gerund/infinitive basics * functions of infinitives * functions of gerunds * practice

FORMS OF GERUNDS AND INFINITIVES

negative * passive * "past" * progressive * gerunds with noun modifiers


These are NOT ALL gerunds and infinitives. Identify the examples that fit each category. (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)

For each gerund or infinitive you find, identify its function in the sentence, AND note any subjects or objects of the gerunds/infinitives. Which forms are most common?


NEGATIVE
past
progressive
past progressive
infinitivenot to eat not to have eatennot to be eating not to have been eating
(passive)not to be eaten not to have been eatennot to be being eaten not to have been being eaten
gerundnot eating not having eaten (not having been eating)
(passive)not being eaten not having been eaten (not having been being eaten)

body of the schoolmaster was
not to be discovered. Hans Van Ripper as executor of
Clinton's strategy was
not to be drawn into questions about his ethics, his
but, unfortunately, that was
not to be. More English people came to America, and
towards the sex; and it is
not to be wondered at, that so tempting a morsel soon
recalled to the court--
not to discuss his plan this time but to name the price
to help other animals survive.
Not to do so would be considered greedy. The
lover's eloquence. I profess
not to know how women's hearts are wooed and won. To
and pears, and quinces;
not to mention broiled shad and roasted chickens
acres, and that ain't hay.
Not to mention that lovely green stuff. Ah, Katrina
(2,415 miles) they were
not to navigate at night because land would certainly be
I decided that it's best for him
not to play this ... Norman: Oh, I see. Well, that's fine
the bandaid off. But remember
not to scratch the area. This teacher is asking this
out why it meant so much.
Not to that extreme. I don't get it. Norman: Well, what

were a few things I missed


not being here. I missed knowing that nothing ever
1499, of a small fleet he was
not expecting. One of his youngest and most
Norman: Yes Myra: He's
not going to play... Norman: That's fine. Myra: Well
are you talking about? I'm
not leaving here. ref: You're gone! Shooter: That


PASSIVE
past
progressive
past progressive
infinitiveto be eaten to have been eatento be being eaten to have been being eaten
gerundbeing eaten having been eaten (having been being eaten)

