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Grammar test : following verbs - infinitive or gerund ?

Test yourself - infinitive or gerund ? What form for the second verb?   

It is quite common in English for two verbs to follow each other directly (with nothing between them). It happens with modal verbs (future,  possibility or obligation),  it happens with consecutive verbs, also called following verbs or catenative verbs , and it also occurs with a few rather particular verbs such as, let and get 

How well do you master this tricky point of English grammar?
In each of the sentences below, select the correct form for the second verb. Is it a gerund (an -ing form) or is it an infinitive with or without to ? Or in some cases are two structures possible? Choose the correct form for the second verb in each of the following sentences.

This exercise does not cover cases in which two verbs follow each other indirectly, being separated by at least a pronoun or a noun, or a preposition , as in I look forward to seeing you or They allowed me to go home.

1)  The president does not expect
a) be re-elected b) to be re-elected. c) being re-elected 
for a second term.



2)  We've both decided
a) give up b) to give up c) giving up    
 smoking.


3)  The job I had involved 
a) sell  b) to sell c) selling d) to selling
tombola tickets in the street..


4)  I really think that you should stop
a) to complainb) complain c) complaining
 about everything.


5)  I want 
a) go b) to goc) going
 to bed early this evening.


6)  He always remembered 
a) to take b) take  c) taking 
a big bottle of water if he went walking in the mountains.


7)  I clearly remember 
a) to see   b) see c) seeing  d) to seeing
 a red car outside his house.



8)   They never mentioned
a) see  b) to seec)  seeing  d) to seeing 
him yesterday.



9)  The Beatles got  
a) to play b) playing c) play 
 for the Queen of England.


10) When we were half-way home, we stopped
a) have  b) to have c) having
 lunch in a very nice restaurant.

11)  They thought they could
a) sell b) to sell. c) selling 
the painting for a lot of money



12)  When we cross the river, don't let
a) go b) to go c) going  d) to going  
 of the dog..


13)  The engine finally got  
a) go b) to go c) going 
 at the sixth attempt..


14)  My brother really enjoys
a) to workb) work c) working
 .
in Tahiti.


15)  No-one was allowed
a) leave b) to leavec) leaving d) to leaving
 the room.



16)  If you break his camera , it means 
a) to buy b) buy  c) buying 
him a new one.



17)  He broke my camera and means 
a) to buy   b) buy c) buying  
 me a new one.



18)  You'll have to make
a) to do  b) doc)  to doing  d) doing
with what's left..



19)  If I study hard, I'll learn 
a) speak  b) to speak c) speaking d) to speaking
English perfectly.


20) She really regretted
a) have  b) to have c) having
 told him to go home.



For more practice on the grammar of English verbs, discover...
English verbs

La grammaire anglaise: cliquez ici pour la grammaire anglaise en français

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