12B – GRAMMAR REVIEW 1.

3 – GERUND & INFINITIVE

Exercise 1: Complete the conversation. Put in the to-infinitive or ing-form.

I used to like to go to our local cinema. It was old and rather uncomfortable, but it had
character. Now they’ve stopped (1) showing (show) films there. The owner would like to go
on (2) running (run) the cinema, but he would need (3) to make (make) a lot of
improvements, which would mean (4) spending (spend) ten of thousands of pounds. I
remember (5) watching (watch) the last film at the cinema. It was a murder mystery. It was
five minutes from the end, and we were trying (6) to work (work) out who the murderer was
when suddenly all the lights went out and the film stopped. We sat in the dark for a few
minutes, and then the owner appeared with a torch. “I regret (7) to tell (tell) you, ‘he said’,
that our electricity has failed. I don’t mean (8) to disappoint (disappoint) you, but I’m afraid
we can’t show you the end of the film. We’ve tried to phone the electricity company, but they
say they can’t help. He went on (9) to explain (explain) to the audience how the film ended. I
didn’t understand the story. But I don’t regret (10) going (go) to the cinema that last evening.
Exercise 2: Choose the correct forms of the verbs.
1. I don’t mind to be shouted / being shouted at by him. He threatened to sack / sacking me
last week, but he apologized very politely later.
2. We had arranged to meet / meeting in my office so that he could check /checking the
documents.
3. We found it very difficult to work / working with Gemma. She keeps forgetting to pass /
passing on important message, and she won’t let anybody to help / help her.
4. Thank you for invite / inviting me to come and see you next month. I’m already excited
about to see / seeing you again.
5. Look! We aren’t allowed to park / parking here. The car needs to park / parking on the
right position.
6. I came here to see / seeing Janet. She must have forgotten I was coming ~ It seems rather
careless of her to forget / forgetting.
7. You say you need some advice? ~ Yes, I’m sorry to bother / bothering you, but I don’t
know who to ask / to be asked.
8. I planned to visit / visiting my parents last week, but they suggested to postpone /
postponing the visit for a week because they hadn’t finished to decorate / decorating the
spare room.
9. The orator stopped talking / to talk. He felt thirsty so he stopped to have / having a drink.
10. I had difficulty to find / finding way to solve the situation ~ There’s nothing you can do
about this situation, so it’s no use to worry / worrying about it.
11. Did you accuse Nigel of to break/breaking a plate? ~ Well, I saw him knock / knocking
it off the table with his elbow.
12. I’m annoyed about to be / being late ~ Well, I told you to set / setting off in good time,
didn’t I?
13. She would like him to wear / wearing a tie because they are going to a concert.
14. I need to know / knowing what’s in the letter. Why don’t you let me read / reading it?
15. We’d hate the house to be left / being left empty.

Exercise 3: Circle the correct word or phrase.

1. I don’t know how you could even contemplate to allow / allowing Vicky to go on holiday
with her friends.
2. The interviewer somehow managed to get / getting the politician to admit his mistake.
3. Did you mention to have / having to book the restaurant when you saw Angie?
4. We missed our flight, so we ended up to sleep / sleeping on the floor in the airport.
5. The woman demanded to know / knowing who was in charge.
6. I can't help to feel / feeling that I’ve forgotten something.
7. The board of directors opted to apply / applying to the bank for a loan.
8. What happened when Sandra applied to join / joining the army?
9. We don’t foresee to need / needing to employ anyone to replace Amy when she’s on
maternity leave.
10. I really wasn’t expecting to bump / bumping into Ken in Birmingham.
11. I’m beginning to wish I hadn’t volunteered to help / helping Sandra move to a new
house.
12. Please don't hesitate to contact / contacting me if you require further information.

Exercise 4: Circle the correct verb form.

Kathy: Erm... hello. You must be Preston.
Preston: Yes, yes, I am. Kathy, is it? I have to admit (1) to be / to being a bit nervous. This is
the first blind date I’ve
been on.
Kathy: Me too. I almost didn’t come (2) to see / seeing you, actually. But then you just have
to risk (3) to meet /meeting someone you don't like, don’t you?
Preston: Er... yeah. Do you mind (4) to sit / sitting by the window?
Kathy: No, that’s fine. It was my sister, Jane, who suggested (5) to meet / meeting you.
Preston: Right. Did she happen (6) to tell / telling you anything about me?
Kathy: She said you work together, but she refused (7) to say / saying anything else.
Preston: Oh. Well, I've been looking forward (8) to meet / to meeting you. Erm ... do you
feel like (9) to order/ordering?
I'm starving.
Kathy: Okay. I think I fancy (10) to have / having seafood. What about you?
Preston: Seafood sounds good. Can you see our waiter?

Exercise 5: Complete by writing the verb in bold in the correct form in each pair of
sentences.
1. Miss Edwards was explaining some grammar to us, but she had to stop to tell (tell) a
couple of the girls to be quiet.
2. When you're in town, remember to get (get) some snacks for this evening
3. I remember getting (get)out of the car and I think I saw the motorbike, but everything after
that is a blank.
4. We regret that to announce (announce) flight RA 721 has been cancelled.
5. I regret to announce (announce) that I was going to resign because I changed my mind
soon after.
6. The lecturer ignored the interruption and went on talking (talk) as if nothing had
happened.
7. The lecturer described the social conditions in the 1930s and went on talking (talk) about
the effect of the war.
8. You're going to be angry, but I forgot to go (go) to the bank to pay that cheque in.
9. Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten to go (go) to the Blue Mountains! It was only last summer.
10. The air conditioner wasn't working so I tried to change (change)the batteries in the
remote control, but it didn’t make any difference.
11. There must be something wrong with the remote control because every time I try
changing (change)channels, nothing happens.
12. We like (have) the car serviced at least once a year, just to be on the safe side.
13. No, don’t! I really don't like having (have) my feet tickled like that!

Exercise 6: Complete the text by writing an infinitive form or an –ing form of the verb
in brackets in each space.
 LEGAL PROBLEMS
A solicitor who admitted (1) misleading (mislead) clients who were trying (2) __________
(claim) compensation has been fined by the Law Society. Charles Dennis admitted (3)
__________ (give) inaccurate information which encouraged clients (4) __________
(believe) that their claims would be trouble-free. Mr. Dennis said that he now regretted (5)
__________ (not check) the information which had been put together by a colleague.
ASTRONAUT TRAINING
Astronauts are expected (6) __________ (deal with) isolation and other forms of stress, but
being in space also involves (7) __________ (get on with) others in cramped conditions. As
space flights grow longer and crews become multi-national, they are more likely to spend
time simply (8) __________ (live) together. Now NASA is training astronauts practice (9)
__________ (survive) in wilderness conditions, which encourages them (10) __________
(respect) personality differences and helps them (11) __________ (develop) interpersonal
and leadership skills.