This third gap fill test contains 25 multiple choice questions on the topic of gerunds and infinitives of English grammar. Both English learners and ESL teachers can use this online exercise as a revision to check the knowledge of gerunds and infinitives.
Question 1
It’s a long way off before we have such a promising system _____ here in Turkey.
This is the causative pattern have + object + past participle: someone else will run the system for us (have such a system run). The full infinitive (to run, to be run) cannot follow the object after causative have. Not to be run: have takes a bare participle here, not an infinitive.
Question 2
We went from _____ on the other side of the world to _____ everything together.
From and to are prepositions in the pattern go from doing X to doing Y, so both gaps need a gerund: from living … to doing. Not to live / to do: the to here is a preposition, not part of an infinitive.
Question 3
The governor had opposed _____ any foreign aid but was overruled and sent on the mission _____ what he disapproved of doing.
Oppose is followed by a gerund (opposed seeking aid). The second gap expresses purpose after the mission, so it needs a to-infinitive: sent on the mission to do what he disapproved of. Not to seek: oppose does not take an infinitive.
Question 4
For the early settlers, as for most travellers of the time, the mountains were an obstacle _____.
A to-infinitive after a noun can describe what must be done with it: an obstacle to overcome = an obstacle that people had to overcome (compare a problem to solve). Not overcoming: an -ing form after the noun would mean the obstacle itself was doing the overcoming.
Question 5
_____ happiness, we need both history and science.
The gap expresses purpose (why we need history and science), so we use in order to + infinitive: In order to understand happiness, …. Not Understanding: an -ing participle clause would mean 'because we understand', which makes no sense with we need.
Question 6
He witnessed his family _____, his home city _____ to the ground.
Perception verbs like witness, see and watch take object + bare infinitive for a complete action: witnessed his family die, his home city burn to the ground. Here burn is intransitive ('be destroyed by fire'), so no passive is needed. Not to die / to burn: the full infinitive is not used after perception verbs in the active.
Question 7
The board was re-elected twice by a large majority of shareholders, and it is a rival group that has tried _____ the company by _____ a campaign against the chairman.
Try + to-infinitive means 'make an effort': has tried to destabilize the company. After the preposition by (showing the method) we need an active gerund: by sponsoring a campaign. Not being sponsored: the group is doing the sponsoring, so the passive is wrong.
Question 8
Sanctions are one of the tools of the UN _____ peacekeeping aims, but with developments in Iraq and Yugoslavia, they have proven _____ rather ineffective.
A to-infinitive after a noun phrase shows purpose: tools of the UN to achieve peacekeeping aims. Prove is followed by to be + adjective (or the adjective alone): have proven to be rather ineffective. Not achieving / having been: prove does not take a perfect gerund.
Question 9
Recent advances in technology and functional neuro-anatomic techniques may provide an opportunity for psychosurgery _____ a more attractive option for the treatment of psychiatric diseases.
The pattern is an opportunity for + someone/something + to-infinitive: an opportunity for psychosurgery to become a more attractive option. Not to have become: the perfect infinitive refers to the past, but this opportunity is about the future.
Question 10
Angiography has been considered _____ the gold standard to judge the success of treatment for cerebral arteriovenous malformations.
The passive of consider is followed by a to-infinitive: X has been considered to be the gold standard (= people have considered it the best method). Not being: be considered being is not used.
Question 11
A clinical trial is a research study in human volunteers _____ specific health questions.
The to-infinitive shows the purpose of the study: a research study … to answer specific health questions. The study answers the questions, so the active form is needed. Not to be answered: that would mean the study itself is answered.
Question 12
Local residents are now asking for fines against the factory for pressing ahead with its plan _____ the site and _____ a February 21 council deadline to stop.
Plan is followed by a to-infinitive: its plan to expand the site. The second gap is parallel to pressing after the preposition for, so it needs a gerund: for pressing ahead … and ignoring a deadline. Not ignored: a past form cannot be joined to the gerund pressing.
Question 13
Although more men die of heart disease than women, females tend _____, often to the point that it's too late to help them once the condition _____.
