Gerunds and Infinitives Quiz

Find the sentences where the Gerund is used as a part of a compound verbal predicate.

• I simply love riding.

• Tom went on whitewashing.

• To pacify her, I held the window ajar a few seconds.

• In the night it started raining.

• To speak the truth, I have been a little troubled, but it is over.

Find the examples of the gerund as an adverbial modifier of concession.

• In spite of being busy, he did all he could to help her.

• In spite of feeling unwell, he attended the meeting and delivered his report.

• In spite of knowing the truth, she chose to remain silent.

• My answering in the affirmative gave him great satisfaction.

• George, on hearing the story, grinned.

Find the examples which do not refer to the Perfect Infinitive.

• She must have left the office by now.

• They must have been waiting for hours when we finally arrived.

• He seems to have been feeling sick for the last few days.

• I would like to have known about the meeting earlier.

• I meant to have gone there.

Find the examples where the gerund functions as an adverbial modifier of time.

• He was to have three days at home before going back to farm.

• Mr. Bumble's conduct on being left to himself was rather inexplicable.

• In quitting the room he paused once more at my desk.

• She startled her father by bursting into tears.

• He was born with the gift of winning hearts.

Find the examples of the Continuous Infinitive.

• He seems to have been working all night. (Perfect Continuous)

• I am glad to meet you.

• They appear to be arguing about something.

• I meant to have gone there.

• They happened, at the moment, to be standing near a small conservatory at the end of the garden.

Find the examples where the Gerund is used as a subject in the sentence.

• She persuaded her brother to apply for the scholarship.

• Waiting for the Professor was a lame excuse for doing nothing.

• My answering in the affirmative gave him great satisfaction.

• The teacher told the students to open their books.

• I saw him cross the street without looking.

Find the sentences where the Infinitive is used as a predicative or part of a predicative.

• I have nobody to say a kind word to me. (Attributive)

• My intention is to get into parliament.

• To doubt, under the circumstances, is almost to insult.

• The abode of Mrs. Betty was not easy to find. (Adjectival)

• Here is a charming little cottage to spend the summer in. (Attributive)

Find the examples where the Infinitive isn't used as part of a complex object.

• His dream is to become a professional musician.

• To finish this project on time is our main goal.

• They invited us to attend the ceremony.

• We expected the train to arrive earlier.

• I noticed the cat jump onto the windowsill.

State the function of the infinitive: Laws were not made to be broken, laws were made to stay within.

• adverbial modifier of purpose

• compound verbal aspect predicate

• adverbial modifier of result

• predicative

• compound verbal modal predicate

State the function of the infinitive: To acquire knowledge and to acquire it unceasingly.

• subject

• attribute

• predicative

• compound verbal aspect predicate

• compound verbal modal predicate