2.

WHEN MEANING CHANGES However with a number of verbs the meaning of the sentences changes, depending on whether we use the gerund or the infinitive. a. Reference to the Future and the Past With the verbs remember and forget, the gerund refers to an action which took place before the act of remembering or forgetting. So, e.g. I remember giving him the key means I remember having given him the key or I remember the moment in which I gave him the key. e.g. I will never forget going water rafting in Africa means I will never forget the occasion on which we went water rafting in Africa. However with remember and forget, the infinitive refers to an action which took place after the act of remembering or forgetting. So, e.g. I remember to feed the cat means I remember that it was my responsibility to feed the cat and I fed her. e.g. I forgot to post that letter means I did not post the letter because I forgot. b. Regret The verb regret is similar. Regret + gerund refers to the past whereas regret + infinitive is used to introduce bad news (I regret to say..., I regret to tell you..., I regret to inform you...). So we say: e.g. I regret telling him the secret means I regret having told him the secret or I wish I hadn't told him the secret. e.g. I regret to say that I just ran over your dog! means I'm very sorry but I just killed your dog with my car. e.g. I regret to inform you that your son is missing in action means It is my sad responsibility to inform you that we don't know if your son is alive or dead.

c. Stop Stop + gerund means that you interrupt the activity mentioned in the gerund: You must stop smoking. However, stop + infinitive means that you interrupt the activity that you are doing to do the activity mentioned in the infinitive. So, e.g. The windo w-cleaners stopped to smoke means They stopped cleaning the windo ws in order to have a cigarette. d. Go on Go on + gerund means the same as continue + gerund / infinitive: He went on talking about himself, even though nobody was listening. However, go on + infinitive means to start something new: e.g. He went on to talk about his childhood in Hong Kong means He was talking about one thing and then he changed the subject and started to talk about his childhood in Hong Kong. e. Try There is a subtle difference between try + infinitive and try + gerund. Try +infinitive suggests that the action in the infinitive is difficult and the person may not be successful in doing that action: Try to open the window. I can't because I'm not very strong and it has recently been painted. He tried to climb the cliff. However, try + gerund suggests that the action in the gerund is not difficult but we don't know if the consequence of that action will be what we want. We use try + gerund when we do something to discover what the consequence will be. A: Phew! It's hot in here! B: Try opening the windo w. Although it's probably just as hot outside! f. Need With the verb need, the infinitive has an active meaning and the gerund has a passive meaning. e.g. I need to talk to you means I must talk to you. e.g. My shoes need cleaning means My shoes need to be cleaned.

e.g. The car needed servicing means The car needed to be serviced.