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martes, 21 de abril de 2015

GRAMMAR: INFINITIVES AND GERUNDS

April 21, 2015 12:48 UTC  

Everyday Grammar
http://blogs.voanews.com/confessions/

Everyday Grammar: Gerunds and Infinitives 



Everyday Grammar: Gerunds and Infinitives
Welcome to another episode of Everyday Grammar on VOA Learning English. English learners have difficulty with gerunds and infinitives. A gerund is the –ing form of a verb that functions the same as a noun. For example, “Running is fun.” In this sentence, “running” is the gerund. It acts just like a noun. The infinitive form of a verb appears either as the basic form (with no marking) or with the word “to.” For example, you can say “I might run to the store” or “I like to run.” In this sentence, “to run” is the infinitive. It is difficult for English learners to know whether to use a gerund or an infinitive after a verb. Here’s an example. Which sentence is correct? Sentence one: I suggested going to dinner. Sentence two: I suggested to go to dinner. Sentence one, with the gerund, is correct. “I suggested going to dinner.” Why? You can only use a gerund after the verb “suggest.” Let’s take the word “like.” You can say “I like" running” or “I like to run.” Both sentences have the same meaning. You can use either a gerund or an infinitive after “like.” Now let’s try “enjoy.” We can say, “I enjoy running.” But we cannot say, “I enjoy to run.” Why? Only a gerund can follow the verb “enjoy.” Are you confused yet? You’re not alone. Gerunds and infinitives confuse even very advanced English learners. Basically, some verbs are followed by gerunds, some verbs are followed by infinitives, and some verbs can be followed by gerunds or infinitives. Native speakers do not think about the difference. But English learners have to memorize the hundreds of different verb combinations. Here are a few tips. Tip number one: you almost always find a gerund after a preposition. For example, “She is afraid of flying.” In this sentence “of” is the preposition and “flying” is the gerund. You cannot say “She is afraid of to fly.” An infinitive cannot be the object of a preposition, only a gerund can. You could say, “She is afraid to fly,” but in this sentence, the preposition “of” is gone. Tip number two: When you are talking about an activity, you usually use a gerund. For example, “I stopped smoking.” You can describe many activities by using “go” before a gerund. “Let’s go shopping,” or “We went skiing.” Let’s see how much you know. Try to complete these sentences using the verb “study.” Ready? I’ll read the first part of the sentence and you finish it. I enjoy … (studying) I considered … (studying) I managed … (to study) I hope … (to study) I suggested … (studying) I like… … (studying) or … (to study) This is only a simple introduction to a complicated grammar topic. There is no quick and easy way to learn gerunds and infinitives. It takes years of practice and familiarity with the English language. Next time you read or listen to a VOA Learning English story, pay attention to use of gerunds and infinitives. Over time, you will begin to hear the right verb combination. Below is a helpful reference list for using gerunds and infinitives. I’m Jonathan Evans. And I’m Ashley Thompson. Adam Brock wrote this story for Learning English. Dr. Jill Robbins was the editor. ______________________________________________________________

Words in This Story gerund - n. an English noun formed from a verb by adding -ing infinitive - n. the basic form of a verb; usually used with to except with modal verbs like should and could and certain other verbs like see and hear preposition - n. a word or group of words that is used with a noun, pronoun, or noun phrase to show direction, location, or time, or to introduce an object Now it’s your turn. In the comment section, write one sentence that uses a verb followed by a gerund or an infinitive. We’ll respond with feedback about your usage. ______________________________________________________________

 Only a gerund can follow these verbs: admit, advise, avoid, be used to, can’t help, can’t stand, consider, deny, discuss, dislike, end up, enjoy, feel like, finish, forget, get used to, give up, go on, have difficulty, have problems, have trouble, imagine, it’s no use, it’s worthwhile, keep, look forward to, mention, mind, miss, recommend, remember, quit, spend time, stop, suggest, understand, waste time, work at Either a gerund or an infinitive can follow these verbs, and there is no change in meaning begin, continue, hate, intend, like, love, prefer, start Either a gerund or an infinitive can follow these verbs, but the meaning may change: forget, remember, stop An infinitive follows these verbs: afford, agree, appear, arrange, ask, care, decide, demand, expect, fail, forget, hope, learn, manage, mean, offer, plan, prepare, pretend, promise, refuse, remember, seem, stop, volunteer, wait, want, wish A noun or pronoun and an infinitive follow these verbs advise, allow, ask, cause, challenge, command, convince, expect, forbid, force, hire, instruct, invite, order, pay, permit, program, remind, teach, tell, urge, want, warn

viernes, 3 de abril de 2015

Ceramic Guitar Proves Good for Rockin'


Musicians have been using clay, or ceramic, wind and percussion instruments for a long time. But a rock guitarist in Spain is now attracting audiences with not only his music, but his unique ceramic guitar. Luis Martin is the guitarist and lead singer in the Spanish band "Lobos Negros." He says that widespread success does not come easy for rock guitarists. Mr. Martin says guitarists need something to set themselves apart from all others. He says, "I wanted to achieve a different sound that everybody wants to use to play their music, whether the style is rock n' roll, rockabilly, blues, reggae or whatever." The idea to use a ceramic guitar came from Luis Martin’s hometown of Talavera de la Reina in central Spain. The town is known for the ceramic art found in many houses there. Manuel Carrillo makes ceramic guitars in Talavera de la Reina. He says it took him some time to master the process of making a guitar body without any cracks or deformities. He says, "A very thin wall of clay is made for the outside of the body, then we get rid of the leftover liquid. Then we make openings in the body, so the guitar maker can assemble everything he needs. And then, once the clay is baked, it is glazed and decorated." Luis Martin says that, back in the 1950s, rock musicians in the United States discovered the unique quality of bouncing sound off ceramic material. He says, "In the 50s, voices and a lot of guitars used to be recorded in bathrooms with a microphone in the middle. The ceramic tiles in the bathrooms created a special sound." A ceramic guitar costs about $3,000 and weighs 3.5 kilograms. Each one is unique and has different decorations. Luis Martin and his band now plan to travel around Spain hoping to attract fans with their new ceramic sound. I’m Jonathan Evans. George Putic reported this story from Washington. Jonathan Evans wrote it for Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor. _______________________________________________________________
Words in This Story
ceramic – adj. made of clay that has been heated to a very high temperature so that it becomes hard
decorate – v. to make something more attractive usually by putting something on it  
deformity – n. a condition in which part of something does not have the normal or expected shape
glaze – v. to give a smooth and shiny coating to something unique – adj. used to say that something or someone is unlike anything or anyone else