Complete the following sentences using appropriate infinitives or –ing forms.

1. I saw Ann ………………………. the road.

a) crossing b) to cross c) either could be used here

Complete the following sentences using infinitives or –ing forms. Each question is followed by two answer choices. Choose the most appropriate one.

1. Please give me some water ………………………….. (to drink / drinking)

Incorrect: They insisted on me resigning the post.
Correct: They insisted on my resigning the post.

Incorrect: They objected to John playing for the team.
Correct: They objected to John’s playing for the team.

Gerunds and infinitives are often interchangeable, both as subjects and objects of verbs. Compare:

Smoking is injurious to health.
To smoke is injurious to health.

Prepositions are not normally followed by infinitives in English. Instead we use the –ing form of the following verb.

Hear, see, watch, notice and similar verbs of perception can be followed by object + infinitive (without to) or object + -ing form.

Incorrect: They were counting on me helping them.
Correct: They were counting on my helping them.

Incorrect: They insisted on me resigning the post.
Correct: They insisted on my resigning the post.