can affor + to / ~ing

[wotcha]

I can afford to go on a holiday.
I can afford going on a holiday.


I've learned that only the first sentence is grammatically correct but
some grammar book say the second sentence is also acceptable.

Is it possible to use both to-infinitive and gerund after afford?

I'm pretty much confused.

 

[bhaisahab]

I can afford to go on (a) holiday.:tick:
I can afford going on a holiday.:cross:

Bhai.

 

[JarekSteliga]

Bhai.

Still - according to my dictionary - you can say: 'I can’t afford a new dress'
If nouns may follow the word 'afford', why noun clauses like 'going on holiday' can't? Is this a matter of custom like with gramatically incorrect question tag 'aren't I' or do some grammar rules (which I am unable to understand) regulate this?

 

[cereal_chick]

One usually uses the gerund form after "to be", so "I can afford to be going on holiday" would be acceptable, if slightly odd-sounding.

If a verb comes after another verb, one uses the infinitive, not the gerund.

[Not a teacher]

 

[Verona_82]

If a verb comes after another verb, one uses the infinitive, not the gerund.

If it were so, learning English would be much easier.

 

[emsr2d2]

I can afford to go on holiday.
I can afford a holiday.

In what grammar book did you read that "I can afford going on a holiday" is correct?

With a type of holiday which involves the name of the activity ending in -ing but which serves as a noun, it would work:

I can afford skiing next year.

 

[5jj]

If a verb comes after another verb, one uses the infinitive, not the gerund.

Thi is simply not true.

I enjoy skiiing.
I hate skiing.

 

[JarekSteliga]

Some pertinent observations can be found here:
Afford - WordReference Forums

 

[bhaisahab]

Some pertinent observations can be found here:
Afford - WordReference Forums

Is that link supposed to prove something? If so, it falls far short of doing so.

 

[wotcha]

I can afford to go on holiday.
I can afford a holiday.

In what grammar book did you read that "I can afford going on a holiday" is correct?

With a type of holiday which involves the name of the activity ending in -ing but which serves as a noun, it would work:

I can afford skiing next year.

Actually it's not grammar book but a webpage. I first found this page about a year ago and thought the explanation was pretty much clear - except the fact that he or she categorized can afford as both infinitive and gerund taking group.

verbs followed by gerunds and infinitives

PS: Still, this is my favorite grammar reference. ^.^;;

 

[JarekSteliga]

Is that link supposed to prove something? If so, it falls far short of doing so.

Well it rather convinced me that 'afford + infinitive' is the only correct combination. I also stumbled there upon something called British National Corpus which looks like a very reliable source of grammar reference.

In short I found the link well worth visiting and am not a little suprised why my pointing to it within the context of the current thread is met with such scorn.