Learning English Grammar - Focusing on Parrott's Works

Infinitive Dialog Alright, listen up, you. I'm going to explain something super important about English verbs, even if you probably won't get it at first. But I guess someone has to make sure you pass your grammar test. Uh, okay. I'm listening. I always get confused with verbs. Are we talking about... like, 'ran' and 'run'? Or 'swimming' versus 'to swim'? It always feels like a trick question. Exactly! You actually hit on part of it. We're talking about infinitives and -ing forms. It sounds fancy, but it's really just about how verbs can look different sometimes. Don't look so worried, it’s not that hard if you just try. Right. Try. I'll try my best. So, infinitives... what even are they? An infinitive is the simplest form of a verb. Like 'run,' 'eat,' 'sleep.' It's what you use after 'I,' 'you,' 'we,' or 'they' in the present tense. But often, it comes with ...

-ing Forms Dialog Um, excuse me? You said you could help me with, like, English grammar? I keep getting stuck on these "-ing" words. They're everywhere! Hmph. Of course I can help you. It's not like it's a big deal for *me* to explain something so simple. You just have to actually listen this time. I promise I will! So, what exactly are these "-ing" forms? They look like verbs, but sometimes they aren't, right? That's... surprisingly observant of you. Fine. First, what they look like is easy: they're just words that end with -ing, like drinking or eating or laughing . See? Simple. Oh, okay. That part I get. But what do they do ? Why do we use them? Good question. You're actually paying attention for once. We use -ing forms for a bunch of reasons. Think of them as ways to add more information or to talk about activities. For example, sometimes they come right after certain verbs, like enjoy or avoid . You wouldn't say "...

Choosing between infinitive and -ing forms Dialog You really need to get this straight. It’s not that hard if you just pay attention. I know, I know. It’s just… a lot of rules, you know? Like, when do I use "to walk" versus "walking"? See? Already confused. Don't worry, I guess I can help you, since no one else will. First, the easy stuff. Sometimes, it doesn't even matter which one you pick. Really? When? When you use verbs like begin or start . You can say it began raining or it began to rain , and it means the exact same thing. No big deal. Simple, right? Even you can understand that. Oh, okay. That's good. Right. Now, for the trickier part. Think about something hypothetical, like something you *might* do in the future. We often use the infinitive for that, like to do . It’s like you’re looking forward to it, or just thinking about it. So, like, It’s bad for you to do exercise ? Is that what you mean by hypothetical? Exactly! It’s sayin...

Bare Infinitives Dialog You know, this grammar stuff always makes my brain feel like scrambled eggs. I just can't seem to get it. Oh, stop being such a baby. It's not that hard if you actually pay attention. Especially for someone like you, who probably needs all the help you can get. Hey! But, okay, what's a bare infinitive anyway? Sounds like it's naked. Ha! Not quite. A bare infinitive is just the basic form of a verb, like "be," "do," "give," "ask." No "to" in front of it. That's why it's "bare." Get it? It's just the verb itself, not "to be" or "to do." Oh, like when you say "He made me ask a question"? That "ask" there? Exactly! See, you're not completely useless. That "ask" is a bare infinitive. We use them in a few specific situations. First, we use them a lot in questions and negative sentences for present simple and past simp...