Simple explanation
What are gerunds and infinitives? A gerund uses the -ing form of a verb in patterns such as enjoy reading or avoid driving. An infinitive in this lesson usually means to + the base form of a verb, as in want to leave or decide to stay. When one verb follows another, you cannot always choose freely between these two forms. The first verb or the structure before the second verb often determines which form is needed. Common verbs followed by a gerund Some common verbs are normally followed by the -ing form. Important B1 patterns include enjoy doing, avoid doing, finish doing, keep doing, mind doing, and suggest doing. It is more useful to learn the complete pattern than to memorize the first verb alone. For example, learn enjoy doing rather than simply enjoy. Common verbs followed by an infinitive Another group of verbs is normally followed by to + base verb. Common B1 patterns include want to do, decide to do, hope to do, plan to do, need to do, promise to do, and learn to do. For example, we say decide to leave, not decide leaving. Gerunds after prepositions When a verb comes directly after a preposition, it normally takes the -ing form. This happens in expressions such as interested in learning, before leaving, after eating, and without saying anything. Recognizing the preposition is therefore a useful way to choose the correct form. Infinitives for purpose A to-infinitive can explain the purpose of an action. In I went to the shop to buy some milk, to buy some milk explains why the speaker went to the shop. This pattern is extremely useful for connecting an action with its purpose in everyday English. When the form changes the meaning Some verbs can be followed by either a gerund or an infinitive, but the meaning changes. Stop smoking means to end the activity of smoking, while stop to smoke means to interrupt another activity in order to smoke. Similar contrasts occur with remember and try, so these patterns need to be learned together with their meanings. Questions and negative forms Gerund and infinitive patterns also appear in questions and negative sentences. The main verb usually carries the question or negative structure, while the following pattern remains the same. Compare Do you enjoy cooking? with I don't enjoy cooking, and Do you want to leave? with I don't want to leave.
Grammar formula
Verb + gerund
subject + verb + verb-ingShe enjoys cooking.
Verb + infinitive
subject + verb + to + base verbShe wants to cook.
Preposition + gerund
preposition + verb-ingHe left without saying goodbye.
Infinitive of purpose
action + to + base verbI went outside to get some fresh air.
Negative gerund
not + verb-ingNot exercising regularly can affect your health.
Negative infinitive
verb + not to + base verbWe decided not to wait.
Question with a gerund pattern
Do/Does + subject + verb + verb-ing?Do you enjoy working from home?
Question with an infinitive pattern
Do/Does + subject + verb + to + base verb?Do you want to join us?
Core rules
- 1
Use a gerund after certain verbs
Verbs such as enjoy, avoid, finish, keep, mind, and suggest are normally followed by verb + -ing: enjoy reading, avoid driving, finish working.
- 2
Use an infinitive after certain verbs
Verbs such as want, decide, hope, plan, need, promise, and learn are normally followed by to + base verb: want to leave, decide to stay, hope to see.
- 3
Use a gerund after a preposition
If a verb comes directly after a preposition, use the -ing form in common patterns: before leaving, without speaking, interested in learning.
- 4
Use an infinitive to express purpose
Use to + base verb to explain why an action is performed: I called her to ask a question. Here, to ask explains the purpose of the call.
- 5
Watch for changes in meaning
With verbs such as stop, remember, and try, both a gerund and an infinitive may be possible, but they can express different meanings. Choose the form according to the intended meaning.
- 6
Form negative gerunds with not + -ing
Place not before the gerund when the gerund itself is negative: Not getting enough sleep can affect your concentration.
- 7
Form negative infinitives with not to
Place not before the to-infinitive when the infinitive itself is negative: He decided not to go. This is the usual neutral word order.
- 8
Keep the verb pattern in questions and negatives
Changing the main clause into a question or negative sentence does not normally change the required form of the following verb: Do you enjoy cooking? I don't want to leave.
Useful examples
I enjoy cooking for my friends at the weekend.
I like cooking for my friends on weekends.
Enjoy is normally followed by a gerund.
We decided to take the train instead of driving.
We made the decision to travel by train rather than drive.
Decide is normally followed by a to-infinitive.
She avoided talking about the problem during dinner.
She tried not to discuss the problem while they were having dinner.
Avoid is followed by the -ing form.
I'm interested in learning more about photography.
I would like to learn more about photography because it interests me.
Learning follows the preposition in, so the -ing form is required.
He promised to call me when he arrived.
He said that he would call me after arriving.
Promise is commonly followed by a to-infinitive.
I went to the supermarket to buy some vegetables.
My purpose in going to the supermarket was to buy vegetables.
The infinitive to buy expresses purpose.
Do you mind opening the window?
