Question 1
That’s strange. I saw him _____ his bike along the river this morning and he didn’t mention anything about _____ his job.
See + object + -ing (saw him riding) describes an action in progress that we watched part of. After a preposition such as about we always use the gerund: about changing his job. Not ride / to have changed: saw him ride is possible, but about to have changed is wrong after a preposition.
Question 2
I imagine Sally was about _____ when I asked her _____ a letter for me, as she looked rather reluctant.
Be about to + infinitive means 'be just going to do something': was about to leave. Ask somebody + to-infinitive is used for requests: asked her to type a letter. Not to be leaving / typing, because ask her typing is wrong.
Question 3
Don’t you think we should consider _____ the chimney _____ before the winter?
Consider is followed by a gerund: consider getting. Get + object + past participle is the causative, meaning we arrange for someone else to do it: get the chimney swept. Not to get / being swept, because consider to get is wrong.
Question 4
In an emergency, even a child can save a life if he or she knows what _____.
A question word + to-infinitive (what to do, how to start, where to go) expresses what someone should do. Knows what to do means 'knows the right action to take'.
Question 5
Knowledge of nutrition helps you _____ proper eating habits _____ a healthy life.
Help + object can be followed by the bare infinitive (or the to-infinitive): helps you develop. The second gap expresses purpose, so we use the to-infinitive: to maintain a healthy life ('in order to maintain'). Not developing / maintaining: help you developing is wrong.
Question 6
Mankind first used indestructible materials to erect large structures _____ in but _____ their gods from.
The to-infinitive expresses purpose, and not goes before to to make it negative: structures not to live in but to worship their gods from. The prepositions in and from stay at the end, as in a house to live in. Not without living / being worshipped, because these forms do not express purpose and the gods are not worshipped from the structures.
Question 7
I tried _____ careful _____ his feelings.
Try + to-infinitive means 'make an effort': I tried to be careful. Careful is followed by a to-infinitive, and its negative is careful not to + verb: careful not to hurt his feelings. Not being / not hurting: try being means 'experiment with', and careful not hurting is wrong.
Question 8
_____ at the details of the famous sculptor Rodin’s works, we can see his ability _____ feeling through facial expression and through hands.
By + -ing shows the method or means: By looking at the details, we can see…. The noun ability is followed by a to-infinitive: his ability to convey feeling. Not Having looked / convey, because ability convey is wrong.
Question 9
Ludlow is considered _____ the most beautiful mediaeval street in England. Do you fancy _____ there for sightseeing tonight?
The passive reporting structure be considered + to-infinitive is used here: Ludlow is considered to have…. Fancy ('want to do') is followed by a gerund: Do you fancy going there? Not having / to go, because fancy to go is wrong.
Question 10
The singer Mick Hucknall has decided _____ a two-year break, but he won’t have any money problems. He has already made enough money _____ a lifetime.
Decide is followed by a to-infinitive: decided to take a break. Enough + noun + to-infinitive shows what something is sufficient for: enough money to last a lifetime. Not taking / lasting, because decide taking is wrong.
Question 11
Remember _____ off the washing machine before you leave home, will you?
Remember + to-infinitive is used for something you must not forget to do in the future: Remember to switch off the washing machine. Not switching: remember switching means you have a memory of doing it in the past.
Question 12
Both sides seem _____ on to their determination _____ a peaceful solution, don’t they?
Seem + continuous infinitive (to be + -ing) describes something happening at the moment: seem to be holding on to. The noun determination is followed by a to-infinitive: determination to find a solution. Not to be held / finding: the passive does not fit, because the two sides are doing the holding.
Question 13
It is sometimes difficult for parents _____ whether _____ their children for misbehaving.
It is difficult for someone + to-infinitive: difficult for parents to decide. Whether can be followed by a to-infinitive, like the question words: whether to punish them. Not deciding / to be punishing, because difficult for parents deciding is wrong.
Question 14
A: Did you have difficulty _____ our office? B: No, it was quite easy _____ here.
Have difficulty is followed by the -ing form: have difficulty finding. It is + adjective + to-infinitive: it was quite easy to get here. Not to find / to have got, because difficulty to find is wrong.
Question 15
I never seem _____ enough time _____ everything I want.
Seem is followed by a to-infinitive: never seem to have. Enough time + to-infinitive shows what the time is needed for: enough time to do everything. Not to be having / done: have meaning 'possess' is not normally used in the continuous form.
Question 16
A talented actress like Tracy shouldn’t be wasting her talent _____ in a soap opera.
Waste + time/money/talent + -ing shows what the resource is used for: wasting her talent acting in a soap opera. Similarly: spend time, waste money doing something. Not to act: waste is not followed by a to-infinitive.
Question 17
Money motivates most people _____ hard, even though it may cause them _____ a lot of stress.
Motivate somebody + to-infinitive and cause somebody + to-infinitive follow the same pattern: motivates people to work hard, cause them to undergo stress. Not working / undergoing: neither verb is followed by object + -ing.
Question 18
She caught her son and his friend _____ computer games when they were supposed _____ an assignment for school.
Catch somebody + -ing means to discover someone in the middle of doing something wrong: caught her son playing. Be supposed + continuous infinitive refers to what they should have been doing at that moment: supposed to be preparing. Not played / to prepare, because caught her son played is wrong.
Question 19
I was against my daughter _____ to a late-night party, but she got permission in the end because she really knows how _____ people.
The preposition against is followed by an object + -ing form: against my daughter going. Know how + to-infinitive: knows how to persuade people. Not to go / to be persuading: a preposition is never followed by a to-infinitive.
