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Unit 1 Articles
The use of articles in English is complex, and there are a lot of exceptions that need to be remembered and learned.
Here are the basic rules.
1 A/an
Use a/an to refer to a singular countable noun which is indefinite – either we don’t know which one, or it doesn't matter which one.
They live in a lovely house.
I'm reading a good book at the moment.
She’s expecting a baby.
Use a/an to describe what something or someone is.
That's an instrument for measuring distance.
She’s a lawyer.
2 The
Use the before a singular or plural noun, when both the speaker and the listener know which specific object is being referred to.
They live in the green house on top of the hill.
The book I’m reading is all about the emancipation of women.
Mind the baby! She’s near the fire.
The sweater I bought is blue.
Use the before a noun if it is the only one (the Queen, the Earth, the Atlantic). Also use it with certain public places, especially when referring to them in a general way:
I went to the theatre last night.
I have to go to the bank.
It should also be used when referring to general groups of people (the French, the rich and famous)
3 Zero article
Use no article with plural and uncountable nouns when talking about things in general.
Compare the use of articles in the following sentences.
Money is the root of all evil. (general)
Put the money on the table. (specific)
Love conquers all. (general).
The love I have for you will last for ever. (specific)
Gas is cheaper than electricity. (general)
I forgot to pay the bill, and now the gas has been cut off. (specific)
4 Final points
Notice the difference between the use of articles in the following sentences:
My daughter is at school.
The meeting will be held at the school.
I go to church on Sundays.
The firemen went to the church to put out the fire.
He was rushed to hospital immediately.
I’m going to the hospital to visit him.
The use of the emphasises the place simply as a building. The use without the suggests that the place is being used for its proper function as an institution, i.e. a place of learning, healing etc.
Pubs, hotels, theatres, and cinemas usually have the
the Prince William
the London Hilton
the Albany Empire
the Odeon
Some geographical areas have the.
seas ............................. the Mediterranean
rivers ........................... the Seine; the Mississippi
island groups ............... the Seychelles
mountain groups.......... the Alps
deserts ......................... the Sahara
Streets, roads, and squares etc. in towns usually have no article.
Oxford Street
Portobello Road
Hyde Park
Leicester Square
Victoria Station
Other nouns which take no article are:
lakes ............................ Lake Superior, Lake Victoria
countries ..................... Spain, Norway, China
continents ................... Asia, Europe
The following types of noun take no article when referred to generally:
games .......................... squash, football, chess
academic subjects ....... medicine, literature, physics
abstract nouns ............. freedom, understanding
meals ........................... dinner, tea, breakfast
Compare these sentences:
Do you prefer hockey or football?
The football they play in America is different from the kind they play in England.
Dinner is usually at eight o’clock.
The dinner they served yesterday was the best I remember.
Practice
1 Fill each gap (if necessary) with a suitable article.
1 - What’s her job?
- She’s ___ teacher.
2 Britain is ___ island.
3 Excuse me, can I ask ___ question?
4 What do you usually have for ___ lunch?
5 Is there ___ life on Mars?
6 Can you tell me ___ time, please?
7 ___ air is so fresh today.
8 She has ___ long brown hair.
9 Is she ___ English?
10 Where’s ___ bag? It’s gone!
11 Would you like ___ coffee?
12 She works six days ___ week.
2 In this exercise you have to put in a / an or the.
Example: There was __a__ man and __a__ woman in the room. _The_ man was English but _the_ woman looked foreign. She was wearing __a__ fur coat.
1 This morning I bought _____ newspaper and _____ magazine. _____ newspaper is in my bag but I don’t know where _____ magazine is.
2 My parents have _____ cat and _____ dog. _____ dog never bites _____ cat but _____ cat often scratches _____ dog.
3 I saw _____ accident this morning. _____ car crashed into _____ wall. _____ driver of _____ car was not hurt but _____ car was quite badly damaged.
4 When you turn into Lipson Road, you will see three houses: _____ red one, _____ blue one and _____ white one. I live in _____ white one.
5 We live in _____ old house in _____ middle of the village. There is _____ beautiful garden behind _____ house. _____ roof of _____ house is in very bad condition.
3 Read these sentences carefully. Some are correct, but some need the (perhaps more than once). Correct the sentences where necessary.
