LESSON 12 GERUND OR TO INFINITIVE

Gerund after PREPOSITIONS

I'm tired of running.

Gerund after CERTAIN VERBS: like, love, hate, enjoy, mind, finish, stop

I enjoy seeing you.

Gerund as the SUBJECT of a sentence

Smoking is a pleasure.

TO+INFINITIVE After ADJECTIVES

This problem is difficult to solve.

TO+INFINITIVE After CERTAIN VERBS: would like, want, need, decide, hope, expect, plan, forget, seem, try, promise, offer, refuse, learn, manage.

I would like to escape.

TO+INFINITIVE To express PURPOSE/REASON

I'm chasing this guy to earn my bread and butter.

Stop! I'm tired of running.

This is a difficult situation to solve. I enjoy seeing you tired, but I would also like to escape.

USUALLY: FOR CURRENT HABITS

subject + USUALLY + verb

USED TO: FOR PAST HABITS OR PAST SITUATIONS THAT HAVE CHANGED

subject + USED TO + infinitive

BE USED TO: FOR A NEW SITUATION THAT YOU ARE ALREADY ACCUSTOMED TO

subject + BE USED TO + gerund or noun

GET USED TO: FOR SOMETHING THAT IS BECOMING FAMILIAR TO YOU OR TO WHICH YOU ARE ADAPTING.

subject + GET USED TO + gerund or noun

Repeat after me: I used to take drugs.

I used to take drugs.

WISHES

I wish you were here. I wish we were lying in bed together.

WISH is commonly used

to express regret or in reference to unreal situations.

Wishes for the PRESENT and FUTURE

Use PAST SIMPLE or PAST CONTINUOUS

Use PAST SIMPLE

to express when you would like a situation to be different.

Use PAST CONTINUOUS

to express when you would like to be doing something different.

Wishes for the PAST

Use PAST PERFECT

Use PAST PERFECT

to express regret or when you would like a situation to be different.

To COMPLAIN or express IMPATIENCE

Use WOULD+VERB or COULD+VERB

Use WOULD+VERB

He wishes she would stop laughing.

Use COULD+VERB

He wishes he could make her disappear.

You can use SUBJECT+WISH+PRONOUN in fixed expressions:

I wish you the best.

RATHER at The Museum of Modern Art

I would rather shoot myself than wait in line with all these snobs.

Look and learn! You have to be an alternative artist.

Oh Daddy! I would rather just be a waitress.

RATHER is used

to express PREFERENCE

RATHER THAN

means "instead of" or "and not". Normally used to compare parallel structures.

WOULD RATHER ... THAN

means "would prefer to...

WOULD RATHER ... THAN is used to show preference between options.

SUBJECT+WOULD RATHER+INFINITIVE without to+OPTION 1+THAN+OPTION 2

WOULD RATHER

means "would prefer"

WOULD RATHER is used to show preference for one option over another.

SUBJECT+WOULD RATHER+INFINITIVE without to+OPTION

OR RATHER

Used to change what it is just said.

RATHER

is also an adverb of degree. It means "quite".

Connectors

Connectors, also called linking words or linkers, indicate the relationship between ideas.

The last clue drove Harry to the wood house on top of the montain. Maybe this would be the telltale clue. The weather was very bad and, (?), the car lights

The last clue drove Harry to the wood house on top of the montain. Maybe this would be the telltale clue. The weather was very bad and, in addition, the car lights

the car lights didn't work (?) they had been shout out a couple of hours earlier.

the car lights didn't work because they had been shout out a couple of hours earlier.

(?) all this, Harry managed to get to the place and get out of the car unnoticed.

Despite all this, Harry managed to get to the place and get out of the car unnoticed.

The lights of the house were on (?) Harry carefully crawled through the bushes until he reached the window.

The lights of the house were on so Harry carefully crawled through the bushes until he reached the window.

There he saw Elisabeth crying. (?), a shiver came over his body.

There he saw Elisabeth crying. Suddenly, a shiver came over his body.

(?) crying,

Instead of crying,

Elisabeth was actually laughing (?) looking directly into Harry's eyes

Elisabeth was actually laughing and looking directly into Harry's eyes

(?) holding the gun.

while holding the gun.

Type of connectors

by meaning

GIVING EXAMPLES

for example (e.g.), for instance, such as

INTRODUCING A TOPIC

with regard to, regarding, concerning, by the way

ADDING INFORMATION

and, also, too, as well as, in addition, apart from, besides, furthermore, moreover, then again

SUMMARIZING

in short, in brief, in summary, to conclude, in conclusion

GIVING REASON

because, because of, for, since, as, due to, owing to

INTRODUCING DEVELOPMENTS

so, consequently, as a result, therefore, thus, hence

REFLECTING CONTRAST

but, however, although, even though, though, despite, in spite of, nevertheless, nonetheless, while, whereas, unlike, on the other hand, anyway

SEQUENCING IDEAS

firstly, secondly, thirdly, to begin with, next, lastly, finaly

DURING THE NARRATIVE

at the beginning, then, at last, once, afterwards, suddenly, finally, in the end

EMPHASIZING

obviously, particularly, in theory, in fact, especially

SHOWING CERTAINTY

surely, indeed, undoubtedly, certainly, even so

Relative Clauses

A relative clause is a dependent clause that mofifies a word, phrase or idea in the main clause.

A relative clause begins with a

RELATIVE PRONOUN WHO, WHOM, WHOSE, THAT or WHITCH

There are two types of relative clauses:

NON-DEFINING CLAUSES and DEFINING CLAUSES

Defining Clauses

The information contained in defining clauses is ESSENTIAL. When deleted, it's nor clear who or what is being talked about.

In this type of clause the relative pronouns used are:

For people: WHO, THAT (and WHOM followed by a preposition). For things: WHICH, THAT

Non-defining Clauses

In non-defining clauses the information is NOT ESSENTIAL. When deleted, it's still clear who or what is being talked about.

In this type of clause the relative pronouns used are:

For people: WHO (and WHOM, WHOSE) For things: WHICH (and WHOSE)

ACTIVE & PASSIVE VOICES

There are two voices in English: the active and the passive

The ACTIVE VOICE

describes what the subject does.

The PASSIVE VOICE

describes what is done to the subject. It's usually used when we don't know or are not interested in who performs the action.

The passive voice is formed with:

TO BE+PAST PARTICIPLE

It can also be formed by:

TO GET+PAST PARTICIPLE

All the verb tenses can be expressed in passive voice.

The concert will be performed next week. The concert has been performed already.

BY is used

to show the person or thing doing the action.

I would like him to be eaten too.

The pigeons are eating a worm. Worms are eaten every day all over the world.

Reported Speech

I need a friend ASAP. She said she needed a friend ASAP.

There are two ways to repeat what another person said:

DIRECT SPEECH and REPORTED SPEECH

DIRECT SPEECH

uses exact words in quotation marks.

REPORTED SPEECH

is indirect.

Reported speech uses

the past form of direct speech.

I need a friend.

She said she needed a friend.

I'm feeling alone.

She said she was feeling alone.

I've spent all Sundays watching TV.

She said she had spent all Sunday watching TV.

I will go to bed early.

She said she would go to bed early.

When direct speech uses a past form,

reported speech doesn't change.

I was afraid.

She said she was afraid.

I was looking for a better life.

She said she was looking for a better life.