Gerunds and Infinitives for Kids

1. Overview: Gerunds and infinitives are two forms of verbs that can act like nouns. A gerund is the -ing form of a verb (like "swimming"), and an infinitive is the "to" form of a verb (like "to swim"). We use them after certain verbs to express likes, dislikes, plans, and decisions. 2. Cases of Usage: Case 1: Use gerunds after verbs like "enjoy," "hate," and "like." Example: I enjoy swimming. Case 2: Use infinitives after verbs like "want," "plan," and "decide." Example: I want to swim. Case 3: Some verbs can use both forms but have different meanings. Example: I stopped playing. (I quit playing.) vs. I stopped to play. (I stopped what I was doing to play.) 3. Additional Notes: Remember that some verbs can change meaning depending on whether you use a gerund or an infinitive, so pay attention to the context. Common mistakes include using the wrong form after a verb, so practice using them in sentences.