Tuongvan  +  660121 Sun, 01 Feb 09 10:25 PM Dear teachers, Can I saythis? It's better to go home early=It's better going early Thank you in advance Tuongvan Joined on Sun, Dec 30 2007 Regular Member 975 van

	rafaelinrio  +  660131 Sun, 01 Feb 09 10:40 PM when you say It's better to go home early for me the sentence is incomplete and I question it's better to go home early than what? I'd say it's better for me to go home early. Or it's better for you to go home early. So we have to know the idea. It can also be possible to say You'd better go home early. so what's the context of the sentence? rafaelinrio Joined on Fri, Jan 30 2009 Full Member 226 Be great in act, as thou hast been in thought. Sentences, Context

	Tuongvan  +  660165 Sun, 01 Feb 09 11:29 PM Hi rafaelinrio, Here, I really want to know the structure in a general way  It's better + infinitive/gerund only: It's better to die than be a slave It's better to suffer than marry that man. .. Here I wonder whther a gerund can replace an infinitive: It's better to speak out than keep silent all the time It's better speaking out than keeping silent all the time Hope that you understand what I really mean Tuongvan Gerunds, Speaking, Chat, Friendships

	rafaelinrio  +  660178 Sun, 01 Feb 09 11:48 PM Ok, well both cases are OK, whether the gerund or the infinitive but, there's a difference in the idea which I cannot explain. I mean I think when we use th infinitiveit sounds more like an advice, it sounds to me like a mom telling her son, in the second case, with the gerund it sounds more like a conclusion, I mean sounds like someone expressing an opinion. rafaelinrio Gerunds

	CalifJim  +  660305 Mon, 02 Feb 09 03:04 AM I wouldn't use the -ing form after It's better -- nor after It's necessary, nor after It's important, nor after It's difficult, and so on. CJ CalifJim Joined on Mon, Aug 2 2004 California Veteran Member 22,389 "There are no facts, only interpretations" - Nietzsche