chance of doing v.s. chance to do

[Lost_Soul]

[Yankee]

Hi LS

In a nutshell, you got something wrong. :wink:
The expression "a/the chance to + infinitive" has been widely used as long as I can remember.

My take on the difference is this:

"a/the chance to + infinitive" - 'chance' tends to mean 'opportunity'.

"a/the chance of + noun/gerund" - 'chance of' of tends to be similar in meaning to 'risk of' or possibly 'odds of'.

In other words, "a/the chance to + infinitive" tends to refer to something more likely and/or more positive, and "a/the chance of + noun/gerund" tends to refer to something more negative and/or less likely.

Note that I have used the word "tends". That's because I've given you tendencies, not absolute guidelines. But I think they are very strong tendencies.
.
_________________
"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." ~ Abraham Lincoln

[Lost_Soul]

Hi, Yankee

Thank you so much ! That disspells my doubts all right

(actually I was thinking the same thing as you ;) but in my textbook there was only one option with gerund)

[Alan]

Hi lost_soul,

Your question really comes back to the basic difference between the infinitive and the gerund after certain verbs such as 'like' as in I like swimming or I like to swim on holiday. This is where the gerund suggests generality and the infinitive indicates specificity.

You can transfer that difference to your example: chance to/chance of. Chance to is more specific as in: If you accept this scholarship, you will have a chance to see the major cities of the world. Chance of is more general as in: As you grow older, you will have the chance of seeing the world.

Alan
_________________
English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story Present Simple

[Yankee]

Though I think the difference is difficult to explain, I don't think the idea of specific vs. general/not specific works terribly well in this case.

the chance of from the BNC:

The chance of getting infected from a pint of blood is less than 1 in a million.

If you ever get the chance of going to the catacombs in Rome you will see on the walls a very popular image of the cross shaped as an anchor.

The first 24 lorries in this week's 500-vehicle convoy took the chance of travelling without their British escort.

For the second year running Cleveland Schools will be denying themselves the services of two exceptionally good athletes and denying the lads the chance of taking part in the English Schools Championships

There was sympathy too for Floyd, who at 49 had the chance of becoming the oldest champion and now runner-up for the second time in three years.

Some students are forced to choose their university by the chance of getting a place in the cr?che.

The Irish Permanent building society's soccer account offers customers the chance of winning a package holiday for two to the United States to watch the Republic play.

Winners of the regional heats of the Fuji contest will go to the London final with the chance of scooping a ?1,000 top prize.
.
_________________
"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." ~ Abraham Lincoln

[Alan]

Hi,

I think your examples, Amy, apart perhaps from number three, do point to the idea of generality because the 'chances' in all the examples are less 'positive' in the direction of reality than would be the case in the use of the infinitive.

Alan
_________________
English as a Foreign Language
You can read my EFL story Progressive Forms

[Lost_Soul]

Hi Alan and Yankee,

Thank you very much for such a thorough and exhaustive explanation .

[Tom]

Hi

Once there was an interesting discussion on CHANCE here also.