no good. Show up at practice
to be a body. Equipment managing's my trade. Norman
be ascertained. He appeared
to be a horseman of large dimensions, and mounted on a
school. Norman: This is going
to be a lonely bench. Well, those of you who don't know
"nobody expected this debate
to be a make or break for the campaign
to play, right? We're going
to be a tough team to beat. Now you come along for the
the evening turned out
to be a victory of sorts for the questioners, who
population of Haiti, estimated
to be about 3,000,000 people, had been exterminated
Fernando (then 13). He asked
to be allowed to call at Española and was expressly
Everett: He said he wanted
to be alone, sir. Too much pressure. Norman: Hey, you
his critics have painted him
to be. As most 10-year-olds can tell you, Columbus
where gold was believed "
to be born," leaving Isabella in the care of his
where gold was believed "
to be born," leaving Isabella in the care of his
(a temporary government) and
to be bound by its laws. This agreement was thought
violated Dole tried
to be brief on his earlier controversy over whether
with him they could afford
to be, but not at the cost of the public good. On the
sheet, and wait for your name
to be called for the TB test. .. Nurse: Mary
one another in what came
to be called King Phillip's War. It is sad to think
Norman: Isn't it a little late
to be calling on folks? Shooter: I wouldn't trust old
be too old and too experienced
to be coaching in an obscure backwater like Hickory
their rallying cry seemed
to be Columbus was a bad guy. To elaborate
enchanted region, and seems
to be commander-in-chief of all the powers of the air
this fall and is scheduled
to be completed in October or November of 1998. MTD
he could hardly move and had
to be conveyed to Seville; travelling north was out of
Well, I'm sure you're going
to be convinced to go after him. Norman: Well, if I am
unexplored wasteland waiting
to be developed. There is evidence that suggests Afro
them the Indies discovered and
to be discovered and apportioning the undiscovered
of the schoolmaster was not
to be discovered. Hans Van Ripper as executor of his
... Norman: We're going
to be doing this every day in practice. You're going to
head with terror. What was
to be done? To turn and fly was now too late; and
Clinton's strategy was not
to be drawn into questions about his ethics, his aides
everybody seemed
to be entering the business to a point that made
poor,--he made such efforts
to be entertaining. When his story was concluded, there
and that he was no man
to be entrusted with a government. Generous with him
to do. Jimmy,. they're going
to be expecting you to take the last shot. We're going
Myra: I .. I think in order
to be fair, ... I think it would be a big mistake to let
that gold seeking was
to be forbidden at certain periods of the year so that
that gold seeking was
to be forbidden at certain periods of the year so that
I thought we were going
to be friends. Myra: I guess you're going to want to
(Bethlehem). As there seemed
to be gold about, he resolved to leave his brother
if their mothers happened
to be good cooks. Who's the town's ladies man? Gets
asked for all prisoners
to be handed over. Diego refused. Next day, after mass
in a ditch or well waiting
to be hanged," was summoned to Santo Domingo and
to decay, and was reported
to be haunted by the ghost of the unfortunate pedagogue
are peculiar quavers still
to be heard in that church, and which may even be
- making or "quilting-frolic,"
to be held that evening at Mynheer Van Tassel's; and
Aw. come on. I'm going
to be here for you. Shooter: Yeah, you and the little
who throughout his life was
to be his main standby, Columbus received several
given a life-time suspension
to be honored by all NCAA signatories for physically
day in practice. You're going
to be in the best physical shape of your lives. ??: It
price was exorbitant. He was
to be knighted, appointed grand admiral and viceroy
for you.... Cletus is going
to be laid up for a while, and I want you to give me a
I've blown this, so I'm going
to be learning from you just like you learn from me. I'm
morning, which are said
to be legitimately descended from the nose of Ichabod
being too rich a mynheer
to be lightly mentioned, who, in the battle of White
an apparition as is seldom
to be met with in broad daylight. It was, as I have said
unfortunately, that was not
to be. More English people came to America, and they
don't understand. I want you
to be my assistant. I want you to come to practices and
around like nobody can? Has
to be none other than, Ichabod. Ichabod Crane. Thus
was just ... Doc said he's going
to be OK for the regionals in another week. Shooter
and bowing, and pretending
to be on good terms with every songster of the grove
of you who feel you don't want
to be on the team, feel free to leave right now. Did you
about whether or not you want
to be on this team or not -- under the following
Norman: Shooter here is going
to be one of our assistants. Got it? Have you got
thought that "they are good
to be ordered and made to work, sow and do all that is
I 've seen. I'm very excited
to be part of Indiana basketball. This is your team
mischief-making began
to be practiced by the newcomers, it fueled native
think Senator Dole is too old
to be president,"Clinton answered one questioner. "It's
farmhouse where he happened
to be quartered, every sound of nature, at that
prematurely." (Kammen, 27)
To be raised above others would be undemocratic, they
transformation, were loath
to be raised to their pedestals. "Even though every
man of hidden talents, a rival
to be reckoned with. Still, wars are neither won nor
for a country schoolmaster
to be refused the hand of a Dutch heiress, is a certain
as a magnificent lord and had
to be reprimanded for it by his royal masters, while
as a magnificent lord and had
to be reprimanded for it by his royal masters, while
Some buses will need
to be rerouted in the downtown area to accommodate
provided in her will for him
to be "restored in the possession of the Indies." His
in Segovia, and he asked
to be restored "the capital of my honour . . . the
such an apparition as is seldom
to be seen in broad daylight! It was late one drowsy
at the news, ordered him
to be set free, and sent him 2,000 ducats to enable him
you learn from me. I'm going
to be setting up practices a little bit differently than
my powers of perception tend
to be shady at best, but I believe their rallying cry
a huge bag of wool, ready
to be spun; in another, a quantity of linsey-woolsey
and other colonists who were
to be taken along at the insistence of the London
before Ojeda's visit, had
to be terrorized into obedience by a capital execution
into playing to your potential,
to be the best that you can be, I don't care what the
a head. It is said by some
to be the ghost of a Hessian trooper, whose head had
one would say, 'He's going
to be the hatchet man,' and someone else would
really do? I don't want this
to be the high point of his life. I've seen them, the real
Beatriz Enríquez, who was
to be the mother of his son Fernando. In 1490 the
less where America happens
to be. This tallied tolerably well with II Esdras 6:42
madness; for he was not a man
to be thwarted in his amours, any more than that
(Gene Hackman), who seems
to be too old and too experienced to be coaching in an
know, most people would kill
to be treated like a god, just for a few moments. Myra
in this movie seems
to be trying to start over in life, and, in a way
the voyage he refused
to be unchained. Sad, and with his irons still on, he
to allow money saved in them
to be used for health care, education and the
came to prefer and wished
to be used. He never took the traditional form Columbus
game in my book we're going
to be winners. OK? ... All right! Let's go! Let's go! Let
towards the sex; and it is not
to be wondered at, that so tempting a morsel soon found
sailing westward seems first
to have been mooted by the Florentine cosmographer
His reputation seemed
to have been secured by the mid-nineteenth century
this voyage seems already
to have been thinking of his voyage to "Cathay" through

