lot of money.
To give advice is easy.
Tara [noun/subject] has [verb] the ability to succeed [adjective].
I have some things to sell.
Jim [noun/subject] always forgets [verb] to eat [adverb].
My sister decided to get a job.