Would it be a problem for you to open the window?
Mind is normally followed by a gerund.
They hope to move to a bigger apartment next year.
They would like to move to a larger apartment next year.
Hope is normally followed by a to-infinitive.
He left the room without saying anything.
He went out of the room and did not say anything.
After the preposition without, use the -ing form.
We decided not to order dessert.
We made the decision that we would not order dessert.
A negative infinitive normally uses not before to.
She stopped drinking coffee because it affected her sleep.
She no longer drinks coffee because it was causing sleep problems.
Stop + gerund means to end or give up an activity.
We stopped to have a coffee on the way home.
We interrupted our journey so that we could have a coffee.
Stop + infinitive means to interrupt another activity in order to do something.
I remember meeting him at a conference last year.
I have a memory of meeting him at a conference last year.
Remember + gerund refers to a memory of an earlier event.
Remember to send the email before you leave.
Do not forget that you need to send the email before leaving.
Remember + infinitive refers to remembering a task that needs to be done.
Try restarting your phone if the app doesn't work.
Restart your phone as a possible solution if the app is not working.
Try + gerund can mean testing a method to see whether it works.
I tried to open the door, but it was locked.
I made an effort to open the door, but I could not because it was locked.
Try + infinitive describes making an effort to do something.
Common mistakes
- ❌ I enjoy to read before bed. ✅ I enjoy reading before bed. Enjoy is normally followed by a gerund, not a to-infinitive.
- ❌ She decided going home early. ✅ She decided to go home early. Decide is normally followed by to + base verb.
- ❌ He left without to say goodbye. ✅ He left without saying goodbye. Without is a preposition, so a following verb normally takes the -ing form.
- ❌ We went to the café for drink coffee. ✅ We went to the café to drink coffee. When a verb explains the purpose of an action, a to-infinitive is normally used.
- ❌ Do you enjoy to cook? ✅ Do you enjoy cooking? Making the sentence a question does not change the verb pattern after enjoy.
- ❌ I don't want going out tonight. ✅ I don't want to go out tonight. Want is normally followed by a to-infinitive. Negating the main verb does not change this pattern.
- ❌ He decided to not come. ✅ He decided not to come. In neutral standard usage, not normally comes before the whole to-infinitive: not to come.
- ❌ I stopped to eat sugar because I wanted to be healthier. ✅ I stopped eating sugar because I wanted to be healthier. If the meaning is to give up an activity, use stop + gerund. Stop to eat means to interrupt another activity in order to eat.
Learning tips
- Learn verbs as complete patterns: enjoy doing, decide to do, avoid doing, and hope to do.
- Look for prepositions such as in, about, without, before, and after. A verb directly after a preposition normally takes the -ing form.
- Use to + base verb when you want to explain the purpose of an action.
- Questions and negative sentences normally keep the same gerund or infinitive pattern after the main verb.
- Learn stop, remember, and try with contrasting examples because changing the form can change the meaning.
- Do not try to apply one universal gerund-or-infinitive rule to every English verb. When you learn a new verb, learn its common complement pattern too.
Practise this topic
Interactive exercises for this topic are coming soon.
PlannedRelated grammar
Related dictionary words
Frequently asked questions
How do I know whether a verb is followed by a gerund or an infinitive?
There is no single rule that works for every verb. A reliable approach is to learn each verb with its common pattern, such as enjoy doing or decide to do. Structural clues also help: for example, a verb directly after a preposition normally takes the -ing form.
Can every verb be followed by both a gerund and an infinitive?
No. Some verbs normally take only one of these patterns, while others can take both. With some verbs, using a gerund instead of an infinitive changes the meaning.
What is the difference between stop doing and stop to do?
Stop doing means to end the activity named by the gerund. For example, stop smoking means to give up smoking. Stop to do means to interrupt another activity in order to do something else.
What is the difference between remember doing and remember to do?
Remember doing means to have a memory of an action or event that already happened. Remember to do means not to forget an action that needs to be performed.
What is the difference between try doing and try to do?
Try doing usually means testing a method to see whether it works. Try to do means making an effort to perform an action, especially when the action may be difficult.
Why do we use a gerund after a preposition?
When a verb directly follows a preposition in English, it normally appears in the -ing form. Common examples include without speaking, before leaving, and interested in learning.
Does an infinitive always include to?
No. English also has the bare infinitive, which does not include to. It appears after many modal verbs, for example can go and must leave. This lesson focuses mainly on the to-infinitive.
Is a gerund the same as the present continuous?
No. They can have the same verb + -ing form, but they perform different grammatical functions. In “I am reading,” reading is part of the present continuous verb phrase. In “I enjoy reading,” reading is used in a gerund pattern after enjoy.