so no one can accuse me of

being a conservative. I voted for Bill Clinton, interned
and the schoolmaster,
being an ambitious man, at once began to fill his mind
in the battle of White Plains,
being an excellent master of defence, parried a musket
and skill in horsemanship,
being as dexterous on horseback as a Tartar. He was
midnight blast, is owing to his
being belated, and in a hurry to get back to the
along the front, capable of
being closed up in bad weather. Under this were hung
were brief, but expressive,
being confined to a shake of the hand, a slap on the
circle of a rural neighborhood;
being considered a kind of idle, gentlemanlike
Columbus feared that he was
being conveyed to the gallows. Though he was treated
to leave him in peace after
being dead for more than 400 years, attack him for
the mill-pond. The schoolhouse
being deserted soon fell to decay, and was reported to
an eelskin for the purpose, it
being esteemed throughout the country as a potent
were a few things I missed not
being here. I missed knowing that nothing ever changes
Tell me something. Am I
being interviewed here? I thought I already had the job
going on so about this kid
being irreplaceable. It's my experience that nobody's
was granted the privilege of
being lodged and fed at public expense on his travels to
very arrival in Portugal, his
being miraculously saved from the wreck of his ship
the top of the Earth, the Earth
being not round but pear-shaped. When Columbus
fine. Cletus: You kind of like
being on your own. Norman: I'd kind of like to see you
that creepy, thrilling rush of
being outside at night, with spirits and ghosts all
construction of the center is
being paid for with about $3 million in federal funds, $3
He nevertheless insisted on
being paid the prize of 10,000 maravedis promised to
whom I strongly suspected of
being poor,--he made such efforts to be entertaining
were enormously popular and
being practiced nationwide, with the "trick or treat
advert to it, for the sake of
being precise and authentic. Not far from this village
were flung aside without
being put away on the shelves, inkstands were
closer after this explanation,
being sorely puzzled by the ratiocination of the
enough to get pleasure out of
being spooked, apparently reserving fear for real
had not been crossed by a
being that causes more perplexity to mortal man than
who shall be nameless,
being too rich a mynheer to be lightly mentioned, who
he should behold some uncouth
being tramping close behind him! and how often was he
said Dole. "I know that trust is
being violated Dole tried to be brief on his
and exposed as a human
being whose flaws were many and of reverberating
that the body of the trooper
having been buried in the churchyard, the ghost rides
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
and partly in mortification at
having been suddenly dismissed by the heiress; that he