Question 20
The actor is believed _____ the TV drama because of an illness.
In the passive reporting structure is believed + to-infinitive, the perfect infinitive (to have + past participle) is used for an action earlier than the believing: is believed to have left. Not to be left: that is passive and would mean someone left the actor.
Question 21
As trainees, we spent several days _____ to presentations and lectures about how _____ the product.
Spend time + -ing: spent several days listening. How + to-infinitive: how to sell the product. Not having listened / sell, because how sell is wrong.
Question 22
Her lifelong wish _____ the country of her parents came true when she visited Ukraine last month.
Nouns such as wish, desire, plan and decision are followed by a to-infinitive: her lifelong wish to visit. Not visiting: wish takes the infinitive, not the -ing form.
Question 23
Before offering you the position, we need _____ if you are prepared _____ evenings and weekends when it is necessary.
Need + to-infinitive is used when the subject must do something: we need to know. Be prepared + to-infinitive means 'be willing': prepared to work evenings. Not knowing / working: need + -ing has a passive meaning (the car needs washing).
Question 24
We had arranged _____ after work on Friday _____ our holiday plans.
Arrange is followed by a to-infinitive: had arranged to meet. The second gap shows purpose, so it is also a to-infinitive: to discuss our holiday plans. Not to meet / discussing: the -ing form does not express purpose here.
Question 25
The florist was nervous about the wedding order _____ account _____ the customer being very hard to please.
On account of means 'because of' and works like a preposition, so it is followed by a noun or an -ing form: on account of the customer being very hard to please. The other combinations are not fixed phrases.
Question 26
If I were you, I would forget _____ getting promoted there and look for a more rewarding job somewhere else.
Forget about + -ing means 'stop thinking about or hoping for something': forget about getting promoted. The second verb, look for, goes with would: I would… look for another job. Not of: forget of is not used in English.
Question 27
If you insist _____ having all this paperwork completed, how do you expect your staff _____ any time with customers?
Insist on + -ing: insist on having the paperwork completed. Expect somebody + to-infinitive: expect your staff to spend time. Not of / spending: the preposition after insist is on.
Question 28
The manager wants us to concentrate _____ gaining new business and says that the head office will take care _____ looking after existing customers.
The fixed prepositions are concentrate on and take care of, and both are followed by the -ing form: concentrate on gaining new business, take care of looking after customers.
Question 29
We’ve urged him _____ for the promotion, but he won’t as he is afraid of _____.
Urge somebody + to-infinitive: urged him to apply. Afraid of is followed by an -ing form, here passive because he is the one who might be rejected: afraid of being rejected. Not for applying / rejecting: rejecting would mean he rejects others.
Question 30
The first American woman _____ as a foreign correspondent was Margaret Fuller, who was also a social reformer, critic and teacher whose words enriched the lives of many people.
After the first / the last / the only + noun, we use a to-infinitive instead of a relative clause: the first woman to serve = the first woman who served. Not being served: it is passive and an -ing form, and neither fits after the first.
Question 31
The minister for defence thanked the soldiers _____ carrying out their mission successfully.
Thank somebody for + -ing/noun gives the reason for the thanks: thanked the soldiers for carrying out their mission. The other prepositions are not used with thank in this sense.
Question 32
If she hadn’t devoted herself _____ teaching her autistic son, she probably would have been a scientist.
Devote oneself to + -ing/noun means 'give all your time and energy to something': devoted herself to teaching her son. Here to is a preposition, so it is followed by the -ing form, not the base verb.
Question 33
In the article, the environmentalists warned consumers _____ purchasing genetically modified produce.
Warn somebody against + -ing means 'advise someone not to do something': warned consumers against purchasing GM produce. Not of: warn of is followed by the danger itself (warn of the risks), not by the action to avoid.
Question 34
When I was a child, I would often _____ of living in a motor home and travelling around the world.
Dream of + -ing means 'imagine something you would like to happen': dream of living in a motor home. Not imagine: it takes the -ing form directly, without of (imagine living).
Question 35
I _____ to having to clear up somebody else’s mess.
Only object is followed by to + -ing: I object to having to clear up. In object to, the word to is a preposition. Mind, dislike and can't stand take the -ing form directly, without to, and complain takes about.
Question 36
After the recent floods, the Foreign Office has _____ people against going to the region for any reason.
Warn somebody against + -ing means 'strongly advise someone not to do something': has warned people against going to the region. Not deterred: the pattern is deter somebody from + -ing, not against.
Question 37
They _____ him in Spain for stealing cars in England.
Arrest somebody for + -ing/noun gives the reason for the arrest: arrested him for stealing cars. Not accused or suspected: these take of (accused him of stealing), not for.
Question 38
The airline _____ to me for losing my luggage, but I wasn’t in the right frame of mind to forgive them.
Apologize to somebody for + -ing means 'say sorry': apologized to me for losing my luggage. Not excused: excuse has no to me pattern, and it means 'forgive', not 'say sorry'.
Question 39
I was _____ from buying a house in that area by the high crime rate.
Deter somebody from + -ing means 'make someone decide not to do something': I was deterred from buying a house by the high crime rate. Not advised: the pattern would be advised against buying, not from.
Question 40
Because of the protests from the local residents, the farmers _____ not to participate in growing genetically modified crops.
Decide is followed by a to-infinitive, and the negative is decide not to + verb: decided not to participate. Not considered: consider takes the -ing form (considered not participating).
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