Focus
Knowing which verbs take -ing (gerund) and which take to + verb (infinitive) is one of the trickiest points of English grammar. Mistakes here cap your Grammatical Accuracy score.
FOUNDATIONS · Theory
Gerunds and Infinitives
Theory lesson in Grammar Essentials
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# Gerunds and Infinitives
01
Section
The Two Forms
| Form | Example | Name |
|---|---|---|
| -ing | I enjoy reading. | Gerund |
| to + verb | I want to read. | Infinitive |
Both are non-finite verb forms used as nouns or as complements of other verbs.
02
Section
Verbs Followed by Gerund (-ing)
Some verbs must be followed by a gerund:
enjoy, avoid, finish, suggest, mind, consider, recommend, admit, deny, miss, practise, postpone, imagine, risk, keep, stop, involve
Examples:
- I enjoy swimming. (not to swim)
- She avoided making a mistake.
- Do you mind waiting?
03
Section
Verbs Followed by Infinitive (to + verb)
Some verbs must be followed by an infinitive:
want, need, decide, plan, hope, expect, promise, agree, refuse, learn, manage, offer, choose, fail, pretend
Examples:
- I want to go home. (not going)
- She decided to study abroad.
- They promised to finish by Friday.
04
Section
Verbs That Take Either — Same Meaning
Some verbs take either form with no change in meaning:
like, love, hate, start, begin, continue, prefer
- I like reading / I like to read. (same meaning)
05
Section
Verbs That Take Either — Different Meaning
These are the dangerous ones:
| Verb | With -ing | With to + verb |
|---|---|---|
| stop | stop doing (cease that activity) | stop to do (stop in order to do) |
| remember | remember doing (past memory) | remember to do (don't forget) |
| forget | forget doing (past) | forget to do (future intention) |
| try | try doing (experiment) | try to do (attempt) |
| regret | regret doing (past action) | regret to do (sorry to inform) |
Examples showing the difference:
I stopped smoking. (I quit)
I stopped to smoke. (I paused my walk to have a cigarette)
I remember meeting him in 2019. (I recall the event)
I remember to meet him at 3pm. (I won't forget)
She tried opening the door with the other key. (experiment — did it as a test)
She tried to open the door. (attempt — effort)
06
Section
Preposition + Gerund
After a preposition, always use -ing:
- I'm interested in learning more. (not to learn)
- She's good at solving problems. (not to solve)
- Thank you for helping me. (not to help)
Common prepositions that trigger gerunds: in, at, on, for, of, from, about, by, without, after, before.
07
Section
Gerund as Subject (Band 7+ Move)
Starting a sentence with a gerund is a strong academic structure:
- Investing in education yields long-term returns.
- Reducing carbon emissions requires systemic change.
- Learning a second language opens new opportunities.
This is a clean band-7 pattern in Writing Task 2.
08
Section
Common Mistakes
Mistake 1: Wrong choice after common verbs > ❌ I enjoy to read. > ✅ I enjoy reading. > ❌ I want reading. > ✅ I want to read.
Mistake 2: -ing after prepositions > ❌ I'm interested in to learn. > ✅ I'm interested in learning.
Mistake 3: Using to + -ing > ❌ I look forward to meet you. (special case — "look forward to" takes -ing!) > ✅ I look forward to meeting you.
Other "to + gerund" expressions to remember:
- be used to / get used to + gerund — I'm used to working late.
- object to + gerund — She objected to being filmed.
- confess to + gerund — He confessed to taking the money.
09
Section
Quick Self-Test
Choose the correct form.
- I enjoy ___ (to cook / cooking) on weekends.
- She decided ___ (to leave / leaving) the company.
- I'm looking forward to ___ (to meet / meeting) you.
- Try ___ (to open / opening) the window — it might be cooler. (= experiment)
- Remember ___ (to call / calling) your mother tomorrow. (= don't forget)
Answers:
- cooking •
- to leave •
- meeting •
- opening •
- to call