This essential English grammar reference for Moroccan Tronc Commun students clarifies the rules governing the use of the Gerund (verb + -ing) versus the Infinitive (to + base form): verbs followed exclusively by gerunds, verbs taking infinitives, prepositions rule, and verbs changing meaning, complete with continuous assessment drills and answer keys.
💡 Direct Grammar Summary : Gerund vs Infinitive Patterns
- Verbs followed by Gerund (-ing) : enjoy, avoid, mind, practice, suggest, finish, keep, miss (e.g., ‘She enjoys reading English novels’).
- Verbs followed by Infinitive (to + verb) : agree, decide, hope, manage, plan, promise, refuse, want (e.g., ‘He decided to study computer science’).
- Absolute Golden Preposition Rule : Any verb appearing immediately after a preposition (in, on, at, about, without, before, after) MUST be in the Gerund form (e.g., ‘He left without saying goodbye’).
- Verbs changing meaning : Remember to do (future duty) vs Remember doing (past memory) ; Stop to do (pause to perform an action) vs Stop doing (cease the habit entirely).
1. Common Exam Pitfalls to Avoid in Tronc Commun English Tests
- Look forward to + Gerund : Beware of ‘to’ here acting as a preposition, not an infinitive marker (*I look forward to see you* ❌ $\implies$ *I look forward to seeing you* ✅).
- Expressions taking Gerunds : It’s no use, can’t help, be worth, be used to are all systematically followed by -ing.
- Infinitive of purpose : Use ‘to + verb’ to answer ‘Why?’ (*’He woke up early to revise for the test’*).
2. Documents et exercices à télécharger (PDF)
Consultez et téléchargez les ressources pédagogiques officielles ci-dessous :
| Titre du document | Nature de la ressource | Accès |
|---|---|---|
| Lesson PDF | Document PDF | Télécharger PDF |
| Exercises PDF | Document PDF | Télécharger PDF |
| Answer Key PDF | Document PDF | Télécharger PDF |
3. Questions fréquentes des élèves (FAQ)
Q : What is the difference between ‘I stopped smoking’ and ‘I stopped to smoke’?
‘I stopped smoking’ means you quit the habit permanently, while ‘I stopped to smoke’ means you interrupted what you were doing in order to smoke a cigarette.
Télécharger la ressource
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