Topic 1.8.2 Gerunds and Infinitives

Gerunds and Infinitives

Discussion: What are the “must-do” things in your job? Do you feel some more things are more important to do than others?

Gerunds and Infinitives in Business English

Understanding Gerunds and Infinitives

Gerunds:

• A gerund is the -ing form of a verb that functions as a noun.
• Gerunds can be used as the subject, object, or complement of a sentence.
• Example: “Managing a team requires patience.” Here, “managing” is the subject of the sentence.

Infinitives:

• An infinitive is the base form of a verb preceded by “to.”
• Infinitives can function as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs.
• Example: “We need to increase our sales.” Here, “to increase” is the object of the verb “need.”

When to Use Gerunds

When to Use Infinitives

Verbs Followed by Gerunds:

• Enjoy: “I enjoy working on challenging projects.”
• Avoid: “He avoids speaking in public.”
• Suggest: “She suggested reviewing the contract.”
• Consider: “They are considering expanding their business.”
• Recommend: “We recommend sending the report early.”

Verbs Followed by Infinitives:

• Need: “We need to increase our sales.”
• Want: “They want to hire more staff.”
• Plan: “She plans to attend the conference.”
• Decide: “He decided to join the team.”
• Hope: “We hope to launch the product next month.”

Common Mistakes

1. Using a Gerund Instead of an Infinitive:

   • Incorrect: “We need hiring more employees.”
   • Correct: “We need to hire more employees.”

2. Using an Infinitive Instead of a Gerund:

   • Incorrect: “She enjoys to manage the team.”
   • Correct: “She enjoys managing the team.”

3. Confusion with Verbs That Can Take Both Forms with Different Meanings:

   • Example: “Stop” (to cease an activity) vs. “Stop to” (to pause to do something else)
   • “He stopped smoking.” (He quit smoking.)
   • “He stopped to smoke.” (He paused what he was doing to smoke.)

Activity: ask and answer the following questions

• Is there something you usually avoid doing?
• Is there something you really enjoy doing on the weekends?
• What do you suggest doing to improve your speaking skills in English?

VIDEO: watch or listen to the video and choose the correct answer.

Avoiding Workplace Distractions – YouTube

1. What is one reason workers might become distracted at work?
   a. They are too focused on their tasks.
   b. They are working on multiple projects at once.
   c. They take regular breaks.
    
2. 
   What should you do to avoid distractions from electronic devices?
   a. Look at your phone while walking.
   b. Ignore your surroundings.
   c.  Keep the volume low if listening to music.
3. 
   Why is it important to be observant of your surroundings at work?
   a. To make more friends.
   b. To avoid potential injuries.
   c. To increase distractions.
   
4. 
   What can project deadlines do to workers?
   a. Decrease their workload.
   b. Diminish the priority for safety.
   c. Make them more productive.
5. 
   What is a good practice when walking and listening to audio?

a. Stay aware of your surroundings.
b. Walk as fast as possible.
c. Look at your phone.

Watch again, this time read the script. Can you find an example of:

verb+ infinitive? 

a gerund as subject of a sentence?

gerund after preposition?

Discussion

• What would you suggest doing to avoid being distracted at work?