Examples: Everest was first climbed in 1953. Right
Milan is in north of Italy. Wrong – the north of Italy
1 Last year we visited Canada and United States. ...........................
2 Africa is much lager than Europe. ...........................
3 South of England is warmer than north. ...........................
4 We went to Spain for our holidays and swam in Mediterranean. ...........................
5 Tom has visited most countries in western Europe. ...........................
6 A friend of mine used to work as a reporter in Middle East. ...........................
7 Next year we are going skiing in Swiss Alps. ...........................
8 Malta has been a republic since 1974. ...........................
9 Nile is longest river in Africa. ...........................
10 United Kingdom consists of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. ...........................
Unit 2 Prepositions
Prepositions of place and directions
Main points
¨ You normally use prepositional phrases to say where a person or thing is, or the direction they are moving in.
¨ You can also use adverbs and adverb phrases for place and direction.
¨ Many words are both prepositions and adverbs.
1 You use prepositions to talk about the place where someone or something is. Prepositions are always followed by a noun group, which is called the object of the preposition.
| above | below | in | opposite | through |
| among | beneath | inside | outside | under |
| at | beside | near | over | underneath |
| behind | between | on | round | |
He stood near the door.
Two minutes later we were safely inside the taxi.
Note that some prepositions consist of more than one word.
| in between | in front of | next to | on top of |
There was a man standing in front of me.
The books were piled on top of each other.
2 You can also use prepositions to talk about the direction that someone or something is moving in, or the place that someone or something is moving towards.
| across | into | past | to |
| along | onto | round | towards |
| back to | out of | through | up |
| down | | | |
They dived into the water.
She turned and rushed out of the room.
3 Many prepositions can be used both for place and direction.
The bank is just across the High Street. (place)
I walked across the room. (direction)
We live in the house over the road. (place)
I stole his keys and escaped over the wall. (direction)
4 You can also use adverbs and adverb phrases for place and direction.
| abroad | here | underground | everywhere |
| away | indoors | upstairs | nowhere |
| downstairs | outdoors | ~ | somewhere |
| downwards | there | anywhere | |
Sheila was here a moment ago.
Can’t you go upstairs and turn the bedroom light off?
Note that a few noun groups can also be used as adverbials of place or direction.
Steve lives next door at number 23.
I thought we went the other way last time.
5 Many words can be used as prepositions and as adverbs, with no difference in meaning. Remember that prepositions have noun groups as objects, but adverbs do not.
Did he fall down the stairs?
Please do sit down.
I looked underneath the bed. but the box had gone!
Always put a sheet of paper underneath.
Prepositions of place – at, in, on
Main points
¨ You use ‘at’ to talk about a place as a point.
¨ You use ‘in’ to talk about a place as an area.
¨ You use ‘on’ to talk about a place as a surface.
1 You use ‘at’ when you are thinking of a place as a point in space.
She waited at the bus stop for over twenty minutes.
‘Where were you last night?’ – ‘At Mick’s house.’
2 You also use ‘at’ with words such as ‘back’, ‘bottom’, ‘end’, ‘front’, and ‘top’ to talk about the different parts of a place.
Mrs Castle was waiting at the bottom of the stairs.
They escaped by a window at the back of the house.
I saw a taxi at the end of the street.
You use ‘at’ with public places and institutions. Note that you also say ‘at home’ and ‘at work’.
I have to be at the station by ten o’clock.
We landed at a small airport.
A friend of mine is at Training College.
She wanted to stay at home.
You say ‘at the corner’ or ‘on the corner’ when you are talking about streets.
The car was parked at the corner of the street.
There’s a telephone box on the corner.
You say ‘in the corner’ when you are talking about a room.
She put the chair in the corner of the room.
3 You use ‘in’ when you are talking about a place as an area. You use ‘in’ with:
§ a country or geographical region
When I was in Spain, it was terribly cold.
A thousand homes in the east of Scotland suffered power cuts.
§ a city, town, or village
I’ve been teaching at a college in London.
§ a building when you are talking about people or things inside it
They were sitting having dinner in the restaurant.
You also use ‘in’ with containers of any kind when talking about things inside them.
She kept the cards in a little box.
4 Compare the use of ‘at’ and ‘in’ in these examples.
I had a hard day at the office. (‘at’ emphasises the office as a public place or institution)
I left my coat behind in the office. (‘in’ emphasises the office as a building)
There’s a good film at the cinema. (‘at’ emphasises the cinema as a public place)
It was very cold in the cinema. (‘in’ emphasises the cinema as a building.)
