remember+gerund, remember+to+infinitive

[vil]

Dear teachers,

Could you endorse the actuality of the following rule:

With the verb to remember both the gerund and the infinitive may be used. In addition to that, infinitive usually refers to the future, and the gerund to the past.

1. "I remember seeing the book in many bookshops."

2. "Remember to buy the book."

3. "I remember meeting her some weeks ago."

4. You should remember to invite him.

remember to do and remember doing

Remember to do something before you do it.

5. I remembered to lock the door before I left, but I forgot to shut the windows.
(=I remembered to lock the door, and then I locked it)

6. I clearly remember locking the door before I left.
(=I locked it, and now I clearly remember this.)

I was much taken with the fact that there is a steadily, synonymous rule. Is it to your liking?

Thank you in advance for your efforts.

Regards.

V.

[Horsa]

You are right that there is a time relationship here, but I am afraid your rule doesn't quite work. Your first two examples use 'remember' in its present form. However, if we use the past form we can say

"I remembered to buy the book."

and this is very definitely in the past.

The relationship between "remember" + Gerund and "remember" + infinitive is better explained thus -

1. "I remember seeing the book in many bookshops."

What happens first in this sentence "remember" or "seeing"?

Answer: "seeing" happens before "remember"


2. "Remember to buy the book."

What happens first in this sentence "remember" or "to see"?

Answer: "remember" happens first because if I don't remember to do it I won't buy the book.

Then looking again at the example I gave earlier -

3. "I remembered to buy the book."

What happens first in this sentence "remember" or "to see"?

Answer: As before when we used the infinitive "remember" happens first.

[vil]

Hi Honsa,

I'm afraid that your apprehension and your fears, regarding the verisimilitude of my rule in my original post, proved groundless.

I take a differently view of things. When I spoke about "future" and "past" time, I hinted at the infinitive and gerund, not at the verb "remember".


You alone substantiated this with your explanation of the consistency of the separated actions. Please see my examples 5 an 6 in my original post.

example 5

"I remember to lock the door before I left, but I forgot to shut the windows."


"remember" happens first and then follow the action "to lock". Therefore the action "to lock" suggest an idea for "future" regarding the action "remember".

example 6

"I clearly remember locking the door before I left."

"locking" happens before "remember". Therefore, the action "locking" suggest an idea for "past" regarding the action "remember".


In this instance, this considerations should be weight with the general public. I am one with you. I take things as they come.There are no two ways about it. I have a high opinion of your good knowledge of English grammar, on account of I feel flattered at the thought that you corroborate me, if only partially.

Thank you for your attention.

Regards.

V.