Question 1
The museum is known _____ an extensive collection of paintings.
After passive reporting verbs such as is known, is said and is thought, we use the infinitive. The simple infinitive to have describes a present state: the museum has the collection now. Not to have had: the perfect infinitive would refer to the past. Having is wrong because be known is not followed by a gerund here.
Question 2
Please play something else instead of Chris Rea. His music is too slow _____ at a party.
The pattern too + adjective is followed by a to-infinitive: too slow to play, too hot to drink. The subject (his music) is the object of play, but English still uses the active infinitive here. Not being played, because too + adjective never takes a gerund.
Question 3
_____ the cottages, we raised enough money to renovate the manor house.
By + gerund shows the method or means of doing something: By selling the cottages, we got the money. Not For selling: for + -ing gives the purpose of a thing, not the way a result was achieved.
Question 4
As Sheila is moving house on Monday, she’s asked me _____ her _____ up all her belongings.
Ask + object takes a to-infinitive: she asked me to help. Help + object is then followed by a bare infinitive (or to-infinitive): help her pack up. The other combinations use a gerund, a passive or a continuous form, which are not possible after these verbs.
Question 5
My son has scribbled with a ballpoint pen on the kitchen wall. In an effort to remove it, I’ve tried _____ it, but that didn’t work, so I intend _____ the kitchen at the weekend.
Try + -ing means doing something as an experiment to see if it solves a problem: I've tried cleaning it, but that didn't work. Intend is followed by a to-infinitive: I intend to repaint the kitchen. Not to clean / to be repainted: the passive infinitive would mean I will be repainted, which makes no sense.
Question 6
The teacher tries _____ the pupils _____ her by giving them extra homework when they misbehave.
Try + to-infinitive means make an effort: tries to make. Make + object is followed by a bare infinitive without to: make the pupils obey her. Not to obey: make never takes to in the active voice.
Question 7
When you telephone Lisa _____ her of the departmental meeting, please make it clear that we don’t blame her _____ the order.
The to-infinitive shows purpose: you telephone Lisa to inform her. Blame someone is followed by for + gerund: blame her for losing the order. Not about losing or on losing, because blame only takes the preposition for.
Question 8
I will be sorry _____ this company, but I was offered an opportunity _____ in a field which I really enjoy.
Sorry + to-infinitive refers to an action happening now or soon: I will be sorry to leave. The noun opportunity is followed by a to-infinitive: an opportunity to work. Not having left: that would refer to an action already completed.
Question 9
I was surprised at the low level of service offered by them as I had believed them _____ a respected company.
Believe + object + to-infinitive is a formal reporting pattern: I had believed them to be a respected company. Not being or having been, because believe + object does not take a gerund.
Question 10
There is no point in going _____ when you haven’t got enough money _____ anything.
Activities often take the form go + -ing: go shopping, go swimming. Enough + noun is followed by a to-infinitive: enough money to buy anything. Not to shop: go to shop means going somewhere in order to shop, and it is not the fixed expression for this activity.
Question 11
It will cost too much money _____ a full-colour leaflet. The advertising agency has advised us to have one _____ in black and white.
It will cost (money) is followed by a to-infinitive: It will cost too much to produce. Have + object + past participle means someone else does it for us: have one produced in black and white. Not being produced: have something being produced is not the causative pattern.
Question 12
Your willingness _____ new things resulted in your _____ this management training.
The noun willingness takes a to-infinitive: willingness to learn. After the preposition in (resulted in) we need a gerund. It must be passive here because you received the training: your being offered. Not having been offered: it is paired with the wrong form learnt.
Question 13
I don’t think it is a good time _____ Linda. She’ll be busy _____ thirty exam papers this evening, which won’t be easy.
A good time is followed by a to-infinitive: a good time to visit. Busy is followed by -ing: busy marking exam papers. Not to mark: busy never takes an infinitive.
Question 14
She was furious when she found her younger sister _____ on her clothes.
Find + object + -ing describes catching someone in the middle of an action: she found her sister trying on her clothes. Not to try: find + object + infinitive is used with to be for opinions, not for actions in progress.
Question 15
It is a lovely drawing, but I think it needs _____ to look its best.
Need with a passive meaning is followed by either a passive infinitive (needs to be framed) or an -ing form (needs framing). Not being framed: after need, the -ing form already has a passive meaning, so being is wrong. To frame would mean the drawing frames something.
Question 16
The new football stadium is said _____ seating for 100,000 spectators.
After is said we use a to-infinitive. The simple infinitive to have describes a present fact: the stadium has seats for 100,000 people now. Not to have had: the perfect infinitive would refer to the past.
Question 17
I managed _____ the tall bottle of cola into the refrigerator _____ the middle shelf.
Manage is followed by a to-infinitive: I managed to fit. By + gerund shows how: by moving the middle shelf. Not fitting / to move: manage never takes -ing.
Question 18
The company is estimated _____ more than two million phones during the sales campaign, which lasted six months.