5 When talking about addresses, you use ‘at’ when you give the house number, and ‘in’ when you just give the name of the street.
They used to live at 5, Weston Road.
She got a job in Oxford Street.
Note that American English uses ‘on’: ‘He lived on Penn Street.’
You use ‘at’ when you are talking about someone’s house.
I’ll see you at Fred's house.
6 You use ‘on’ when you are talking about a place as a surface. You can also use ‘on top of’.
I sat down on the sofa.
She put her keys on top of the television.
You also use ‘on’ when you are thinking of a place as a point on a line, such as a road, a railway line. a river, or a coastline.
Scrabster is on the north coast.
Oxford is on the A34 between Birmingham and London.
Practice
1 Put the correct preposition into each gap.
Education
When my grandmother was at school, she had to learn everything (a) ________ heart, and even years later she could recite countless poems (b) _______ memory. She was discouraged (c) _______ thinking (d) _______ herself, and concentrated simply (e) _______ learning facts. The teachers were very strict (f) _______ pupils in those days. My grandfather confided (g) _______ me that he was expelled (h) _______ school (i) _______ playing truant just once.
It is always worthwhile for governments to invest (j) _______ education. Nobody should be deprived (k) _______ a good education, and everybody should benefit (l) _______ it. Nothing can compensate (m) _______ a bad start in life. Pupils (n) _______ public schools still account (o) _______ many of the students at Oxford and Cambridge University. Until quite recently these universities seemed to be prejudiced (p) _______ pupils from state schools. Many people objected very strongly (q) _______ this and at last things are changing.
I had no intention (r) _______ staying (s) _______ at university after I had finished my first degree. I finally succumbed (t) _______ parental pressure, but only (u) _______ protest, and carried out research (v) _______ the life of Baudelaire.
2 Put the correct preposition into each gap (if necessary).
1 Are you coming to classes _____ Monday?
2 Can’t you hurry up? The train leaves _____ 9 o’clock.
3 There weren’t many people _____ the party.
4 David has been a teacher _____ 10 years.
5 They got married some time _____ .
6 Do you know the names of the letter _____ English?
7 I don’t live far _____ my office. In fact, it’s quite _____ .
8 What time do you usually come _____ home?
9 He lives _____ the country.
10 I think she’s gone _____ holiday _____ the South.
11 I’m going to stay _____ my parents _____ July.
12 It’s so difficult to wake him up _____ the morning.
13 The girls are _____ the bus stop.
14 They are going _____ school.
15 The children are playing _____ the garden.
16 Did you see the film _____ television yesterday?
17 I try to go _____ bed before midnight.
18 Young people are fond _____ sports.
19 Charles is very good _____ languages.
20 It might be John but I thought he was _____ work.
21 - How do you get _____ work?
- I go there _____ bus.
22 Look _____ that picture.
23 Why don’t you take _____ your coat. It’s warm today.
24 She’s French, she comes _____ the South of France.
Unit 3 Review of tenses (active/passive voice)
Practice
1 Matching verb forms
Match a sentence from A with a sentence from B, according to the tense used. Say which tense it is. (Some sentences are in the negative or question form.)
Example
He works in a bank.
She doesn’t smoke.
They are both Present Simple active.
A
1 I don’t believe you.
2 Have you been waiting long?
3 He hasn’t arrived yet.
4 It wasn’t mended properly.
5 How are you feeling today?
6 My office is being decorated at the moment.
7 We got lost.
8 What were you doing last night?
9 This book has been translated into several languages.
10 The post is delivered twice a day.
B
a. It’s raining.
b. Did you have a good time?
c. How are these machines made?
d. They were working for something.
e. He was killed in a car crash.
f. What is being done about inflation?
g. I’ve been thinking about moving house.
h. Have you seen Henry?
i. A cure for cancer hasn’t been found yet.
j. Where do you work?
2 Active or passive?
Put the verb in brackets in the correct tense, and decided if it is active or passive.
Ex.: My car __was stolen__ (steal) last night.
Joseph Ford, the politician who (a) __________ (kidnap) last week as he was driving to his office, (b) __________ (release) unharmed. He (c) __________ (examine) by a doctor last night, and (d) __________ (say) to be in good health. Mr Ford (e) __________ (find) walking along a small country lane early yesterday evening. A farmer (f) __________ (see) him, recognised who it was, and (g) __________ (contact) the police. When his wife (h) __________ (tell) the news, she said, ‘I am delighted and relieved that my husband (i) __________ (find).’ Acting on information received, the police made several arrests, and a man (j) __________ (question) in connection with the kidnapping.
