This fourth 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
_____ as severely obese, a person must have a body mass index of 40 or more, which is roughly 100 pounds overweight for an average adult man.
The gap expresses purpose or condition (in order to be classified), so we need a to-infinitive. The person is classified by others, so it must be passive: To be classified. Not Being classified: an -ing clause describes a state or a reason, not the requirement for reaching a status.
Question 2
_____ a little bit of history, it was thought to be impossible in any computer system _____ a window with a functioning channel.
To give a little bit of history is a fixed introductory infinitive phrase, like to be honest or to sum up, that comments on what follows. After it was thought to be impossible, the real subject is a to-infinitive: impossible ... to have a window. Not Given: given means 'considering', which does not fit here.
Question 3
For more severe illnesses, medication is likely _____, but this may be supplemented with psychotherapy.
Be likely is followed by a to-infinitive. Medication does not need anything itself; patients need it, so the infinitive must be passive: is likely to be needed. Not to need, which would mean the medication needs something.
Question 4
We regret _____ that all buses to Nottingham will experience delays due to bad weather conditions.
Regret + to-infinitive is used to give bad news politely, often with verbs like announce, inform and say: We regret to announce... Not regret announcing: regret + -ing means being sorry about something you did in the past, and the delays here are still in the future.
Question 5
Your proposals deserve _____ in detail.
Deserve is followed by a to-infinitive. The proposals are considered by someone else, so the passive infinitive is needed: deserve to be considered. In British English deserve considering is also possible, but being considered and considered are not used after deserve.
Question 6
My brother and I meant _____ some studying last night, but Alicia called and we both spent half an hour on the phone.
Mean + to-infinitive means 'intend': We meant to do some studying (we planned to, but Alicia's call stopped us). Not meant doing: mean + -ing means 'involve', as in This job means getting up early.
Question 7
The company has considered _____ a new group of engineers to its office in Brazil.
Consider is followed by a gerund, not an infinitive: has considered sending. Not to send, which is a common mistake. Compare I'm considering moving abroad, not considering to move.
Question 8
Her refusal _____ the violence left her open to the charge of positive support for the campaign.
The noun refusal takes a to-infinitive, just like the verb refuse: her refusal to condemn the violence. Other nouns of this type are decision to, attempt to and failure to. Not condemning: refusal is not followed by an -ing form.
Question 9
A new tax that is thought _____ protests _____ soon.
Be thought + to-infinitive reports an opinion. The tax has not been introduced yet, so the protests are expected in the future: is thought to cause protests. The main verb needs a future passive because of soon: will be introduced soon. Not to have caused, because a tax that has not been introduced cannot have caused protests already.
Question 10
_____ the impact of educational options, researchers took into account the fact that students participating in school choice were likely _____ from nonparticipants in terms of motivation.
The first gap expresses purpose, so we use a to-infinitive: To estimate the impact... means 'in order to estimate'. Be likely is followed by a to-infinitive: were likely to differ. Differ is an intransitive verb, so it has no passive form: to have been differed and being differed are wrong.
Question 11
The first boss _____ all the employees _____ late in the workshop was James Drilldown.
After the first (person), we use a to-infinitive: the first boss to make... means 'the first boss who made...'. Make + object + bare infinitive means force someone: make all the employees stay. Not staying: make is never followed by an -ing form in this meaning.
Question 12
Some contractors in Iraq _____ _____ deceptive, bait-and-switch hiring practices and charging recruiting fees that indebted low-paid migrant workers.
The present perfect passive have been found shows the result of an investigation. Be found + -ing means someone was discovered while doing something: have been found using deceptive practices. The parallel charging confirms that the -ing form is needed. Not to be used: the contractors use the practices, so a passive form is wrong.
Question 13
We suggest some ways to overcome the challenges, from _____ state bureaucracies to _____ public awareness that investments shouldn’t be justified on their academic benefits alone.
From and to are prepositions here (from X to Y), and a verb after a preposition takes the -ing form: from reorganizing... to raising... Not to raise: in this structure to is a preposition, not part of an infinitive.
