GERUNDS AND INFINITIVES: revisão simples

Uma pequena revisão das diferenças entre gerúndios e infinitivos:

	Ø Gerunds are formed with ING:	walking, talking, thinking, listening
	Ø Infinitives are formed with TO:	to walk, to talk, to think, to listen

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Gerunds and infinitives can do several jobs:

	Ø Both gerunds and infinitives can be the subject of a sentence::
Ø Writing in English is difficult. To write in English is difficult.
	Ø Both gerunds and infinitives can be the object of a verb::
Ø I like writing in English. I like to write in English.
But...
	Ø Only gerunds can be the object of a preposition::
Ø We are talking about writing in English.

It is often difficult to know when to use a gerund and when to use an infinitive. These guidelines may help you:

	Ø Gerunds are often used when actions are real, concrete or completed::
Ø I stopped smoking. (The smoking was real and happened until I stopped.)
	Ø Infinitives are often used when actions are unreal, abstract, or future::
Ø I stopped to smoke. (I was doing something else, and I stopped; the smoking had not happened yet.)