Gerunds and infinitives are sometimes referred to as verb complements. They may function as subjects or objects in a sentence
Verbing (Present Participle)
Gerunds can appear at the beginning of a sentence when used as a subject:
Gerunds can act as an object following the verb:
Gerunds can serve as an object after a preposition:
Note: The same spelling rules that apply to the progressive tenses also apply to gerunds.
Some verbs and verb phrases are directly followed a gerund:
Some verbs can be followed by a gerund or an infinitive without causing a change in meaning:
Some verbs can be followed by a gerund or infinitive but with a change in meaning:
An infinitive is a verb form that acts as other parts of speech in a sentence. It is formed with to + base form of the verb. Ex: to buy, to work.
Infinitives can be used as:
an object following the verb:
a subject at the beginning of a sentence:
an adverb modifying a verb:
an adjective modifying a noun:
Some verbs are directly followed by an infinitive:
Some verbs are directly followed by a noun or pronoun and then by an infinitive:
Some verbs can be followed by an infinitive or a gerund without causing a change in meaning:
Some verbs can be followed by an infinitive or a gerund but with a change in meaning: