When I Was a Kid: A Story to Practice Gerunds and Infinitives

This is a true story about me. I have highlighted the gerunds and infinitives so you can see how they are used in context. Make sure to do the practice exercise at the end, and check out the links if you'd like to learn more about gerunds and infinitives.

When I was a kid, I wanted to be a basketball player. Michael Jordan was in his prime at that time, and I enjoyed watching him lead the Chicago Bulls to numerous championships. Whenever Jordan was on the court, everyone expected him to dominate. He was like a force of nature that no one could stop.

I remember playing basketball with my friends at school and wanting to be "like Mike." I wasn't alone. Back then, almost every kid with a basketball hoped to move and shoot as well as him. It's probably how kids today feel about players like Lebron James and Steph Curry.

One of my favourite childhood memories was when our elementary school team played in the championship game. We were winning by 16 points, but the other team came back to make the game close. Suddenly, we were only winning by 4 points with just a couple of minutes left in the game, and we hadn't scored a basket in a long time. Our confidence began to disappear. But then, I got the ball in front of the basket with several other players around me. My back was facing the basket, so I had to turn to shoot the ball. I turned, jumped, and let the ball go as two defending players attempted to block me.

But they failed to stop me, and the ball went into the basket!

All at once, my teammates all ran towards me and jumped on top of me to celebrate. The referee had blown the whistle because in addition to scoring the basket, I had been fouled by one of the other players. It was such an intense moment. I felt like I had done something truly special because even though there was still some time left in the game, my basket had given our team the space and confidence we needed to win. And we did!

However, like most good things in life, that one didn't last.

My dream of being a basketball player ended in grade 9. I tried out for the school team, but I quickly realized that most of the players were much faster and better than I was. Sure, I was tall, but I couldn't compete! I was disappointed, and decided to focus on my schoolwork instead. Despite my disappointment, I was happy that I had at least tried to make the team.

Eventually, I stopped watching basketball even though I still liked playing it from time to time. Like most teenagers, I found new hobbies, new interests, and new friends. But I still often thought about scoring that basket in the championship game. And now, whenever someone asks me what I wanted to be when I was a kid, I'm happy to answer: I wanted to be a basketball player.

Now, it's your turn to tell me about yourself. Talk to yourself or type your answers in the comments.

What did you want to be when you were a kid? (I wanted to be...)

What kinds of games did you enjoy playing? (I enjoyed playing...)

What do you remember doing with your friends after school? (I remember verb+ing...)

What is something that you often think about? (From time to time, I think about...)

What's an activity that you stopped doing at some point in your life? (I stopped verb+ing)

What's an experience that you were happy to share with someone? (I was happy to share...)

To learn more about gerunds and infinitives, check out these resources:

Video: 10 common verbs followed by gerunds

Video: 10 common verbs followed by infinitives

A list of verbs that are followed by gerunds and infinitives

(rule note: If you want to follow a preposition with an action/activity, it must use a gerund. We're talking about going on vacation next month. / She's interested in cycling.)

What did you think of this article? Was it helpful and informative? Would you like to see more articles like this in the future? Let me know in the comments.

Until next time, I wish you luck in your studies.