3 Passive construction
Put the following sentences into the passive, using a personal pronoun as the subject.
Ex.: Someone told her the news.
She was told the news.
a. Someone will give you your tickets at the airport.
b. People asked me a lot of questions about my background.
c. Someone usually shows airline passengers how to use a life jacket at the beginning of the flight.
d. If somebody offers you a cheap camera, don’t buy it. It’s probably stolen.
e. Doctors have given him six months to live.
f. Someone will tell you what you have to do when you arrive.
g. My parents advised me to spend some time abroad before looking for work.
h. Pleased to meet you. People have told me a lot about you.
i. At interviews, people ask you quite searching questions.
j. In a few years’ time, my company will send me to our New York office.
4 Tense review (1)
Put the verb in brackets in an appropriate tense. When there is no verb ( __ __ __ ), insert an auxiliary verb.
I. My wife and I (a) ________ (live) in our present house in the country for five years. We (b) ________ (move) here after our second child (c) ________ (be) born. We (d) ________ (live) in town for ten years , and (e) ________ (decide) that as soon as we (f) ________ (can) afford it, we (g) ________ (move) away from the smoke and the noise of the city centre, which we finally (h) __ __ __ in 1985. We (i) ________ never (regret) it. We (j) ________ (be) reminded of the wisdom of our decision every morning when we (k) ________ (draw) the curtains to see the open fields stretching before us. When the children (l) ________ (have) breakfast, they (m) ________ (rush) outside to play, which they (n) __ __ __ whatever the weather. Whilst they (o) ________ (play) outside, we somehow manage to start the day.
II. Actually, we (a) ________ (think) of moving. My wife (b) ________ (accept) a new job, which she (c) ________ (start) next month. As soon as she (d) __ __ __ , she (e) ________ (have) a journey of fifty miles there and back, and I (f) ________ (not think) that she (g) ________ (realise) just how tiring this (h) ________ (be). I (i) ________ (go) away on business for a few days next week, and while I (j) ________ (be) away, my sister (k) ________ (come) to stay, which she (l) __ __ __ quite often. Once I (m) ________ (be) back, I (n) ________ (decide) that I (o) ________ (get) in touch with some estate agents. I (p) ________ (not feel) happy until we (q) ________ (find) a house closer to my wife’s job. I wonder what the children (r) ________ (say) when they (s) ________ (hear) that we (t) ________ (move). This is the first time they (u) ________ (live) in the country, and they (v) ________ (hate) to move back to town.
5 Tense review (2)
Put the verb in brackets in an appropriate tense.
Junk story that beat the experts
The strangest story I (a) _____ ever _____ (report) began one Spring morning in Hong Kong. I was born and brought up in Hong Kong and I (b) _______ just _______ (start) working as a radio reporter there.
In March 1981, ninety-five fishing junks (c)_______ (spot) sailing over the horizon. Immediately they (d) _______ (surround) by police launches who thought they were trying (e) _______ (sneak) into Hong Kong against the law.
One of Hong Kong’s greatest problems is trying to keep out thousands of people who think life there (f) _______ (be) better than in China, and try to smuggle themselves in. Hong Kong is already the most crowded place in the world, and there’s no room for more people.
But when the police asked the junk people why they (g) _______ (come) they (h) _______ (get) a shock. They said they (i) _______ (stay) for a few days (j) _______ (escape) the terrible calamity that was about (k) _______ (strike) their villages in China.
They said there was complete panic at home because everyone (l) _______ (believe) an earthquake (m) _______ (come).
Throughout its history China (n) _______ (suffer) terrible earthquakes, cities (o) _______ (destroy) and thousands killed. Nowadays, all over the country there are seismographic centres where earthquakes can easy (p) _______ (predict).
The Hong Kong authorities phoned one of these centres in China to find out whether they (q) _______ (warn) about a forthcoming earthquake, but the answer was no. Experts in Hong Kong agreed that there was no reason for the junk people’s fears.
Consequently the junk people (r) _______ (send) home. On their way back an earthquake did indeed (s) _______ (strike) their village. No-one was hurt but the mystery (t) _______ (remain). How did the junk people know, when the scientists and experts with all their sophisticated machines didn’t?
