Gerunds vs. infinitives


TASK 1 Complete the sentences using the verbs in the brackets.


1 How old were you when you learnt to drive? (learn, drive)

2 I don´t _________________ home but I´d rather ________ a taxi. (mind, walk), (get)

3 I can´t make a decision. I _____________ my mind. (keep, change)

4 He had made his decision and _____________ his mind. (refuse, change)

5 Why did you change your decision? What ____________ your mind? (make, you, change)

6 It was a really good holiday. I really _____________ by the sea again. (enjoy, be)

7 Did I really tell you I was unhappy? I don´t ______________ that. (remember, say)

8 _____________________ Tom tomorrow. OK, I won´t forget. (remember, phone)

9 The water here is not very good. I´d ______________ it if I were you. (avoid, drink)

10 I ______________________________ in the conversation but really it was very boring. (pretend, to
be interested)

11 I got up and looked out of the window ____________ what the weather was like. (see)

12 I have a friend who ________________________ five languages. (claim, be ble, speak)

13 At first it was difficult but now I ________________  50 hours a week.  (use, work)

14 Steve _______________ football. He had to ________________ because of an injury.(use, play),
(stop, play)

15 After ________________ by the police, the man __________________ the car but __________________
at 100 miles per hour. (stop) , (admit, steal), (deny, drive)

16 How do you______________________ ? (make, this machine, work)

I´m not sure, ______________ that button and see what happens. (try, press)




TASK 2 Put the verbs and any other words in brackets into the correct form. You may add the
necessary auxiliary verbs, prepositions and particles. Use the verbs in the brackets in the given
order. Use the passive where necessary.
1. Policy makers _______________________ (force, think) of market pitfalls and (consider, develop)
profitable strategies. (PRESENT CONTINUOUS)
2. We ________________________________ (be used, encourage, improve) our job performance on a daily
basis. (PRESENT SIMPLE)
3. The recruitment staff _________________________(object, submit) the application form incomplete.
(PRESENT PERFECT)
4. Unless they stop taking illegal steps, they ________________________(risk, repeal, and, find)
guilty. (PRESENT SIMPLE)
5. We are cautious. We ______________________(break, not) safety regulations. (PRESENT SIMPLE)
6. His administration ______________________________(neglect, protect, the citizens, attack) on
their homeland. (PRESENT PERFECT)
7. The Secretary of the State ______________________ (deny, involve) negotiations with AL-Kaida.
(PAST SIMPLE)
8. His business associate _______________________ (suggest, commit - not, meet) humanitarian needs
in the most corrupt areas. (PAST SIMPLE)
9. She is an admirable worker. She never _________________________ (avoid, confront) with the
challenge. (PRESENT SIMPLE)
10. I will quit this job as I ______________________(can - not, get used, make) to promote faulty
products. (PRESENT SIMPLE)