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 #2 (permalink) Thu Sep 22, 2011 4:35 am gerund & infinitive |
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No. Only #1 is possible.
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 Mister Micawber
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| #3 (permalink) Thu Sep 22, 2011 10:31 am gerund & infinitive |
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Mister Micawber,
1. It will be hard to pass the test.
2. It will be hard passing the test.
3. It will be a hard thing to pass the test.
4. It will be a hard thing passing the test.
Please check the above sentences and mark which are correct. |
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Allifathima
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| #4 (permalink) Thu Sep 22, 2011 14:09 pm gerund & infinitive |
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All are possible. # 1 and #3 are the usual.
Infinitive vs '-ing' form choice is idiosyncratic to the verb or adjective collocation (have a hard time + -ing ; be hard + infinitive + -ing; etc.). Some bases take only one form, some take both forms, some take neither form, and some take both forms with different meanings.
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Mister Micawber
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| #5 (permalink) Thu Sep 22, 2011 16:15 pm gerund & infinitive |
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Mister Micawber,
I feel very uncomfortable speaking English.
I feel very uncomfortable to speak English.
Are both sentences fine? |
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Allifathima
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| #6 (permalink) Thu Sep 22, 2011 23:39 pm gerund & infinitive |
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Only the first. These are OK:
I feel very uncomfortable speaking English.
It is uncomfortable for me to speak English
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Mister Micawber
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| #7 (permalink) Sat Sep 24, 2011 16:15 pm gerund & infinitive |
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1. "Do you support/back bringing in a new law to control the drug?"
2. "Do you support/back to bring in a new law to control the drug?"
In the above sentences the verbs - 'support' or 'back' are shown as supporting both gerund or infinitive.
Are they correct? |
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Allifathima
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| #8 (permalink) Sat Sep 24, 2011 16:18 pm gerund & infinitive |
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The showing is incorrect. What is your source?
Only support/back + -ing is acceptable.
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Mister Micawber
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| #9 (permalink) Wed Sep 28, 2011 5:18 am gerund & infinitive |
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Mister Micawber,
1. Did you have any trouble finding us?
2. Did you have any trouble to find us?
3. Did you have any trouble in finding us?
Are all these sentences OK? |
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Allifathima
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| #10 (permalink) Wed Sep 28, 2011 5:37 am gerund & infinitive |
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Numbers 1 and 3 are okay.
2 is incorrect. However, you can say '"Was it any trouble to find us?'
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Beeesneees
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| #11 (permalink) Wed Sep 28, 2011 7:38 am gerund & infinitive |
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Is it any difficulty to find us?
Are you supporting to bring in a new law to control the drug?"
Is it a hard time to understand the language?
Are all OK? |
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Allifathima
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| #12 (permalink) Wed Sep 28, 2011 7:48 am gerund & infinitive |
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No, sorry. These are correct:
Was there / Did you have any difficulty finding us?
Is/Was it difficult to find us?
Are you supporting the enactment of a new law to control the drug?
(?) Are you supporting bringing in a new law to control the drug? -- The two consecutive '-ing' verb forms are stylistically flimsy.
Do you have a hard time understanding the language?
Is it hard to understand the language?
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Mister Micawber
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| #13 (permalink) Wed Sep 28, 2011 8:41 am gerund & infinitive |
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Mr. Micawber,
"Was it any trouble to find us?"
"Was it any trouble finding us?"
Are both correct? |
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Allifathima
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| #14 (permalink) Wed Sep 28, 2011 9:37 am gerund & infinitive |
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A little troublesome. 'Finding' is certainly right; 'to find' sounds reasonably common, too, to me.
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| #15 (permalink) Thu Sep 29, 2011 10:58 am gerund & infinitive |
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| Mister Micawber wrote: |
All are possible. # 1 and #3 are the usual.
Infinitive vs '-ing' form choice is idiosyncratic to the verb or adjective collocation (have a hard time + -ing ; be hard + infinitive + -ing; etc.). Some bases take only one form, some take both forms, some take neither form, and some take both forms with different meanings. |
Can you please give us some verbs which we can use as Infinitive Only, Gerund Only and can be Gerund/Infinitive?
Some bases take only one form, some take both forms, some take neither form, and some take both forms with different meanings |
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Juliusestella
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| and/or | It's really sweet of you to invite us. |
