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3. Gerund versus Infinitive
The infinitive is the “to” form of a verb, and the gerund is one of the “-ing” forms of a verb. Both are used
as nouns. In some circumstances you can use either: “Adding an extra room to the house is the next
project,” or “To add an extra room to the house is the next project.” In some circumstances, however,
gerund and infinitive are not interchangeable.
EXAMPLES:
The idea of trying completing the term paper by Friday caused Ken to cancel his plans for the
weekend.
Although completing can be a noun, here you need the infinitive. The sentence should read: “The
idea of trying to complete the term paper by Friday caused Ken to cancel his plans for the weekend.”
Psychologists think that many people eat satisfying a need for affection that is not otherwise
fulfilled.
Again you need the infinitive, not the gerund. The sentence should read: “Psychologists think that
many people eat to satisfy a need for affection that is not otherwise fulfilled.”

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Lesson 2
16
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ARCO
■ SAT II Subject Tests
4. Unacceptable Expressions
There are a few expressions that are heard frequently in conversation that are regarded as low-level usage
and unacceptable in standard written English.
EXAMPLES:
Being that the hour was late, we agreed to adjourn the meeting and reconvene at nine o’clock
the following morning.
Being that is not acceptable in standard written English. The sentence is corrected by changing the
phrase to Since. The sentence should read: “Since the hour was late, we agreed to adjourn the meeting and
reconvene at nine o’clock the following morning.”
Why some whales beach themselves in what seems to be a kind of suicide remains a mystery
to marine biologists.
Why cannot be the subject of a sentence. The sentence is corrected by changing Why to That. So, the
sentence now reads: “That some whales beach themselves in what seems to be a kind of suicide remains
a mystery to marine biologists.”
The reason Harriet fired her secretary is because he was frequently late and spent too much
time on personal phone calls.
Because cannot introduce a noun clause. The sentence is corrected by changing because to that. The
corrected sentence reads: “The reason Harriet fired her secretary is that he was frequently late and spent
too much time on personal phone calls.”
I read in a magazine where scientists believe that they have discovered a new subatomic particle.
Where cannot introduce a noun clause. The sentence is corrected by changing where to that. So the
corrected sentence reads: “I read in a magazine that scientists believe that they have discovered a new
subatomic particle.”