Remember, forget, stop, try

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 ............................................................................................