PAST
past
past progressive
infinitiveto have eaten to have been eating
(passive)to have been eaten to have been being eaten
gerundhaving eaten (having been eating)
(passive)having been eaten (having been being eaten)

the custom of country lovers,
to have a tete-a-tete with the heiress; fully convinced
new land. The Pilgrims decided
to have a thanksgiving feast to celebrate their good
of the labor of headwork,
to have a wonderfully easy life of it. The schoolmaster
sailing westward seems first
to have been mooted by the Florentine cosmographer
His reputation seemed
to have been secured by the mid-nineteenth century
this voyage seems already
to have been thinking of his voyage to "Cathay" through
and admiration. Some seem
to have but one vulnerable point, or door of access
What do you mean? We've got
to have five out there. Norman: Sit down! Sit! ... ref
explanations and threatened
to have him hanged from the castle door, which, Pinzón
of this church seems always
to have made it a favorite haunt of troubled spirits. It
OK, or if you need to arrange
to have other immunizations. (If so, you can make an
ones home, who happened
to have pretty sisters, or good housewives for mothers
both captains seem
to have resigned themselves to let the wind do as it
with goblin troopers is likely
to have rough riding of it: "Ergo, for a country
a fibre about him was idle; and
to have seen his loosely hung frame in full motion, and
the only Pilgrim Father
to have some university training. A member of the local
his head as high as ever.
To have taken the field openly against his rival would
idea of saving Medicare "was
to have the poorest Americans pay more." He
you must go back to McKinley
to have the TB test read. This student also has
when you come back in 2 days
to have the test read.) After your test: Remember the
of Revolutionary statesmen
to have their story told prematurely." (Kammen,
you can make an appointment
to have them done at McKinley for a fee, or go to the
go to the Public Health Center
to have them done at no charge. The nurse will give you
will have to arrange
to have them done at their own expense.) ... you should
should come back in 2 days
to have your test "read." 2. Then she will look through

not unpleasant countenance,

having a mingled air of fun and arrogance From his
work." He added that
having all of these transportation sources in one
that the body of the trooper
having been buried in the churchyard, the ghost rides
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
and partly in mortification at
having been suddenly dismissed by the heiress; that he
He read the prophets, and
having collected all the texts he could showing that
from La Rábida succeeded in
having Columbus recalled to the court--not to discuss
was the hero of the scene,
having come to the gathering on his favorite steed
at Mynheer Van Tassel's; and
having, delivered his message with that air of
middle of an identity crisis.
Having effected a violent separation from England and
of all the negroes; who,
having gathered, of all ages and sizes, from the farm
winter nights before a storm,
having perished there in the snow. The chief part of the
"is what I deserve for
having raised you to the honour in which you stand
arrived at Palos soon after
having sought, on the same day, refuge in Bayona, near
(now a ruined settlement
having the same name on the northern coast of the
(now a ruined settlement
having the same name on the northern coast of the
to on oath, under pain of
having their tongues torn out should they recant. He
to on oath, under pain of
having their tongues torn out should they recant. He
Sensational comeback! Boyle
having trouble with the inbounds pass. Intercepted by
Defender of the Faith, e&.
Having undertaken for the Glory of God, and


PROGRESSIVE
progressive
past progressive
infinitiveto be eating to have been eating
(passive)to be being eaten to have been being eaten
gerund (having been eating)
(passive)(having been being eaten)

(check lists above, under passive)


GERUND WITH NOUN MODIFIERS
(his) (adj) WRITING(S)
(a/the) (adj) WRITING(S) of ______ (transitive object/intransitive agent)
by ______ (transitive agent)
(NOT: negative, passive, perfect, or followed by infinitive)

How many of these can be restated with the "of-phrase" as the agent?
What functions do these gerunds have in the sentences?
Are they preceded by adverbs or adjectives? are both possible?

