English Grammar Guide: Gerunds, Infinitives, and Modals
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English Grammar Guide
Gerunds and Infinitives
Gerunds (Verb + -ing)
- After certain verbs: admit, advise, avoid, consider, deny, involve, recommend, risk, suggest, sing
- After prepositions (but not before): I drank a cup of coffee before leaving.
- As the subject or object of a sentence: Swimming is good exercise.
- After certain expressions: I can't help wondering.
Infinitives ('to' + Verb)
- After certain verbs: agree, decide, deserve, expect, hope, learn, need, offer, plan, promise, seem, wait, want
- After many adjectives: It's difficult to get up early.
Examples:
- I enjoy drawing.
- Yesterday, I decided to draw.
Live, Alive, Live
- Verb: We live in Valencia.
- Adjective: You're lucky to be alive.
- Adverb: They enjoy playing live.
Word Order
Subject + Verb + Object + How + Where + When
- I usually listen to pop music.
- I repaired the broken violin string quickly.
- That band often comes.
- They ate their dinner hungrily when they got home.
Adverbs of frequency go before the main verb and after a modal or auxiliary verb.
Modals and Perfect Modals
Simple Modals
Modal + Infinitive: You should study for the next exam.
Perfect Modals
Modal + Have + Past Participle: You should have studied for the next exam.
| Modal Type | Modals | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Ability | can, could, be able to | He can speak three languages. He could speak French when he was five. He is able to find any street in London. |
| Permission | can, could, may, might | Can I sit in that chair, please? May I borrow your dictionary? Might I suggest an idea? |
| Advice | should | You should try to lose weight. |
| Obligation | must, have to | I must memorize all the rules to pass. You have to take off your shoes. |
| Possibility | might, may, can, could | It looks nice, but it might be very expensive. He may be coming to see us tomorrow. |
| Prediction/Request | would, will | I would be surprised if he's not elected. Will you be quiet! |