FUNCTIONS OF GERUNDS AND INFINITIVES

Study these examples of gerunds and infinitives, taken from the texts we have read so far this semester. (to see a list of the original texts, and links to them, go to the class homepage)

GERUNDS:
subj/subj.complement * direct object * object of preposition * compound nouns * practice

INFINITIVES


GERUNDS


subject / subject complement

How many of these gerunds have / could have their own subjects?

Could any of these be replaced by infinitives? Would the meaning or emphasis change?

came to the fore, while
Christianizing took what was left. But Columbus' ideas
(To Christianize would take what was left. -- infinitive = future/hypothetical)
the birch. All this he called
" doing his duty by their parents;" and he never inflicted
with one stipulation: no more
drinking. That doesn't work. In a way, Hackman knows
one in front of you. I'm sure
going to the state finals is beyond your wildest dreams
(I'm sure to go to the state finals is/would be beyond your wildest dreams.)
work." He added that
having all of these transportation sources in one (+V?)
streets, sewers,
parking and landscaping that are needed as part of the (+v?)
and when nighttime mischief-
making began to be practiced by the newcomers, it
to be a body. Equipment
managing's my trade. Norman: I thought everybody in
than as "Christ-bearer."
Populating and developing came to the fore, while
ways of coaching. No shooting.
Practicing without a ball. Norman: (Come on, move
continent. There is no
refuting the fact that the arrival of Europeans killed
usually towed and very little
sailing actually took place. The Plimoth Plantation which
he even suggested that gold
seeking was to be forbidden at certain periods of the
gates, soaping windows and
switching shop signs, by the 1920's had become nasty
except in a photograph. So
taking them to Indianapolis and playing in front of 15 (is)
occasional whistle of a quail or
tapping of a woodpecker is almost the only sound that
had to be conveyed to Seville;
travelling north was out of the question. On November
11:10-12--and, in fact, any
writing became prophetic in his eyes when it could be


direct object

Could any of these gerunds be replaced by infinitives? Any change in meaning?
Could subjects be added, or omitted?
Can/Do any of these have adjectives? adverbs?

noble and I appreciate your
staying away from Jimmy the way you have. I don't
I appreciate staying away
tree: he paused, and ceased
whistling but, on looking more narrowly, perceived that
second wondrously combines
honoring the dead--by tidying graveyards and offering
leaving? Did you ever consider
getting married? Come on. You must have a lot of
I know.... Norman: I imagined
kissing you ever since I first saw you. I was just tired
Norman: Hey, you keep
blocking out, all right? Everett: Yes, sir. Norman
last night. Norman: Oh, I keep
forgetting there are only about 50 people in this town
to start walking and just keep
going. Norman: Um hum. It's tempting. Myra: Aren't
base on the island and kept
moving for a month, at the end of which he chose a site
wanted to leave town. He kept
telling me I'd be back. Of course, he was right. Norman
my boys only know basketball,
farming, and school -- probably in that order. Most of
fine. Cletus: You kind of like
being on your own. Norman: I'd kind of like to see you
not being here. I missed
knowing that nothing ever changes. People never change
feel real solid. I also missed
knowing that people's private affairs stay pretty much
shoot. Shoot from outside. Quit
throwing it around. Get it in the hole. .. Oh, there you
George: ... outside. Quit
throwing the ball around and shoot it. Move it. That's
that charity shot and I started
bawling and they brang the white coats in here and they
almanac says it's time to start
planting. Norman: Is the almanac always right? Myra
figure it's time for me to start
playing ball. ??: I told you, once we got rid of him
the game or I'm going to start
screaming like a mad fool.) ref: (Well, I guess You got
The fact is, mister, you start
screwing up this team, I'll personally hide-strap your
The Pilgrims started
telling their Indian neighbors that their Indian religion
what it would feel like to start
walking and just keep going. Norman: Um hum. It's
be right with you if you start
winning. Shooter Fletch: Cletus! My friend! My good
of growth. "Let's stop
talking about cutting Medicare," he said. "If I were a
On October 6 Pinzón suggested
altering course again to the southwest; but Columbus


