Title: Gerunds and Infinitives / Introduction to Gerunds and Infinitives

Q: Gerunds and infinitives are [...] that can act as [...], like nouns and adjectives.
What is a gerund?
- A gerund is a verb with "ing" at the end that acts like a noun.
- Example: Running is fun. "Running" is the gerund.
What is an infinitive?
- An infinitive starts with "to" plus the base verb form.
- Example: I want to run. "To run" is the infinitive.
Rules for gerunds and infinitives:
- Gerunds can be subjects or objects in a sentence.
- Infinitives can be objects, subjects, or modify other words.
A: special verb forms; different parts of speech
Back Extra: Some verbs are followed by gerunds, like "like", "enjoy", "remember".
Some verbs use infinitives, like "want", "hope", "try".
Sometimes both a gerund or infinitive can be used without changing the meaning. But sometimes the meaning is different depending on which one is used.
Gerunds and infinitives allow verbs to be used flexibly as different parts of speech. Understanding when to use each one helps speech and writing.