Grammar: ⚙️ Verbs in Depth: Mastery (C1) - Lesson 4: Complex Gerund & Infinitive Structures (e.g., with prepositions, after adjectives)

Grammar: Advanced Verb Patterns

C1 Lesson 4: Complex Gerund & Infinitive Structures

What you will learn: By the end of this lesson, you will be able to use gerunds and infinitives correctly in complex structures after adjectives, prepositions, and nouns.

Why It Matters: Advanced Sentence Flow

Mastering these patterns allows you to create more sophisticated and flexible sentences, moving beyond basic structures.

❌ Incorrect

I was happy see you.
She is interested in apply for the job.

✅ Correct

I was happy to see you.
She is interested in applying for the job.

The Grammar Rules 📖

Let's look at three common and useful advanced verb patterns.

Pattern 1: Adjective + to-infinitive

We often use an infinitive after an adjective to give a reason for the feeling or quality described.
Structure: Subject + be + Adjective + (for someone) + to-infinitive

• "I was happy to see you at the party." (The infinitive explains why I was happy.)
• "This grammar point is difficult to understand."
• "It is important for the government to listen to its people."

Pattern 2: Preposition + Gerund

A verb that comes directly after a preposition (like in, on, at, about, for) MUST be in the gerund (-ing) form. It is useful to learn these as common collocations.

• interested in + -ing: "She is interested in applying for the scholarship."
• successful in + -ing: "They were successful in getting the new contract."
• apologize for + -ing: "He apologized for making a mistake."

Pattern 3: Noun + to-infinitive

An infinitive is often used to modify a noun, explaining its purpose, goal, or function.

• "His decision to move to Battambang was a good one."
• "Her ability to speak four languages is impressive."

💡 Pro Tip: Negative Forms

To make these structures negative, the word 'not' comes directly before the gerund or infinitive.

• Gerund: "He apologized for not calling sooner."
• Infinitive: "I was disappointed not to be selected for the team."

Practice Your Grammar 🎯

Exercise: Complete the Sentence

Put the verb in brackets into the correct gerund or infinitive form.

1. It is necessary for all employees _______ (attend) the safety training.
   → to attend
2. She insisted on _______ (pay) for the meal, even though I offered.
   → paying (follows the preposition 'on')
3. His failure _______ (follow) the instructions resulted in the project's delay.
   → to follow (modifies the noun 'failure')
4. He is famous for _______ (write) some of Cambodia's most beloved songs.
   → writing (follows the preposition 'for')

Your Grammar Mission ⭐

Create Complex Sentences

Write one original sentence for each of the following prompts, using the target structure.

1. Use the pattern 'adjective + to-infinitive' to describe a personal quality.
   (Example: I am always eager to learn new things.)
2. Use the pattern 'preposition + gerund' to describe something you did recently.
   (Example: I apologized to my friend for forgetting her birthday.)
3. Use the pattern 'noun + to-infinitive' to describe a past decision.
   (Example: My decision to study abroad was the best choice I ever made.)

Key Vocabulary

• Gerund (Noun) | កិរិយានាម
  A verb form which functions as a noun, ending in "-ing".
• Infinitive (Noun) | កិរិយាស័ព្ទដើម
  The basic form of a verb, usually with 'to' (e.g., to do, to see).
• Collocation (Noun) | ឃ្លា​ដែល​ប្រើ​ជាមួយ​គ្នា
  A group of words that are almost always used together (e.g., 'interested in').
• To Modify (Verb) | កែប្រែ
  In grammar, to add information to another word to change its meaning.