object of preposition

going on so about this kid
being irreplaceable. It's my experience that nobody's
"Let's stop talking about
cutting Medicare," he said. "If I were a senior citizen
and, from there, ask about
limiting campaign contributions," Ms. Doory said
Rade: Sorry, coach, about
walking out. I'd be obliged if I got myself another chance
are you guys thinking about
playing ball, or not? Norman: Yeah, we'll be there. OK
get caught up thinking about
winning or losing this game. If you put your effort and
and they knew more about
surviving in this new land. The Pilgrims decided to have
movie. Hackman is gifted at
combining likability with complexity - two qualities
and partly in mortification at
having been suddenly dismissed by the heiress; that he
were often filled with awe at
hearing his nasal melody, "in linked sweetness long
in San Diego in an attempt at
reversing Clinton's formidable leads in public
Anspaugh's direction is good at
suggesting Hackman's complexity without belaboring it
just time to save himself by
clasping old Gunpowder round the neck, when the saddle
down hill," Dole responded by
denouncing "the national health care system
sailor who thought that by
sailing west, he could reach China and India. His
honoring the dead--by
tidying graveyards and offering food to ancestors
I mean, you become one by
putting a leather ball in an iron hoop. And I hate to tell
idea of reaching the East by
sailing westward seems first to have been mooted by
that Asia could be reached by
travelling westward--and must have known
knows it won't work, but by
involving Shooter once again in the life of the
of justice were satisfied by
inflicting a double portion on some little tough wrong
in the eyes of the mothers by
petting the children, particularly the youngest; and like
up many bright shillings by
instructing the young folks in psalmody. It was a matter
out his singing- school by
stopping up the chimney, broke into the schoolhouse at
and the viceroy countered by
stopping the friar's rations. He then sent a strong force
I felt indebted to Columbus for
allowing me to sleep late on a Monday morning. Now in
took major responsibility for
arranging the details of the emigration. The term
signatories for physically
assaulting his own player in Ithaca's last season game
"made a tactical mistake for
building up how negative it would be -- Dole
of husbandry, and nets for
fishing in the neighboring river. Benches were built
"is what I deserve for
having raised you to the honour in which you stand
is widely blamed for
" shutting down the government" in budget disputes
that he was responsible for
starting the intercontinental slave trade and beginning
Dole -- who is known for
resisting handlers' telling him what to do -- would be
boys have got to get ready for
threshing on Saturday.... Jimmy! I want you to meet
He was, in fact, noted for
preferring vicious animals, given to all kinds of tricks
There are strong reasons for
thinking that the final decision to let him go was
that I can stop my fist from
hitting that boy's jaw. In one second, everything I'd
he had a considerable hand in
bringing the war to a happy termination. But all these
who have been careful in
collecting and collating the floating facts concerning
arguments," he said in
deflecting Dole's criticisms, while once again
find some embarrassment in
getting out, --an idea most probably borrowed by the
works a magic, however, in
getting us to really care about the fate of the team and
aren't interested in politicians
going negative against one another." The Clinton
from La Rábida succeeded in
having Columbus recalled to the court--not to discuss
Listen, I ain't interested in
talking defense here, and I don't have a hair of a notion
influence was instrumental in
winning the approval of the Virginia Company for the
my first exploit in squirrel-
shooting was in a grove of tall walnut-trees that shades
and, indeed, inferior in
learning only to the parson. His appearance, therefore
effort and concentration into
playing to your potential, to be the best that you can be
would goad Clinton into
exposing his famous temper before tens of
so no one can accuse me of
being a conservative. I voted for Bill Clinton, interned
along the front, capable of
being closed up in bad weather. Under this were hung
was granted the privilege of
being lodged and fed at public expense on his travels to
that creepy, thrilling rush of
being outside at night, with spirits and ghosts all
whom I strongly suspected of
being poor,--he made such efforts to be entertaining
advert to it, for the sake of
being precise and authentic. Not far from this village
enough to get pleasure out of
being spooked, apparently reserving fear for real
the ancient practice of
bobbing for apples, as well as parlor pastimes like the
But it is not a time of
celebrating for me. It is with a heavy heart that I look
"Today is a time of
celebrating for you -- a time of looking back to the first
got some crazy ways of
coaching. No shooting. Practicing without a ball
"guising." The ancient art of
communing with the spiritworld evolved into "soulling"
the Republicans of
cutting the Medicare program for the elderly, when in
marvelous, and his powers of
digesting it, were equally extraordinary; and both had
what chance was there of
escaping ghost or goblin, if such it was, which could
seem to justify his sense of
having been chosen. Portugal was then the