Unit 4 Modal verbs
Introduction to modals
can, could, may, might, must, ought, shall, should, will, would
Main points
¨ Modals are always the first word in a verb group.
¨ All modals except for ‘ought’ are followed by the base form of a verb.
¨ ‘Ought’ is followed by a ‘to’-infinitive.
¨ Modals have only one form.
1 Modals are always the first word in a verb group. All modals except for'ought'are followed by the base form of a verb.
I must leave fairly soon.
I think it will look rather nice.
Things might have been so different.
People may be watching.
2 ‘Ought’ is always followed by a ‘to’-infinitive.
She ought to go straight back to England.
Sam ought to have realised how dangerous it was.
You ought to be doing this.
3 Modals have only one form, There is no ‘-s’ form for the third person singular of the present tense, and there are no ‘-ing’ or ‘-ed’ forms.
There’s nothing I can do about it.
I’m sure he can do it.
4 Modals do not normally indicate the time when something happens. There are, however, a few exceptions.
‘Shall’ and ‘will’ often indicate a future event or situation.
I shall do what you suggested. He will not return for many hours.
‘Could’ is used as the past form of ‘can’ to express ability. ‘Would’ is used as the past form of ‘will’ to express the future.
When I was young, I could run for miles.
He remembered that he would see his mother the next day.
5 In spoken English and informal written English, ‘shall’ and ‘will’ are shortened to ‘-’ll’ and ‘would’ to ‘-’d’, and added to a pronoun.
I’ll
see you tomorrow.
I hope you’ll agree.
Posy said she’d love to stay.
‘Shall’, ‘will’, and ‘would’ are never shortened if they come at the end of a sentence.
Paul said he would come, and I hope he will.
In spoken English, you can also add ‘-’ll’ and ‘-’d’ to nouns.
My car’ll be outside.
The headmaster’d be furious.
Warning:
Remember that ‘-d’ is also the short form of the auxiliary ‘had’.
I’d heard it many times.
Practice
1 Your have to complete a sentence with could, was / were able to or couldn’t.
Example: My grandfather was very clever. He could (or was able to) speak five languages.
1 He had hurt his leg, so he __________ walk very well.
2 She wasn’t at home when I phone but I __________ contact her at her office.
3 I look very carefully and I __________ see a figure in the distance.
4 They didn’t have any tomatoes in the first shop I went to, but I __________ get some in the next shop.
5 My grandmother loved music. She __________ play the piano very well.
6 The boy fell into the river but fortunately we __________ rescue him.
2 In this exercise you have to write sentences with could or could have.
Example: She doesn’t want to stay with Linda. But she could stay with Linda.
1 He didn’t want to help us. But he .........................................................................................
2 He doesn’t want to help us. But ............................................................................................
3 They don’t want to lend us any money. But .........................................................................
4 She didn’t want to have anything to eat. ...............................................................................
3 You have read a situation and write a sentence with must have or can’t have. Use the words in brackets.
Example: The phone rang but I didn’t hear it. (I must / be / asleep)
I must have been asleep.
1 That dress you bought is very good quality. (It must / be / very expensive)
2 I haven’t seen Jim for ages. (He must / go / away)
3 I wonder where my umbrella is. (You must / leave / it on the train)
4 Don passed the examination. He didn’t study very much for it. (The exam can’t / be / very difficult)
5 She knew everything about our plans. (She must / listen / to our conversation)
6 Denis did the opposite of what I asked him to do. (He can’t / understand / what I said)
7 When I woke up this morning, the light was on. (I must / forget / to turn it off)
8 I don’t understand how the accident happened. (The driver can’t / see / the red light)
4 Rewrite these sentences using the modals given.
Example: Perhaps he fell. (may have) (might have)
He may have fallen.
He could have fallen.
1 Perhaps they saw us. (could have) (might have)
2 Perhaps he said that. I don’t remember. (might have) (could have)
3 We’re lost. I think we’ve taken the wrong road. (must have)
4 I wish you had seen it. It was wonderful. (should have)
5 I ought to have known that would happen. (should have)
6 Perhaps when I am fifty I won’t remember it. (will have forgotten)
7 It was possible for me to prevent that, but I didn’t. (could have)
8 You should have listened to her the first time. (ought to have)
5 Make suitable sentences from the table below using can.
| Learning English Watching television Visiting relatives Winter sports Going to the dentist Meeting new people Travelling | can | Sometimes Often Occasionally | be | exciting. boring. interesting. painful. hard work. dangerous. good fun. |
Example: Travelling can often be boring.