Question 14
Studies that are under development aim _____ leaders _____ an assortment of public and private responses related to housing and government performance.
Aim is followed by a to-infinitive: aim to help. Help + object can take a bare infinitive or a to-infinitive: help leaders strengthen or help leaders to strengthen. Of the options, only to help / strengthen is correct. Not strengthening: help is not followed by an object + -ing.
Question 15
To help the new city _____ its challenges, the project was estimated _____ at least $33 billion in private investment over the next ten years.
Help + object takes a bare infinitive (or a to-infinitive): help the new city meet its challenges. Be estimated + to-infinitive reports an estimate. Because the money is needed in the future, a simple infinitive is used: was estimated to require. Not to have required, which would refer to something that already happened.
Question 16
In the grand drama of geologic time, palaeontologists have seen countless species _____ and _____ the stage.
See + object + bare infinitive describes a complete action that someone witnessed: have seen countless species enter and exit the stage. The -ing form (see them entering) would show an action in progress, but that is not offered with the right form here. Not entered / exited: past forms cannot follow see + object in the active voice.
Question 17
It is unreasonable _____ the returns for a program serving a disadvantaged population _____ when the same program serves a broader population.
It is unreasonable + to-infinitive uses it as a preparatory subject: It is unreasonable to expect... Expect + object + to-infinitive gives the second gap. The returns are matched by something, not doing the matching, so it is passive: to expect the returns... to be matched. Not expecting: after It is + adjective, the to-infinitive is the normal pattern.
Question 18
We have to plan ahead and recognize what we need _____ _____ the potential damage and loss.
Need is followed by a to-infinitive: what we need to do. The second infinitive expresses purpose: to limit the damage means 'in order to limit'. Not to do / limit: a purpose clause needs to.
Question 19
During the 17th century, people left England _____ from religious persecution.
A to-infinitive after a main clause can show purpose, meaning 'in order to': people left England to escape from religious persecution. Not escaping: an -ing form would describe a simultaneous action, not the reason they left.
Question 20
_____ a strong country means _____ a leader among its neighbours.
A gerund is the natural choice for an activity or state used as a subject: Being a strong country... When mean has the sense 'involve' or 'have as a result', it is followed by an -ing form: means being a leader. Not to be after means: mean + to-infinitive usually means 'intend', as in I meant to call you.
Question 21
_____ quite truthful with you, the meal you made was too awful _____.
To be (quite) truthful/honest with you is a fixed introductory infinitive phrase. Too + adjective + to-infinitive shows that something is not possible: too awful to be eaten. The passive is used because the meal is eaten by someone; too awful to eat is also common. Not to be eating: a continuous infinitive makes no sense after too awful.
Question 22
When left unchecked, small forest fires become more intense, difficult _____, and likely _____ out and spread.
Adjectives like difficult take a to-infinitive: difficult to control. Be likely also takes a to-infinitive: likely to break out and spread. Simple infinitives are used because these are general facts. Not controlling: difficult is not followed by an -ing form in this pattern.
Question 23
In the 1930s, physicists devised machines for _____ subatomic particles by electromagnetic forces and making them _____ faster and faster.
After the preposition for, we use the -ing form: machines for pushing... and making... Make + object + bare infinitive means 'cause something to do': making them go faster. Not going: make is not followed by object + -ing.
Question 24
Our city became the first in the country _____ single-use plastic bags as the mayor signed a measure _____ what she called "a plastic flood."
After the first (and words like the last or the only), we use a to-infinitive: the first in the country to ban. A to-infinitive after a noun can show purpose: a measure to end... means 'a measure intended to end'. Not banning: the first is not followed by an -ing form in this pattern.
Question 25
The World Health Organisation, trying to attract attention to the threat, has called on governments _____ their pandemic plans _____ the health consequences.
Call on + someone + to-infinitive means 'officially ask someone to do something': called on governments to update their plans. The second infinitive shows purpose: to minimise the health consequences means 'in order to minimise'. Not update: call on is not followed by a bare infinitive.
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