Beat the GMAT: Forum Q.

A scrub jay can remember when it cached a particular piece of food in a particular place, researchers have discovered, and tend not to bother to recover a perishable treat if stored long enough to have rotted.

A. Same
B. they tend not to bother recovering a perishable treat
C. tending not to bother to recover a perishable treat it
D. tends not to bother recovering a perishable treat
E. tends not bothering to recover a perishable treat it

Between D and E, how do we decide whether to use the gerund or infinitive form of the bother ?
Is there a thumb rule or strategy with regards usage of the gerund and infinitive in general ?

Thanks.

There is no consistent rule considering gerund v. infinitive. Instead, the determination is normally made by taking the grammatical context into question. Remember, a gerund is a noun, so it will be used when the reference is to a person, place or thing. Conversely, verbs are used with the reference is to an action.

In terms of -ing verb forms v. infinitive, the determining factor is normally parallel construction. Be certain to carefully read/analyze the non-underlined part of the sentence; most frequently, this is where clues to the proper construction will be located.

In the sentence at hand, a scrub jay can remember one thing, and tends not to bother with another. Additionally, the pronoun it in choice E lacks an antecedent.

The correct answer is D

Thanks a lot. Appreciate it.
:D

No problem!

If it was one thing to choose, would you choose 'to bother' or would you choose 'to recover'

THe meaning is that he/it is not bothered......blah blah..
So I pick to bother for D

THis is assuming there was another option like E, but without it..:)

yes, in this case, you'd want "to bother" rather than "bothering"