6 Complete these sentences using can, can’t, could or couldn’t.
Example: There was a woman with a big hat right in front of me. I couldn’t see a thing.
1 I’m sorry, you’re in my light. I __________ see what I’m doing.
2 It was a huge hall and we were at the back, so we __________ hear very well.
3 When she screams, you __________ hear her all over the house.
4 She was phoning all the way from Singapore, but I __________ hear her very clearly.
5 __________ you hear me at the back?
6 Put your hands up if you __________ hear me.
7 Rewrite these suggestions starting with the words given.
Example: Let’s go to the theatre. / How about going to the theatre?
1 We should get started as soon as possible. / It might be a good idea ....................................
2 You could write and ask her yourself. / You might like to ....................................................
3 Why don’t we take a winter holiday for a change? / What about .........................................
4 Couldn’t you just play at the end of the month? / You could ...............................................
5 We could take a week off in July. / Let’s ..............................................................................
6 You could ask Bill to help. / What .........................................................................................
7 Why don’t you ring and tell them you’re coming? / You ......................................................
8 We could borrow the equipment from Peter. / Couldn’t .......................................................
9 Why don’t we keep quiet about that? / It might ....................................................................
8 Add comments to these sentences using I wish.
Example: I’m afraid your father can’t come. / I wish he could.
They always come late. / I wish they wouldn’t.
1 He always complains about everything. / ...............................................................................
2 He never invites us round. / ...................................................................................................
3 We can’t go on holiday this year. /.........................................................................................
4 She won’t listen to anything you say. /...................................................................................
5 They can’t help out I’m afraid. /.............................................................................................
6 She never comes home at weekends. / ...................................................................................
9 Fill each gap with a correct modal verb.
1 I really think you __________ see a doctor.
2 Oh, look! Mr. Thomson __________ be here: there’s his car.
3 Why did you carry that heavy box? You __________ hurt yourself!
4 - Where are my keys?
5 I suppose I __________ them in the car.
6 She had to wait 5 minutes for traffic to stop, but in the end __________ to cross the road.
7 I took my umbrella, but it didn’t rain, so I __________ taken it.
8 Everyone understood. The teacher __________ to explain it again.
9 He had an accident in his car. He __________ where he was going.
10 - Did she do the exercise?
11 No, she said she __________ understand it.
12 He is very rich. He __________ work for a living.
13 - Did you go to the concert?
14 No. We __________ have gone but decided not to.
15 - Did they find your house?
16 Yes, it took them a long time but they __________ to find it.
17 - Do you want me to wait for you?
18 No, it’s okay. You __________ wait.
19 His test is the best in class. He __________ (study) last night.
Unit 5 Gerunds and infinitives
The gerund
The gerund is used:
a. after prepositions.
After leaving school, I went to university.
The firemen rescued the lady by breaking down the door.
Is anyone here good at sewing?
She was accused of killing her husband.
Examples of prepositions frequently followed by the gerund are:
before after without by about at to of
b. after certain verbs.
I
enjoy staying in hotels.
I avoid working at the weekend.
Some of the most common verbs which are followed by the gerund are:
admit avoid deny enjoy finish
c. as the subject or object of a sentence.
Swimming is my favourite sport.
Smoking is bad for your health.
I find working in the garden very relaxing.
d. after certain idiomatic expressions.
It's no use talking to him. He doesn't know anything.
This is an excellent book. It's worth buying.
Other idiomatic expressions are:
There's no point in (waiting all day).
It's no good (pretending that you understand).
e. after certain verbs which are followed by the preposition to.
I'm looking forward to visiting you in July.
The infinitive
The infinitive is used:
a. after certain verbs.
I can't afford to pay all my bills.
I hope to see you again soon.
Some of the most common verbs that are followed by the infinitive are:
agree appear attempt choose dare decide expect help learn manage need offer promise refuse seem
You should consult a good dictionary, for example the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary of Current English, to see which structures are possible after a particular verb.
b. after certain verbs followed by an object.
He advised me to listen carefully.
They invited her to have lunch with them.
