Gerunds and Infinitives: -ing vs To
O
Oiyo Contributor
Chapter 10: Gerunds and Infinitives — -ing vs To
One of the trickiest areas of English grammar is choosing between a gerund (-ing form) and an infinitive (to + base verb) after certain verbs. This chapter gives you the complete system.
What Are Gerunds and Infinitives?
- Gerund: The -ing form of a verb used as a noun — Swimming is fun.
- Infinitive: to + base form of a verb — To swim is fun. / I want to swim.
Verbs Followed by Gerund Only
| Verb | Example |
|---|---|
| enjoy | I enjoy reading. |
| avoid | She avoids making eye contact. |
| finish | He finished writing the report. |
| consider | We are considering moving. |
| suggest | She suggested going out for dinner. |
| admit | He admitted stealing the money. |
| deny | She denied lying. |
| miss | I miss living near the beach. |
Verbs Followed by Infinitive Only
| Verb | Example |
|---|---|
| want | I want to leave. |
| need | She needs to rest. |
| hope | We hope to see you soon. |
| decide | He decided to quit. |
| agree | They agreed to help. |
| refuse | She refused to sign. |
| plan | I plan to travel next year. |
| promise | He promised to call. |
Verbs Followed by Both — With Meaning Difference
These verbs change meaning depending on whether you use a gerund or infinitive:
| Verb | Gerund meaning | Infinitive meaning |
|---|---|---|
| stop | She stopped smoking. (quit the habit) | She stopped to smoke. (paused in order to smoke) |
| remember | I remember meeting you. (recall a past event) | I remember to take my medicine. (don’t forget a future task) |
| forget | I’ll never forget seeing the Northern Lights. (a memory) | Don’t forget to lock the door. (a reminder) |
| try | Try eating less sugar. (experiment with) | Try to eat healthier. (make an effort to) |
| regret | I regret saying that. (past action — sorry about) | We regret to inform you. (formal: sorry to do) |
Gerunds After Prepositions
After any preposition, always use a gerund, never an infinitive:
- She is good at swimming.
- He is interested in learning Spanish.
- We look forward to seeing you. (to here is a preposition, not an infinitive marker)
Key Checklist
- I have memorized the most common verbs that take gerunds only and infinitives only.
- I understand the meaning differences when stop, remember, forget, and try take either form.
- I know that after prepositions, only the gerund form is used.
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