Practice Makes Perfect

Infinitives and Gerunds

You have already discovered infinitivesand how they are used as

verbs. But infinitives can be used in other ways as well.

They can be used as nouns: To run would be cowardly. (subject of

the sentence)

They can be used as adverbs: We came here to thank you.(why we

came)

They can be used as adjectives: He is the man to trust.(modifies

man)

Gerundslook like present participles: a verb plus an -ingending

(running, looking, buying, etc.). But gerunds are different from pres-

ent participles. Present participles are used to form an action in

progress or incomplete: I was running, she is speaking, they are helping.

And as a participle they can be used as adjectives. But a gerund is

used as a noun. Look at these examples:

Present Participle Gerund

She was baking cookies. Baking takes a lot of time.

I am living alone. I don’t like living alone.

We have been relaxing at home. Relaxing will help relieve

the tension.

He was spelling the new words. Spelling is my best subject.

Look at each sentence and decide how the infinitive is used. Then write

noun, adverb, or adjectivein the blank provided.

1. I bought the car to makeyou happy.


2. He doesn’t like to runafter a big dinner.


3. The book to readis Moby Dick.

exercise 13-1

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Unit 13

04 (062-076) Units 10-13 11/3/04 1:41 PM Page 75

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