Material Unit [L3]
1. Gerund as a noun & Infinitive of purpuse
Gerund: a verbs as a noun
We can sometimes use the gerund form of a verb (-ing) to act like a noun, often as the subject of a sentence. La forma en -ing pot fer la funció de substantiu, sovint com a subjecte de la frase.
- Swimming is a great form of exercise.
- Living in a capital city can be very expensive.
Infinitive of purpuse
We can use the infinitive form of a verb to express purpose or reason for doing something. La forma de l'infinitiu es pot fer servir per expressar un propòsit o raó per fer alguna cosa.
- They sent an email to the company to complain.
Do you see the difference in the following two sentences? In one, "reading" is a gerund (noun). In the other, "reading" is a present participle (verb).
- My favourite occupation is reading.
- My favourite niece is reading.
In #1, "reading" is a gerund (like a noun):
main verb | complement | |
---|---|---|
My favourite occupation | is | reading. |
My favourite occupation | is | football. |
In #2, "reading" is a present participle (verb):
auxiliary verb | main verb | |
---|---|---|
My favourite niece | is | reading. |
My favourite niece | has | finished. |