Some of the most common verbs that are normally used with an object and an infinitive are:
allow encourage force order persuade remind teach tell warn
c. after certain verbs which sometimes take an object and sometimes don’t.
I
want to
find
out
the answer, (no object – ‘I find out.’)
I
want you to find out the answer, (‘you’ as object – ‘You find out.’)
I'd like to help you.
I'd like you to give her a message.
NEVER
Other common verbs are:
ask expect
d. after certain adjectives.
It's difficult to explain how to get there. It's possible to walk there.
e. after make and let.
She made me do the exercise again, (active – without ‘to’)
I was made to do the exercise again, (passive – with ‘to’)
He let me borrow the car. (active - without 'to')
I was allowed to borrow the car. (‘Let’, in the sense of ‘allow’, is not possible in the passive.)
f. to express purpose.
I came here to team English.
I need more money to buy the things I want.
g. after certain verbs followed by question words, e.g. what, where, who.
I didn't know what to do.
Can you tell me how to get there?
Show me where to put it.
Do you know where to buy it?
After these verbs and others with similar meanings, it is possible to use how, what, where, when, whether etc.
ask consider explain wonder find out understand
Forms of the infinitive
1 The continuous infinitive
The continuous infinitive is formed with to be + present participle.
It expresses activities in progress.
I'd like to be lying in the sun right now.
He seemed to be having financial difficulties.
2 The perfect infinitive
The perfect infinitive is formed with to have + past participle.
I'd like to have seen his face when you told him.
He seems to have forgotten about the appointment.
3 The passive infinitive
The passive infinitive is formed with to be + past participle.
I'd like to be promoted to sales manager.
I asked to be informed as soon as there was any news.
Notes
The continuous, perfect, and passive infinitives can also be used with modal auxiliary verbs, but with these verbs to is omitted.
You should be working, not watching television.
She must have gone home already.
This report must be finished tonight.
The gerund or the infinitive after verbs?
1 Continue, start, begin
Either the gerund or the infinitive can be used.
It started to snow
snowing.
The infinitive is more common.
2 Love, like, prefer, hate
The meaning changes slightly, depending on whether the gerund or the infinitive is used.
Followed by the gerund, the statement is general.
I like swimming.
I love going to parties.
I hate driving in the dark.
Followed by the infinitive, the statement is more specific.
I like to read a book before going to sleep at night.
I hate to tell you, but I've lost your coat.
3 Remember, forget, stop, try
The meaning changes greatly depending on whether the gerund or the infinitive is used.
I remember being very unhappy as a teenager. (I know that I was very unhappy as a teenager.)
I'll never forget meeting you. (The day I met you is
very clear in my memory.)
The gerund refers to actions and states in the past, i.e. before the remembering, forgetting, etc. take place.
Remember to put some petrol in the car! (There isn’t much petrol in the car and it is important that you buy some.)
Don't forget to post the letter! (The letter is important, so you must remind yourself to post it.)
The infinitive refers to actions that must still be done, i.e. that happen after the remembering, forgetting, etc.
I stopped smoking years ago. (previous activity)
I stopped to pick up a hitchhiker. (This tells us why I stopped.)
We tried to put out the fire, but it was impossible.
I tried pouring on water, my husband tried covering it with a blanket and my son tried using the fire extinguisher, but in the end we had to call the fire brigade.
Try + infinitive is your goal; it is what you want to do.
Try + gerund is the method you use to achieve that goal.
Practice
1 Open the brackets using a gerund.
1 The windows are very dirty; they need (clean).
2 It's very hot, so you don't need (bring) a coat.
3 The house is old, and it badly wants (paint).
4 The famous man didn't need (introduce) himself.
5 The floor is covered with dust; it needs (sweep).
6 The grass in the garden is very dry; it wants (water) badly.
7 The planners didn't realise they would need (build) so many houses.
8 This shirt is quite clean; it doesn't want (wash) yet.
9 Her shoes have a hole in them; they want (mend).
10 The room was in a terrible mess: it needed (tidy up).
11 The baby's crying; I think he needs (feed).
12 I know my hair wants (cut) but I never have time to go to the hairdresser's.
13 John needed (cheer up) when he heard that he'd failed his exams.
14 You should tidy the garden. - Yes, it needs (tidy). The roses want (water), the peaches want (pick), the grass wants (cut).
2 Open the brackets using a suitable gerund
1 Alter the accident, the injured man recovered consciousness in hospital. He remembered (cross) the road, but he didn't remember (knock down).
