Overview
In English, when one verb follows another, the second verb usually takes one of two forms:
- Gerund (verb + -ing): I enjoy swimming.
- Infinitive (to + verb): I want to swim.
The choice depends on the first verb. Some verbs take only gerunds, some take only infinitives, and some take both — sometimes with a change in meaning.
What Is a Gerund?
A gerund is the -ing form of a verb used as a noun. It can be a subject, object, or complement:
- Swimming is good exercise. (subject)
- I enjoy reading. (object)
- Her hobby is painting. (complement)
A gerund looks the same as a present participle (-ing), but it functions as a noun, not as part of a continuous tense.
What Is an Infinitive?
An infinitive is to + base form of the verb:
- I want to learn English.
- She decided to leave early.
A bare infinitive (without "to") follows modal verbs and certain other verbs:
- I can swim. (bare infinitive after modal)
- She let me go. (bare infinitive after "let")
Verbs Followed by Gerund (-ing)
These common verbs are always followed by the gerund:
| Verb | Example |
|---|---|
| enjoy | I enjoy cooking. |
| finish | She finished writing her essay. |
| avoid | He avoids eating junk food. |
| mind | Do you mind waiting? |
| suggest | I suggest taking a taxi. |
| practise | She practises speaking every day. |
| keep | Keep trying! |
| consider | Have you considered moving abroad? |
| admit | He admitted stealing the money. |
| deny | She denied breaking the window. |
| imagine | Imagine living on a tropical island! |
| miss | I miss seeing my old friends. |
| risk | Don't risk driving in the snow. |
| give up | He gave up smoking last year. |
| can't help | I can't help laughing at his jokes. |
| feel like | I feel like going for a walk. |
| put off | Stop putting off studying! |
| look forward to | I look forward to hearing from you. |
Memory tip: Many of these verbs relate to enjoyment, avoidance, or completion.
Verbs Followed by Infinitive (to + verb)
These common verbs are always followed by the infinitive:
| Verb | Example |
|---|---|
| want | I want to travel. |
| need | You need to rest. |
| decide | She decided to stay. |
| plan | We plan to visit Italy. |
| hope | I hope to see you soon. |
| expect | I expect to arrive by noon. |
| agree | He agreed to help. |
| refuse | She refused to answer. |
| promise | I promise to call you. |
| offer | He offered to carry my bags. |
| learn | She's learning to drive. |
| manage | I managed to finish on time. |
| afford | We can't afford to buy a house. |
| pretend | He pretended to be asleep. |
| seem | She seems to know everyone. |
| tend | I tend to wake up early. |
| would like | I'd like to order a coffee. |
| choose | They chose to stay home. |
| fail | He failed to notice the sign. |
| appear | He appears to be lost. |
Memory tip: Many of these verbs relate to wishes, intentions, or future plans.
Verbs That Take Both (No Meaning Change)
Some verbs can take either form with no significant difference in meaning:
| Verb | With Gerund | With Infinitive |
|---|---|---|
| start | It started raining. | It started to rain. |
| begin | She began crying. | She began to cry. |
| continue | He continued working. | He continued to work. |
| like | I like swimming. | I like to swim. |
| love | She loves dancing. | She loves to dance. |
| hate | I hate waiting. | I hate to wait. |
| prefer | I prefer walking. | I prefer to walk. |
Subtle note: With like/love/hate/prefer, the gerund often suggests general enjoyment, while the infinitive can suggest a specific choice or habit: "I like to check my email first thing in the morning" (specific habit).
Verbs That Take Both (Meaning Changes!)
These are important because the meaning changes depending on the form:
Remember
| Form | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| remember + gerund | remember a past action | I remember locking the door. (I have the memory of doing it.) |
| remember + infinitive | remember to do something in the future | Remember to lock the door. (Don't forget to do it.) |
Forget
| Form | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| forget + gerund | forget a past experience | I'll never forget visiting Paris. (The memory.) |
| forget + infinitive | fail to do something | I forgot to visit the museum. (I didn't do it.) |
Stop
| Form | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| stop + gerund | quit an activity | She stopped smoking. (She no longer smokes.) |
| stop + infinitive | stop in order to do something | She stopped to smoke. (She paused to have a cigarette.) |
Try
| Form | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| try + gerund | experiment with a method | Try adding more salt. (See if it helps.) |
| try + infinitive | attempt to do something difficult | I tried to open the door, but it was locked. (I attempted but couldn't.) |
Regret
| Form | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| regret + gerund | regret a past action | I regret telling her the truth. (I wish I hadn't.) |
| regret + infinitive | formal way to give bad news | I regret to inform you that your application was unsuccessful. |
Gerund After Prepositions
After any preposition, always use the gerund — never the infinitive:
- She's interested in learning Japanese.
- I'm tired of waiting.
- He left without saying goodbye.
- Thank you for helping me.
- She's good at cooking.
- I'm thinking about moving.
- He insisted on paying.
Common error:
I'm interested in to learn→ I'm interested in learning.
Special Patterns
Verb + Object + Infinitive
Some verbs need an object before the infinitive:
| Pattern | Example |
|---|---|
| want + someone + to do | I want you to help me. |
| ask + someone + to do | She asked me to wait. |
| tell + someone + to do | He told her to sit down. |
| allow + someone + to do | They allowed us to leave. |
| expect + someone + to do | I expect them to arrive soon. |
| encourage + someone + to do | She encouraged him to apply. |
| advise + someone + to do | I advise you to see a doctor. |
Verb + Object + Bare Infinitive
After let, make, and help, use the bare infinitive (no "to"):
- Let me go.
- She made him clean his room.
- Can you help me carry these bags? (help can also take "to carry")
Verb + Object + Gerund
Some verbs take object + gerund:
- I saw her crossing the street.
- I heard them arguing.
- I caught him cheating on the test.
As Subject of a Sentence
Both gerunds and infinitives can be subjects, but gerunds are more common:
- Cooking is my favourite hobby. (natural)
- To cook is my favourite hobby. (grammatically correct but less natural)
In formal English, "It is..." + infinitive is common:
- It is important to study every day.
- It is difficult to learn a new language.
Common Mistakes
Mistake 1: Infinitive after "enjoy"
- Wrong:
I enjoy to swim. - Correct: I enjoy swimming.
Mistake 2: Gerund after "want"
- Wrong:
I want going home. - Correct: I want to go home.
Mistake 3: Infinitive after a preposition
- Wrong:
I'm good at to cook. - Correct: I'm good at cooking.
Mistake 4: Confusing "stop + gerund" and "stop + infinitive"
- He stopped smoking. (He quit.) ≠ He stopped to smoke. (He paused for a cigarette.)
Mistake 5: Using "to" after "let" or "make"
- Wrong:
She let me to go. - Correct: She let me go.
Mistake 6: Forgetting "to" with "look forward to"
- Wrong:
I look forward to meet you. - Correct: I look forward to meeting you. ("To" here is a preposition, so gerund follows.)
Practice Tips
- Keep a verb list: When you encounter a new verb, note whether it takes a gerund, infinitive, or both.
- Practice meaning-change verbs: Write sentence pairs with remember, stop, try, and forget.
- Complete sentence starters: "I enjoy...", "I want...", "I'm thinking about...", "I've decided..."
- Read and underline: In English texts, underline every gerund and infinitive. Note what comes before each one.
- Speak naturally: In conversation, don't overthink — most native speakers rely on what "sounds right" after a verb. The more you read and listen, the more natural these patterns will become.