The Gerund and the Verbal Noun

Like the Gerund, the verbal noun has the suffix –ing.

The main points of difference between them are as follows.

a) The gerund is a verbal, thus The verbal noun may be used

it is not used with an article. with an article or a demonstrative

Driving makes her tired. pronoun.

(= driving in general) Nancy likes her job, but the driving makes her tired.

This arguing gets on my nerves.

b) The gerund has no plural The verbal noun may be used in

form. the plural.

Building is a skilled job. The hostages suffered several

beatings.

The square was surrounded by

tall buildings.

c) The gerund can take a direct The verbal noun cannot take a

object. direct object; it can be modified

Crossing the road here is by an of-phrase.

dangerous. I was disturbed by the ringing of

the phone.

d) The gerund may be modified The verbal noun may be modified

by an adverb. by an adjective.

I look forward to seeing you soon. My boss was fined for dangerous driving.

The Infinitive and the Gerund

The Infinitive and the Gerund mostly have similar functions in the sentence, as shown in the table below, but the patterns of their uses do not always coincide.

THE INFINITIVE THE GERUND

Subject

Inf. + is + A (N) was necessary impossible a mistake	Ger. + V
It is + A(N) + Inf. nice easy interesting	It is + A + Ger. useless no use no good worth while

Predicative

	My wish + is + Inf./Ger. His duty The main thing …

to feel like + Ger. to be for/against

Part of a predicative

	smb. is + nice + Inf. smth. hard pleasant

Part of a Compound Verbal Predicate

to begin, start + Inf. to continue to cease	to begin, start + Ger. to continue to cease to keep to stop to go on to burst out
to intend + Inf. can’t help but + bare Inf.	to intend + Ger. can’t help

Direct Object

to be glad + Inf. angry pleased	to be worth + Ger.
to hate + Inf. like remember want	to hate + Ger. like remember want, need
Infinitive only: to offer + Inf. promise decide pretend	Gerund only: to suggest + Ger. avoid stand mind

Prepositional Object

	to think of + Ger. to object to to be clever at + Ger. to be grateful for

Attribute

the first / last + Inf. somebody, no one, man, place, time	intention of + Ger. Plan, idea, habit mistake
thing: book, etc. + Inf.	There is no (little) + sense in + Ger. Smb. sees no harm point

Adverbial Modifier

Result	(too) + A + (enough) + Inf.
Comparison	as if + Inf.
Purpose	in order + Inf. so as	for + Ger.
Att. Circ.	Do + Inf.	without + Ger.
Time		at, on, after, before, in + Ger.
Manner		by, in + Ger.
Condition		without + Ger.
Cause	Inf. + …	for, for fear of + Ger.
Concession		in spite of, despite + Ger.

Subject

In pre-position, the gerund is much more usual than the infinitive.

Choosing the colour won’t be easy.

To choose the colour … is possible but rather formal.

The infinitive is more usual in sentences with the introductory it.

It won’t be easy to choose the right colour.

The gerund can also be used in this pattern (mostly after no good, no use, useless, worth).

It won’t be easy choosing the right colour.

It wasn’t worth talking to him about it.

Only the gerund is used after there is no.

There was no guessing his intentions.

Predicative

In this function, the infinitive is more common than the gerund and is used mostly after the link verb to be, while the gerund may be used after other link verbs, such as mean.

The job of a reporter is to expose and to record.

All one could do was try to make the future less hard.

The important part is helping people live normal lives.

That would mean telling him everything.

Only the gerund is used after the prepositions like, for, against.

I didn’t feel like explaining anything.

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