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gerund動名詞 vs. infinitive不定詞

當你在說話或寫文章時有沒有常常把動名詞和不定詞搞混呢？

到底現在該用動名詞還是不定詞呢？

今天Ian的文法小教室要教你分辨這兩者的不同。

Today's lesson is amazing, and will explain a question that students always have and teachers can never answer. Why can't teachers answer? Because there is no answer.

Today's topic is.....Gerunds and Infinitives

 gerund動名詞。

Gerund = doing 

Infinitive = to do

*** Don't get the gerund "doing" confused with the verb "to be doing". "To be doing" means that you are doing something right now, for example "I am explaining gerunds". The gerund "doing" means the act of doing something, but it doesn't mean you are taking action. 

Example sentences:

I agreed to deliver the paper for my brother.

I enjoyed delivering the paper for my bother.

Both sentences are correct. Why does the first sentence use "to deliver", the infinitive, and the second sentence uses the gerund " delivering"??? Because it does.

If you change the form of the verbs in the sentence, the sentence will not be correct.

I agreed delivering the paper for my brother. (X)

I enjoyed to deliver the paper for my brother. (X)

When native speakers hear these sentences, we know they are wrong but many people can't explain why the sentences are wrong. They just sounds wrong to us.

Some verbs are followed by the infinitive only, some verbs are followed by gerunds only, and some verbs can be followed by both. Like is a verb that is followed by the infinitive and gerunds.

I like going to the movies.

I like to go to the movies.

These sentences are also both correct and used in exactly the same way. One form isn't used more that the other either.

Ian幫大家把常使用的動詞列了一個表，在表中你可以看到哪些動詞後面使用動名詞；哪些動詞後面接著不定詞；那些動詞後面接著動名詞或不定詞都可以。

但是為什麼有這種區別呢？其實沒什麼原因，這只是英語用法上的習慣，外國人也很難跟你解釋為什麼會這樣。

把這個表記熟，多練習，下次就不會再出錯囉！

Here is a list of some common verbs that are followed by gerunds, infinitives or both. Now that you know the rule, you can also find more extensive lists on the internet or in textbooks.

Here are a few more examples:

I quit smoking last year.

You should consider learning grammar every week.

Don't resist learning grammar.

Ok, I'll stop writing examples about learning grammar.

I'll start talking about partying and....

I can't afford to fly to Japan.

I need to teach grammar to stay happy.

I'll start to talk about more exciting things.

I need to go. Sorry about that. I've decided not to influence you and risk turning all of my students that came to learn grammar into party animals that don't hesitate to stay out all night, avoid going to class, stop studying English, and quit coming to our website.  Plus, I'm just pretending to be a party animal anyways.

Hope this helps.