After passive reporting verbs such as is estimated, a finished past action is expressed with the perfect infinitive: is estimated to have sold. The campaign is over, so the selling happened before the estimate was made. Not to sell: the simple infinitive would refer to the present or the future.
Question 19
Sonia got accustomed to her job at the private hospital quickly because, apart from _____ richer patients, it is quite similar to _____ for the health authority.
Apart from and similar to end in prepositions, so both are followed by a gerund: apart from having richer patients, similar to working for the health authority. Not to have / work: here to is a preposition, not part of an infinitive.
Question 20
I know she isn’t here at the moment because I saw her _____ the building, but I don’t know if she intends _____ later today.
See + object + -ing describes an action in progress: I saw her leaving the building. Intend is followed by a to-infinitive: intends to return. Not to leave: see + object never takes a to-infinitive in the active voice.
Question 21
I was worried about my sister’s _____ divorced from her husband, and for days, I couldn’t help _____ how she’d cope with it.
After the preposition about we use a gerund, here with a possessive subject: my sister's getting divorced. Can't help (= can't stop myself) is always followed by -ing: couldn't help wondering. Not to wonder: can't help never takes an infinitive.
Question 22
I was unable to help my friends _____ for ‘Help the Aged’ because my boss had asked me _____ the Saturday.
Help + object takes a bare infinitive (or to-infinitive): help my friends campaign. Ask + object takes a to-infinitive: my boss had asked me to work. Not to campaign / work: asked me work is wrong without to.
Question 23
I started my journey without _____ at the map, but I soon regretted _____ so, as I drove a long way off the route.
The preposition without is followed by a gerund: without looking. Regret + -ing means being sorry about something you did in the past: regretted doing so. Not to do: regret to + verb is used for giving bad news (We regret to inform you...).
Question 24
Johnny, will you stop _____ your father so many questions? He’s busy _____ out his tax return.
Stop + -ing means end an activity: stop asking so many questions. Busy is followed by -ing: busy filling out his tax return. Not to ask: stop to ask would mean stop doing something else in order to ask.
Question 25
Veronica is so vain that every time she passes a mirror, she stops _____ at her reflection.
Stop + to-infinitive means stop one activity (walking past) in order to do another: she stops to look at her reflection. Not looking: stops looking would mean she no longer looks at it, which is the opposite of the meaning.
Question 26
The workers would even be willing _____ lower wages if it meant the factory _____ open.
Willing is followed by a to-infinitive: willing to accept. Mean in the sense of result in takes an object + -ing: if it meant the factory staying open. Not stayed: mean in this sense is not followed by a clause in the past tense.
Question 27
My clearest memory of my childhood is of _____ with the street dogs and I also remember _____ to the beach, which was very close to our house.
After the preposition of we use a gerund: a memory of playing. Remember + -ing refers to recalling a past experience: I remember going to the beach. Not to go: remember to go means not forgetting to do something in the future.
Question 28
_____ when I don’t feel well is the worst thing about acting in stage plays.
A gerund can be the subject of a sentence: Performing when I don't feel well is the worst thing. Not By performing: a phrase with by cannot be the subject of is.
Question 29
Customers deserve _____ from dishonest sellers and online scams.
Deserve is followed by a to-infinitive. Here the meaning is passive, because customers receive the protection: deserve to be protected. Not to protect: the active form would mean customers protect someone else.
Question 30
Asbestos is thought _____ around the time of Aristotle, and during Roman times, it was used _____ fireproof clothing.
Is thought + passive perfect infinitive reports a belief about a past event that happened to the subject: asbestos is thought to have been discovered. Be used + to-infinitive expresses purpose: it was used to make fireproof clothing. Not to have discovered: that is active and would mean asbestos discovered something.
Question 31
It was such an unruly class that the teacher struggled just _____ order, but she endeavoured _____ those students who were willing to learn.
Struggle and endeavour (= try hard) are both followed by a to-infinitive: struggled to keep order, endeavoured to teach. Not keeping / teach: neither verb takes a gerund or a bare infinitive.
Question 32
Some developing countries spend so much of their annual budgets _____ interest on loans that there is little left over with which _____ social problems.
Spend (time/money) is followed by -ing: spend money paying interest. After with which we can use a to-infinitive meaning in order to: little left over with which to tackle social problems. Not to pay: spend money to pay is not the normal pattern with spend.
Question 33
He regretted _____ the contract without _____ the small print on the back of the form.
Regret + -ing means being sorry about a past action: He regretted signing the contract. The preposition without is followed by a gerund: without reading. Not having signed / read: having signed is possible after regret, but without read is wrong.
Question 34
I think Julia dislikes _____ the documents although she claims _____ it willingly.
Dislike is followed by -ing: dislikes filing. Claim is followed by a to-infinitive: she claims to do it willingly. Not to file / doing: these are the reverse of the correct patterns.
Question 35
The Egyptian Pharaoh Akhenaten, who ruled in the 14th century BC, is thought _____ the father of Tutankhamun.
After is thought we use a to-infinitive. Because the belief is about the past, we need the perfect infinitive: is thought to have been. Not having been: passive reporting verbs are not followed by a gerund.
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