Tend takes a to-infinitive, and women are the ones who are (not) diagnosed, so the passive is needed: tend to be underdiagnosed. After once (meaning 'when') we use the present simple for a general fact: once the condition is discovered. Not to have been underdiagnosed: a general tendency does not need the perfect infinitive.
Question 14
Most of the infections are believed _____ by exposure to infected poultry.
In the pattern subject + be believed + to-infinitive, the perfect passive infinitive refers to an earlier event: the infections are believed to have been caused by exposure (the causing happened before the believing). Not to have caused: the infections did not cause something; they were caused.
Question 15
Every bed has a 15-inch LCD screen attached to a pull-out arm on the wall that lets patients _____ TV or make phone calls.
Let is followed by object + bare infinitive: lets patients watch TV or make phone calls. The parallel verb make confirms the base form. Not watching: let never takes an -ing form.
Question 16
The Visual Awards Program is designed _____ and promote excellence among military photographers in _____ the objectives of military photography arts.
Be designed takes a to-infinitive of purpose, parallel with promote: designed to reward and promote excellence. After the preposition in we need a gerund: in furthering the objectives. Not rewarding / to further: both forms are the wrong way round.
Question 17
Two tobacco experts have today accused transnational tobacco companies of _____ the concept of corporate social responsibility by _____ to use it as a means of directing attention away from the deadly effects of their products.
Accuse someone of takes a gerund; the perfect gerund having corrupted stresses that the action has already happened. After by (method) we need an active gerund: by seeking to use it. Not being corrupted: the companies are the ones corrupting, so the passive is wrong.
Question 18
We believe that schools have been given enough advice and grants _____ them _____ workable networks.
The first to-infinitive shows purpose: grants to enable them. Enable follows the pattern enable + object + to-infinitive: enable them to build workable networks. Not to enable / built: enable needs a to-infinitive after its object.
Question 19
The reality is that there are many other problems _____ before they start _____ anything.
The problems still have to be dealt with by someone, so we use a passive infinitive after the noun: many other problems to be tackled. Start can take a gerund: before they start doing anything. Not to tackle / to be doing: start to be doing is not natural.
Question 20
It will take the lead in _____ new industry practices aimed at conserving energy and _____ better heating systems for the end-user.
Take the lead in is followed by a gerund: in developing new industry practices. The second gap is parallel, joined by and, so it is also an active gerund: (aimed at) conserving energy and providing better heating systems. Not provide: a base form cannot be joined to a gerund.
Question 21
For parents, contrary to ghoulish popular conception, _____ on behalf of a disabled infant is not a way _____ rich.
The subject of the sentence is an activity, so we use a gerund: suing on behalf of a disabled infant. A way is often followed by a to-infinitive: a way to get rich. Not being sued: the parents are the ones suing, not the ones being sued.
Question 22
The national government was slow _____ to the pleas for help, and they were later reluctant _____ any ringleaders.
The adjectives slow and reluctant are followed by a to-infinitive: slow to respond, reluctant to prosecute. Not respond: a bare infinitive cannot follow an adjective.
Question 23
Deserts are dry; they are ideal places for human artefacts and fossils _____.
The pattern is for + noun + to-infinitive. The artefacts and fossils do not preserve anything; they are preserved, so we need the passive: ideal places for fossils to be preserved. Not to preserve: that would mean the fossils preserve something.
Question 24
Humans who travel into deserts _____, particularly without _____ an adequate supply of water, have a slim chance of survival.
Unprepared is an adjective describing the people as they travel: travel into deserts unprepared. After the preposition without we need a gerund: without carrying an adequate supply of water. Not having carried: the action happens at the same time as the travelling, so the perfect gerund is not needed.
Question 25
These places owe their profound aridity to _____ very far from the nearest available sources of moisture.
In owe something to, to is a preposition, so it is followed by a gerund: owe their aridity to being very far from moisture. The state is still true now, so the simple gerund being is correct. Not having been: that would suggest the places are no longer far away.
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