Hello there! As a language expert with a keen interest in grammar, I'm thrilled to dive into the intricacies of gerunds and infinitives. Let's explore these two fascinating forms of verbs that play a crucial role in the English language.
Gerunds are verbals that function as nouns. They are formed by adding the suffix "-ing" to the base form of a verb. Gerunds can act as the subject, object, complement, or the object of a preposition in a sentence. For instance, in the sentence "Swimming is a great form of exercise," "swimming" is a gerund acting as the subject of the sentence.

Infinitives, on the other hand, are verbals that function as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs. They are formed by using "to" followed by the base form of a verb. Infinitives can also serve as the subject, object, complement, or the object of a preposition. In the sentence "To err is human," "to err" is an infinitive acting as the subject.

Now, let's look at some key differences and similarities:


1. Form and Function: Gerunds end in "-ing" and function as nouns, while infinitives use "to" plus the base form of the verb and can function as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs.


2. Subject and Object: Gerunds can be the subject of a sentence ("Swimming is fun"), while infinitives cannot. However, both can be the object of a verb or preposition ("I enjoy swimming" / "I have to go").


3. Voice: Gerunds can be in the active or passive voice ("Swimming in the lake was relaxing" / "Being loved is important"). Infinitives are generally in the active voice, though passive infinitives do exist but are less common ("To be loved is important").


4. Usage with Certain Verbs: Some verbs are followed by gerunds ("I prefer swimming to running"), while others are followed by infinitives ("I decided to run").


5. Negative Form: The negative form of a gerund is made by placing "not" before the "-ing" ending ("Not swimming is not an option"). The negative form of an infinitive is made by placing "not" after "to" ("I refuse to not try").


6. Perfect Tenses: Gerunds do not have perfect tenses, but they can be used to express an action that occurred before the main verb ("Having finished swimming, we went home"). Infinitives can be perfect or progressive ("To have loved and lost is better than never to have loved at all" / "She seems to be planning to leave").

7.
After Prepositions: Both gerunds and infinitives can follow prepositions. However, when a preposition is followed by a verb, it is typically a gerund ("I am good at swimming").

8.
After Certain Expressions: Certain expressions require either a gerund or an infinitive. For example, "stop" can be followed by a gerund ("Stop talking") or an infinitive ("Stop to think").

Understanding when to use gerunds and infinitives can be challenging, but with practice, it becomes second nature. Recognizing the function they serve in a sentence and the verbs that precede them is key to mastering their use.

Now, let's transition into the Chinese translation of the above explanation.

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A gerund is a noun made from a verb by adding "-ing." Infinitives are the "to" form of the verb. It can be tricky to remember which verbs are followed by the infinitive (the to form) of the verb and which are followed by the gerund (the ing form) of the verb.Dec 19, 2012read more >>