Gerund or

Infinitive?
 We select the –ing form....
To create a NOUN from a verb to express a
general idea(Subject of the sentence in most
cases):
“Paying attention is essential in class”
After any preposition:
“I am looking forward to hearing from
you”
After certain verbal expressions (can’t stand, can’t
help, be/get used to, don’t mind/would mind, it’s no
use):
“I can’t help getting angry when pupils speak in
class”
• As Direct Object of a list of verbs (continue,
enjoy, like, love, prefer, suggest, recommend,
etc...):
– “I prefer going to the beach”
List of verbs followed by –ing form
Verbs Followed by a Gerund
“They enjoyed working on the boat”.
admit delay feel like miss resist
advise deny finish permit resume
appreciate detest forbid postpone risk
avoid discuss get through practise spend
can't help dislike give up quit suggest
complete enjoy have recall tolerate
consider escape imagine report waste
excuse mind resent
 We select Infinitive....

To form the subject of a verb that refers to

something specific:
“To answer this question is essential”
After some adjectives
and/or adverbs:

“I am happy to
announce my
daughter’s wedding”

“The wall was too high

to jump for young
children”
After the Indirect Object of certain
verbs (advise, invite, warn, teach, ...):
“The Headmaster warned the student
not to do that again”
 List of verbs followed by Infinitive
Verbs Followed by an Infinitive
“She agreed to speak before the game.”
afford choose have manage say
agree consent help neglect seem
aim dare hesitate offer swear
appear decide hope plan tell
arrange deserve hurry prepare threaten
ask detest intend pretend use
attempt expect invite proceed wait
beg fail leap promise want
begin get leave propose wish
care happen learn refuse
 Verbs followed by Object and an
Infinitive:
Verbs Followed by an Object and an Infinitive
“Everyone expected her to win.”
advise choose have love remind
allow command hire make require
ask dare instruct motivate send
beg direct invite order teach
bring encourage lead pay tell
build expect leave permit urge
buy forbid let persuade want
challenge force would like prepare warn
promise

Note: Some of these verbs are included in the list above

and may be used without an object.
 Verbs that can be followed by both
“INFINITIVE” or “-ING”

No change in meaning: begin, propose, forbid, intend, start..

With a difference meaning: REMEMBER, FORGET, REGRET,

STOP, TRY...
• REMEMBER/FORGET/REGRET:
– + INFINITIVE Future
– + -ing  Past

When these verbs are followed by a gerund,

the gerund refers to an action that happened
earlier:
He still regrets speaking to her so rudely. (=
he spoke rudely at some time in the past.)
REMEMBER/FORGET/REGRET
When these verbs are followed by a to-infinitive,
the infinitive refers to an action happening at the
same time, or later:
I remembered to lock the door. (= I thought
about it, then I did it.)
Don't forget to buy some eggs! (=Please think
about it and then do it.)
• Examples:
– “I remember attending dance classes when I
was a child”
– “Remember to revise the questions before
handing out the exam”
– “My grandmother forgot to lock the door when
she left the house”
 Verbs that can be followed by both
“INFINITIVE” or “-ING”

STOP:
+ ING  NO (don’t do that anymore)
+ INFINITIVE  YES (do it, indeed)
Stop + gerund means to finish an action in progress.
Stop + to-infinitive means to interrupt an activity in
order to do something else, so the infinitive is used to
express a purpose.
I stopped working for them because the wages were so low.
I stopped to have lunch. (= I was working, or travelling, and I
interrupted what I was doing in order to eat.)
• Examples:
– “You have to stop writing at 10 o’clock.”
– “After five hours of hard work we stopped to
have a rest”
• TRY:
– +ING  “experiment”
– + INFINITIVE  “make the effort”
• Examples:
– “I was trying to open the door but I couldn’t.”
– “Why don’t you try using this key?”
 TRY
Try + gerund means to experiment with an action
that might be a solution to your problem.

If you have problems sleeping, you could try doing some

yoga before you go to bed, or you could try drinking
some warm milk.
I can't get in touch with Carl.' 'Have you tried e-mailing
him?'
 TRY
Try + to-infinitive means to make an effort to do
something. It may be something very difficult or
even impossible:
We'll try to phone at 6 o'clock, but it might be
hard to find a public telephone.