When used as complements of matrix verbs as in (1) below, the gerund (closing in 1a) and the infinitive (to close in 1b) come into relation with the conjugated verb that precedes them on two levels.(1) a. Ahead was pure blackness; I tried closing my eyes; it made not the slightest difference. (British National Corpus 1995, G02 565) b. He tried to close them, but the eyelids were frozen in place, unable to move. (British National Corpus 1995, G1M 422
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