he could even hear the
barking of the watchdog from the opposite shore of the
... the watchdog's barking (DO of hear)
because it marked the
beginning of the exploitation of America by European
...the exploitation's beginning (DO of mark)
than by astronomy. "In the
carrying out of this enterprise of the Indies," he wrote
disrupted by the
shouting and chanting of angry anti-Columbus demonstrators. After
and then, too, the long-drawn
crowing of a cock, accidentally awakened, would sound
of his arms was not unlike the
flapping of a pair of wings. A small wool hat rested on
of Independence and the
founding of a refuge for the persecuted people of
were not prepared to feed a
gathering of people that large for three days. Seeing
but not, in general, of his
handling of a delicate and possibly dangerous situation
Postscript Found in the
Handwriting of Mr. Knickerbocker. The preceding Tale
of storm, the dreary
hooting of the screech owl, to the sudden rustling in the
... the dreary hooting ..= adj. (NOT the drearily hooting of the ..)
the saddle: it was but the
rubbing of one huge bough upon another, as they were
the screech owl, to the sudden
rustling in the thicket of birds frightened from their
was soon disrupted by the
shouting and chanting of angry anti-Columbus ...
The unfounded details of his
wooing of fellow Pilgrim Priscilla Mullens (or Molines

fair Katrina is yours for the

asking." So, gaily bedecked and nobly mounted upon a
(Obj. of prep. for)
progress is only the
beginning." For all the buildup by Republican
(subject complement)
as combative as the advance
billing from either side suggested. But the
the scene, having come to the
gathering on his favorite steed Daredevil, a creature
with the "trick or treat"
greeting widespread from the late 1930's. The
political director. "But the
polling is clear, the dial groups are clear, the focus
any good come of this same
reading and writing. Whatever money the schoolmaster
information sheet for the TB
screening. Lillian Kutz: ... health form (from our
to complete their tuberculosis
screening at McKinley Health Center -- not in their

displayed a presidential

bearing -- and did not stray from the message of
path had not been crossed by a
being that causes more perplexity to mortal man than
when the folks at a country
gathering descried this well-known crest at a distance
Cuba. On a later
landing on the Paria Peninsula, the sight of native
was nothing to equal a merry-
making at Mein Herr Van Tassel's farm. To Ichabod
The vote'll be made at a town
meeting on Saturday. Norman: I guess that gives me
bones or meat as a spiritual
offering, to help other animals survive. Not to do so
would cleave him asunder. An
opening, in the trees now cheered him with the hopes

parties involved play

acting, costumes and whimsical fortune-telling
festivals include door-to-door
begging to benefit children and the poor. Mexico's Day
he should behold some uncouth
being tramping close behind him! and how often was he
Is that what you call
coaching?! Norman: Pass the ball in. .. for a good shot
pursued him again in his last
crossing, but he landed safely in Sanlúcar on November
On May 25 Columbus began his
crossing from the Canary Islands, and on June 1
Bay and made their historic
landing on December 21; the main body of settlers
of all positive symbolic
meaning. The pendulum has swung, and now he "is the
villain who brought pain and
suffering to this innocent continent. There is no
to have some university
training. A member of the local gentry in Scrooby

a vast continent for new

beginnings . In Columbus the new nation without its own
obtained of Columbus' obscure
dealings, bordering on treason, with Genoese agents
in spite of its formidable
fastenings of withe and window stakes, and turned
stream, and fearful are the
feelings of the school-boy who has to pass it alone after
in the country held their
meetings there. But what was still more annoying
in reply to all his amorous
oglings; while Brom Bones, sorely smitten with love
Hessian on one of his nightly
scourings! All these, however, were mere terrors of
trains, and mourning cries and
wailings heard and seen about the great tree where the
letter telling of his perils,
wanderings, dreams, and voices he heard from on high
autocratic that his thoughts,
writings, and actions at times suggested a man just this
that he often sets forth in his
writings and that is the source of both his pride and his


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Ann Salzmann
Intensive English Institute
University of Illinois