2 I am still thirsty in spite of (drink) four cups of tea.
3 This carpet always looks dirty, in spite of (sweep) every day.
4 He didn't return the book he had borrowed after (promise) to do so.
5 He got into the house by (climb) through a window, without (see) by anyone.
6 I think he was foolish to buy a car before (learn) how to drive it.
7 Peter is a much better chess-player than I am, and he was very surprised when I beat him yesterday for the first time. He isn't used to (beat).
8 He went to bed at 9 p.m. in spite of (sleep) all the afternoon.
9 He complained of (give) a very small room at the back of the hotel.
10 The little girl isn't afraid of dogs in spite of (bite) twice.
11 The little girl didn't go near the dog; she was afraid of (bite).
12 The baby went to sleep a few minutes after (feed).
13 The little girl never gets tired of (ask) her mother questions, but her mother often gets tired of (ask) so many questions.
14 They lived in a small town for ten years and then moved without (make) friends with any of their neighbours.
15 The little boy was punished for (tell) a lie by (send) to bed without his supper.
16 Mary was chosen a year ago to act in the school play. She was very pleased at (choose).
17 Jack doesn't like boxing. I don't know if he is afraid of (hurt) his opponent or of (hurt) himself.
18 He was taken to hospital unconscious after the accident. He died in hospital without (recover) consciousness.
19 I always treat people politely and I insist on (treat) politely.
20 The boy was very hungry at eleven o'clock in spite of (eat) a big breakfast two hours earlier.
21 She didn't get out of bed until ten o'clock in spite of (wake up) at seven.
3 Complete the following sentences using a gerund.
Example: I/m good at mending things.
a. I have difficulty in ..................................................................................................................
b. I’m very interested in ..............................................................................................................
c. I’m thinking of ........................................................................................................................
d. He saved up £1000 for a holiday by .......................................................................................
e. I sometimes worry about not ...................................................................................................
f. Thank you for ..........................................................................................................................
g. I’m looking forward to ............................................................................................................
h. She left the room without .......................................................................................................
i. I stayed in bed all day instead of ............................................................................................
4 Use your imagination to complete the following sentences.
Example: Working in a coal mine is dangerous, but well-paid.
a. Finding a good job these days ................................................................................................
b. Living in a big city ..................................................................................................................
c. Taking regular exercise ............................................................................................................
d. Travelling by air .......................................................................................................................
e. Being self-employed ...............................................................................................................
f. Learning a foreign language ....................................................................................................
5 Complete the following sentences using infinitives.
Example: It is easy to find cheap places to eat.
a. How do you do. Pleased to .....................................................................................................
b. When you’re old, it can be difficult to ....................................................................................
c. I was surprised to ....................................................................................................................
d. If you haven’t got much money, it’s impossible to .................................................................
e. It can be expensive to ..............................................................................................................
f. When you travel abroad, it’s important to ..............................................................................
6 There are many expressions with go + gerund which are concerned with activities, sports, and physical recreation.
go dancing / go skiing / go running
Complete these sentences with go + a suitable gerund.
a. I __________ yesterday, but I didn’t buy anything.
b. I __________ by the river tomorrow, but I’m sure I won’t catch anything.
c. Whenever there’s enough snow, we __________ every weekend.
d. If I had enough money, I’d buy a yacht and __________ in the Mediterranean.
e. We had a lovely holiday. We __________ every day. The water was lovely.
7 Fill the gaps with one of the verbs which follow the passage, in either the gerund or infinitive form.
Jane’s a nurse, but she’s trying (1)__________ a new job. Although she enjoys (2)__________ people, nursing is not very well paid, and she cannot afford (3)__________ all her bills. She finds it impossible to live on such a low salary without (4)__________ her account at the bank. Her flat needs (5)__________ , and she would like (6)__________ a car. She managed (7)__________ enough last year for a short holiday by (8)__________ some extra money in her spare time, and this year, she’s hoping (9)___________ some friends in France. She has stopped (10)__________ to the theatre, which used to be one of her greatest pleasures. She’s thinking of (11)__________ in America, where she could earn a higher salary in a private hospital, but would prefer (12)__________ in this country if possible. She likes (13)__________ to see her parents whenever she wants to. A friend of hers went to America after (14)__________ university, but began (15)__________ her friends so badly that she had to come back.