wonder that he felt sure of
having been divinely selected for a mission, an
or not he originated the idea of
sailing west to reach the east, even what island he
anniversary of Columbus'
landing (in the West Indies), Columbus had become, in
Dole said, accusing Clinton of
playing politics with the issue. "If all you have is
that the Republicans' idea of
saving Medicare "was to have the poorest Americans
not stray from the message of
highlighting his record. As Reed said of his
The well-publicized acts of
loading brownies with pot or LSD by a few demented
Cletus: In over 40 years of
looking at the best this state's ever had, I've never
as a cartographer. The idea of
reaching the East by sailing westward seems first to
saw you. I was just tired of
imagining. Myra: It's been a long time. Norman: For
reduced by his method of
reckoning the degree. The outcome of all these errors
Conde conceived the idea of
letting him have some caravels, he decided in the end
using public. "The idea of
pulling together the transportation access that we have
for you -- a time of
looking back to the first days of white people in
governor. After weeks of
scouting for a suitable settlement area, the
and has an unsettling habit of
rolling with sea. In 1964 the ship went on a brief sail
Hollow, for the purpose of
instructing the children of the vicinity. He was a native
apt to considered the costs of
schooling a grievous burden, and schoolmasters as
drones he had various ways of
rendering himself both useful and agreeable. He assisted
Dutch farmers are so fond of
nestling. A great elm tree spread its broad branches
of things even to the extent of
seeing men as goods for sale. His honeymoon with the
Brom took all Opportunities of
turning him into ridicule in presence of his mistress
therefore, been the scene of
marauding and infested with refugees, cow-boys, and
the bridge; but instead of
starting forward, the perverse old animal made a
quickened his steed in hopes of
leaving him behind. The stranger, however, quickened
and in the very act of
hurling his head at him. Ichabod endeavored to dodge the
to on oath, under pain of
having their tongues torn out should they recant. He
He nevertheless insisted on
being paid the prize of 10,000 maravedis promised to
my 11:00 class and planned on
catching a few hours of sleep before trying to figure
Norman: You never plan on
leaving? Did you ever consider getting married? Come
jockey. He affirmed that on
returning one night from the neighboring village of Sing
and ceased whistling but, on
looking more narrowly, perceived that it was a place
fearfully accounted for. On
mounting a rising ground, which brought the figure of
Ichabod was horror-struck on
perceiving that he was headless! but his horror was
was still more increased on
observing that the head, which should have rested on
out by the local chiefs. On
hearing of the disaster, he remained cool and ordered a
there's more to the game than
shooting. There's fundamentals and defense. Come on
and "obstacles to
achieving a viable, coherent sense of national tradition
midnight blast, is owing to his
being belated, and in a hurry to get back to the
of issues from Medicare to
fighting nicotine addiction. The setting of a town hall
that had once been limited to
tipping outhouses, removing gates, soaping windows
enough to do to attend to her
housekeeping and manage her poultry; for, as she
Ichabod prided himself upon his
dancing as much as upon his vocal powers. Not a limb
nearly illiterate upon
leaving home, adopted the Spanish language of his new
and whose spirits rose with
eating, as some men's do with drink. He could not help
want Dole to "get away with
saying a lot of wild, crazy things" without
were flung aside without
being put away on the shelves, inkstands were
Hackman's complexity without
belaboring it. Hickory High School is where
a chastisement without
following it by the assurance, so consolatory to the
crazy things" without
" looking him in the eye." But the president was
on for some time, without
producing any material effect on the relative situations
through their lessons without
stopping at trifles; those who were nimble skipped over
a fair lady's heart. Without
looking to the right or left to notice the scene of rural


compound noun

building is reserved for a
boarding and waiting area for MTD buses, he said
( This is not a participial adjective. The area does not wait or board
As often happens with prize
boxing matches, the face-off between the president and
him. I mean, If you think of
chewing gum. by the end of the game I want to know
name is Norm. Secondly, your
coaching days are over George: Look, mister. There's
standing on a red-carpeted
debating stage with their political careers on the line
the beginning of Autumn's
dying season traditionally initiates a time of reflection
in New England; it is now a
fishing and tourist center with ship-related industries
animals. After the end of the
hunting season people moved inland where there
who does the same thing in my
living room. The first one don't matter; the second one
world and Lisbon the natural
meeting place of mariners bent on discovery. From
continues with the obligatory
training sequences and personality clashes, arrives at
18 and 34 and those of
voting age who are unlikely to vote. October 18


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Ann Salzmann
Intensive English Institute
University of Illinois