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Grade 11 English

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Unit 3 MEMORY

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3C Grammar

What is a Gerund?

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A gerund is a noun made from a verb by adding -ing. Gerunds can be used in several ways:

As the subject of a sentence

Smoking is not good for health.

As the object of a sentence

I have finished cooking; dinner is ready.

As the complement of a sentence

My favourite hobby is cooking.

As the object of a preposition

She is afraid of going out alone at night.

What is an Infinitive with 'to'?

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An infinitive is the basic form of a verb, used with 'to'. Infinitives can be used in several ways:

As a subject at the beginning of a sentence

To travel around the country is my dream.

As an object of the verb

He promised to return my book.

After 'It + be + adjective'

It is important to study hard.
It is necessary for students to wear uniforms every day.

Important Notes

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Verbs that can be followed by both without changing meaning

Some verbs such as 'begin', 'continue', 'hate', 'like', 'start' can be followed by an infinitive or a gerund without changing the meaning.

He continued studying until after midnight.
He continued to study until after midnight.

Verbs that change meaning

Some verbs such as 'forget', 'remember', 'stop' can be followed by a gerund or an infinitive with 'to' but with a change in meaning.

She stopped drinking coffee. (She never drinks coffee again.)
She stopped to drink coffee. (She stopped what she was doing and drank coffee.)

Verb Patterns

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Verbs generally followed by gerunds

avoid
can't help
discuss
dislike
enjoy
finish
keep
mind
spend time
stop
suggest
consider

Verbs generally followed by infinitives with 'to'

agree
arrange
decide
expect
forget
intend
offer
promise
remember
wish
plan
hope

Practice Exercise

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Complete each sentence with an infinitive with 'to' or a gerund of the verbs given in brackets.

1. I can't help (think) about my school days in Japan.

2. We all agreed (meet) again next month.

3. I finished (write) the assignment just before the deadline.

4. My mother promises (buy) me a laptop if I pass the examination.

5. I dislike (wait) for someone for a long time.

6. He decided (attend) a computer course during the holiday.

7. I offered (help) the new student with his homework.

8. It's very hot in here. Do you mind (open) the window?

9. It is necessary for us to be able (speak) English well to work in a five-star hotel.

10. We intended (go) to the cinema, but in the end we stayed at home.

Teaching Notes

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How to Teach This Lesson

  • Start with a warm-up activity asking students about their hobbies and dreams to introduce the concepts naturally
  • Use visual aids to show the difference between gerunds and infinitives
  • Provide plenty of examples and have students create their own sentences
  • Focus on the verb patterns with memory games or flashcards
  • Use real-life situations to practice the grammar points

Assessment Ideas

  • Use the practice exercise as a formative assessment
  • Have students write a short paragraph using both gerunds and infinitives
  • Create a speaking activity where students interview each other using target verbs
  • Design a quiz with fill-in-the-blank and sentence transformation exercises

Differentiation Strategies

  • For struggling learners: Provide verb lists and sentence frames
  • For advanced learners: Challenge them with verbs that change meaning
  • Use pair work and group activities to support different learning styles