В пособии рассматриваются основные моменты английской грамматики: части речи имя существительное, имя прилагательное и наречие; видо-временные формы глагола; модальные глаголы; неличные формы глагола

2. Gerund or Infinitive?
A. begin, start, continue, cease, bother
Either infinitive or gerund may be used without any difference in meaning.
An –ing form is more common when we are talking about the beginning of a
long or habitual activity.
When did you first started playing chess?
The –ing form is not used after the progressive form of begin and start.
I am beginning to get interested in this work.
The infinitive is more usual with verbs of knowing and understanding and
the verb matter.

2. 
   can’t/couldn’t bear
   

After these verbs, chiefly used in the negative, either gerund or infinitive can
be used. But when the infinitive refers to a deliberate action the expression
implies that the subject’s feeling prevented him from performing the action.
I couldn’t bear to tell him. (so I didn’t)

2. 
   intend
   

With this verb an infinitive is more usual than a gerund.
I intend to sell my house.
But when we have intend + object the infinitive is used. This is found only in
formal English.
The authority intended him to retire.


D. mean
If the meaning of the verb is ‘intend’, the infinitive is used.
I mean to finish the article by Friday.
If the meaning is ‘involve’ (used only with an impersonal subject), the
gerund is used.
I don’t want to go if it means travelling by air.

2. 
   propose, attempt
   

Usually both structures are possible after these verbs with little difference of
meaning.
But propose usually takes the infinitive if the meaning is ‘intend’: I propose
to start early and the gerund if the meaning is ‘suggest’: I propose leaving
now if we want to catch the train.