Go on, stop, try, used (to)

A go on = 'continue' and is normally followed by a gerund. But it is used with an infinitive, usually of a verb like explain, talk, tell, when the speaker continues talking about the same topic but introduces a new aspect of it:

He began by showing us where the island was and went on to tell us about its climate.

Compare He went on talking about his accident, which implies that he had been talking about it before, with He went on to talk about his accident, which implies that he had been speaking perhaps about himself or his journey but that the accident was being introduced for the first time.

В stop (= cease) is followed by the gerund: Stop talking. It can be followed by object + gerund:

/ can't stop him talking to the press.

A possessive adjective would be possible here but is very seldom used. stop (= halt) can be followed by an infinitive of purpose:

I stopped to ask the way. (I stopped in order to ask the way.)

С try usually means 'attempt' and is followed by the infinitive:

They tried to put wire netting all round the garden. (They attempted to do this.)

The sentence doesn't tell us whether they succeeded or not. try can also mean 'make the experiment' and is then followed by the gerund:

They tried putting wire netting all round the garden. This means that they put wire netting round the garden to see if it would solve their problem (presumably they were trying to keep out rabbits and foxes). We know that they succeeded in performing the main action; what we don't know is whether this action had the desired effect,

i.e. kept the foxes out.

D Subject + used + infinitive expresses a past habit or routine:

/ used to swim all the year round. (At one time I swam all the year round.) (See 162.)

But subject + be/become/get + used + to (preposition) is followed by noun or pronoun or gerund and means 'be/become/get accustomed (to)':

/ am used to heat/to living in a hot climate. (I have lived in a hot climate for some time so I don't mind it.) (See 163.)

271 be afraid (of), be sorry (for), be ashamed (of) A be afraid of + gerund or gerund + noun/pronoun

Here the gerund usually expresses an action which the subject fears may happen. It is normally an involuntary action:

He never swam far out. He was afraid of getting cramp.

She avoids lonely streets. She is afraid of being mugged.

She didn't tell him because she was afraid of upsetting him. be afraid + infinitive means that the subject is/was etc. too frightened to perform the action. This is obviously a deliberate action:

He was afraid to jump, (so he didn't jump)

She was afraid to protest, (so she kept quiet)

be afraid can also be followed by a that-clause. This can express a fear:

I'm afraid (that) he'll blame me for this.

But, especially in the first person, it can express (usually fairly mild) regret:

I'm afraid (that) we haven't any tickets left. (For I'm afraid so/not, see 347.)

В be sorry for + gerund means 'apologize/regret'. The gerund usually refers to a previous action but can refer to an immediately following action:

I'm sorry for making such a noise last night.

I'm sorry for disturbing you. (now) But I'm sorry to disturb you would be more usual here. be sorry + infinitive can express regret or sadness:

I'm sorry to hear that you've been ill. (See also 26 F.) When the action expressed by the infinitive is involuntary, the two actions are almost simultaneous:

/ was sorry to see him looking so ill. (When I saw him... I was sorry.)

When the infinitive refers to a deliberate action, be sorry is the earlier of the two actions and is then very similar to regret (see 268 B):

I'm sorry to inform you that there has been an accident. be sorry that ... is also possible. Note that I'm sorry that usually expresses genuine regret, but that with I'm sorry to say that or I'm afraid that the regret may be very faint, even perfunctory.

С be ashamed of + gerund or be ashamed of yourself etc. for + gerund The gerund here refers to a previous action:

You should be ashamed of lying to him or

You should be ashamed of yourself for lying to him. In be ashamed + infinitive, the infinitive usually refers to a subsequent action:

I'm ashamed to tell you what this carpet cost.

would be ashamed + infinitive often implies that the subject's feelings (will) prevent him from performing the action:

I'd be ashamed to ask for help, (so I won't/wouldn't ask) 26 The participles

272 The present (or active) participle A Form

The infinitive + ing, e.g. working, loving, sitting.

В Use

1 To form the continuous tenses (see 164, 178 etc.):

He is working. You 've been dreaming.

2 As adjectives (see 17):

running water floating wreckage dripping taps leaking pipes

Here there is equal stress on participle and noun. Compare with gerund + noun combinations (see 16).

3 After have + object (see 121):

He had me swimming in a week.

We have people standing on our steps all day.

I won't have him cleaning his bike in the kitchen.

4 A present participle can sometimes replace a relative pronoun + verb (see 77):

a map that marks/marked political boundaries = a map marking political boundaries

people who wish/wished to visit the caves = people wishing to visit the caves

children who need/needed medical attention =

children needing medical attention

5 Present participles/participle phrases such as adding/pointing out/ reminding/warning can introduce statements in indirect speech:

He told me to start early, reminding me that the roads would be crowded. (See 324 C.) The above uses have already been dealt with. The present participle can also be used:

6 After verbs of sensation (see 273).

7 After catch/find/leave + object (see 274).

8 After go, come, spend, waste, be busy (see 275).

9 Present participles can sometimes replace subject + verb in other main or subordinate clauses other than

those mentioned above (see 276-7).

273 Present participle after verbs of sensation

A The basic verbs of sensation see, hear, feel, smell, and the verbs listen (to), notice and watch can be followed by object + present participle:

/ see him passing my house every day. Didn 't you hear the clock striking?

I felt the car skidding.

She smelt something burning and saw smoke rising. I watched them rehearsing the play.

The action in the present participle may be either complete or incomplete: / saw him changing the wheel could mean that I watched the whole action or that I saw only part of it.

В see, hear, feel and sometimes listen (to), notice and watch can also be followed by object + bare infinitive:

We saw him leave the house.

I heard him make arrangements for his journey.

The infinitive implies that the action is complete. / saw him change the wheel means that I saw the whole action.

С Comparison of the two forms

The participle is the more generally useful as it can express both complete and incomplete actions. But the infinitive is useful when we want to emphasize that the action is complete. It is also neater than the participle when there is a succession of actions:

/ saw him enter the room, unlock a drawer, take out a document, photograph it and put it back.

D In the passive the full infinitive is used after verbs of the senses: He was heard to say that the minister had been bribed.

274 catch, find, leave + object + present participle

A catch/find:

/ caught them stealing my apples. (I found them doing this.)

If she catches you reading her diary, she'll be furious. The action expressed by the participle is always one which displeases the subject. With find there is no feeling of displeasure:

I found him standing at the door =

I saw him standing/He was standing at the door when I arrived. With find the object could be inanimate:

He found a tree lying across the road.

В leave can be used with a participle: / left him talking to Bob = He was talking to Bob when I left.

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