Unit 7 “Gerund and infinitive”

The gerund

When a verb ends in -ing, it may be a gerund or a present participle. It is important to understand that they are not the same.

When we use a verb in -ing form more like a noun, it is usually a gerund:

• Fishing is fun.

When we use a verb in -ing form more like a verb or an adjective, it is usually a present participle:

• Anthony is fishing.
• I have a boring teacher.

The infinitive form is used after certain verbs:
- forget, help, learn, teach, train
- choose, expect, hope, need, offer, want, would like
- agree, encourage, pretend, promise
- allow, can/can't afford, decide, manage, mean, refuse

• I forgot to close the window.
• Mary needs to leave early.
• Why are they encouraged to learn English?
• We can't afford to take a long holiday.

The infinitive

The infinitive form is always used after adjectives, for example:
- disappointed, glad, happy, pleased, relieved, sad, surprised

• I was happy to help them.
• She will be delighted to see you.

This includes too + adjective:

• The water was too cold to swim in.
• Is your coffee too hot to drink?

The infinitive form is used after adjective + enough:

• He was strong enough to lift it.
• She is rich enough to buy two.

Unit 6 “Conditionals”

First conditional

If + present simple, will + infinitive OR Will + infinitive if + present simple

·         If you don’t eat the right foods, you won’t perform as well.

-We use the first conditional:

- to talk about possible or probable future events.

- to make promises and give warnings.

Second Conditional

If + past simple, would + infinitive OR Would + infinitive if + past simple

·         If I were you, I’d take up a sport.

-We use the second conditional to talk about hypothetical (imaginary and improbable) present and future situations.

Third conditional

If + past conditional, would have + past participle OR Would have + past participle if + past perfect

·         If they’d eaten the right food, the probably would have performed better.

-We use the third conditional to talk about hypothetical past events (events which did not happen).

Wishes and regrets

If only / I wish + simple past

Use:

-To express a wish in the present or in the future.

-The simple past here is an unreal past.

- When you use the verb to be the form is “were”.

EX:

·         I wish I were a millionaire

If only / I wish + past perfect

Use:

-To express a regret

- The action is past

EX:

·         If only I had woken up early.

Tema 5 "The passive"

The passive

The passive voice is used when focusing on the person or thing affected by an action.

The passive is formed: Sujeto + verbo auxiliar ("to be") + participio pasado

• The speech is written for the president.
• The house was built in 1975.
• My wallet has been stolen.
• The room will be cleaned while we are out.

By­ + agent

We are normally not interested in the "doer" of an action in a passive sentence. When we want to mention the "doer", we use the preposition by. The whole phrase is called by-agent in English.

Active sentence: Mr Brown built the house.

Passive sentence: The house was built by Mr Brown.

When we do not know, who was the "doer" of the action, we use someone or somebody in the active sentence. We leave out these words in the passive sentence.

Active sentence: Someone stole my bike.

Passive sentence: My bike was stolen.

Have/get something done

Have something donean d Get something done are both used to refer to actions which are done for

the subject rather than by the subject. Causative verbs are used instead of passive verbs to show that the

subject causes the action to be done

Have something done

-I don´t know how to repair cars, so I´m having mine repaired at the garage round the corner.

Get something done

-I really must get my eyes tested. I´m sure I need glasses.

-Get your hair cut!