Gerunds and Infinitives

Gerunds and Infinitives - Comprehensive Guide

🔄Gerunds and Infinitives

1️⃣What are Gerunds and Infinitives?

📝A gerund is the -ing form of a verb used as a noun. 👉I enjoy reading.
📝An infinitive is to + base verb. 👉I want to read.

🎯Different verbs in English are followed by gerunds, infinitives, or sometimes both (with a change in meaning).

2️⃣Comprehensive Verb Lists

Legend: ⭐ = also commonly takes the infinitive | ✦ = gerund vs. infinitive changes meaning (know both patterns)

🎯Verb + Gerund (verb + -ing)

admit advise anticipate appreciate avoid begin ⭐ can't help can't stand cease ⭐ complete consider contemplate continue ⭐ defer delay deny

detest discuss dislike dread endure enjoy escape face fancy finish forgo imagine involve justify keep / keep on leave off

like ⭐ loathe love ⭐ mention mind miss postpone practice

propose quit recall recommend report resent resist resume risk start ⭐ stop ✦ suggest tolerate understand

🔄Verbs that take Gerund OR Infinitive (often little/no change)

attempt begin continue hate like love prefer start

⚠️Verbs where Gerund vs. Infinitive CHANGES MEANING (know both)

forget ✦ go on ✦ mean ✦ regret ✦ remember ✦ stop ✦ try ✦

3️⃣Preposition + Gerund (always use -ing after a preposition)

📌Core Prepositions

about after at before by for from in instead of of on to without

against as besides beyond despite during except including near off over past under upon within

🔗Common Verb + Preposition Patterns (→ gerund)

accuse of admit to apologize for approve of argue about believe in blame for care about complain about concentrate on congratulate on consist of count on decide against depend on

discourage from dream of/about end up feel like forgive for insist on keep from look forward to object to plan on prevent from protect from/against put off rely on spend (time)

stop from succeed in suspect of

talk about thank for think of/about worry about work on warn against

📋Common Adjective + Preposition Patterns (→ gerund)

accustomed to afraid of amazed at angry about/at annoyed at/with ashamed of bad/good/great at bored with/of capable of committed to concerned about crazy about dedicated to different from

excited about famous for fond of frightened of interested in involved in jealous of keen on opposed to proud of ready for responsible for sick of sorry for/about surprised at/by tired of used to (be used to)

4️⃣Examples and Usage

🎯Gerund Examples:

⚽I enjoy playing football.
📚She finished studying at 10 pm.
🏞️They suggested going to the park.
📌I'm interested in learning English.

✅Infinitive Examples:

🍕I want to eat pizza.
🌍He decided to study abroad.
👋We hope to see you soon.

5️⃣Special Cases - Meaning Changes

🚫stop doing = quit completely: "I stopped smoking."
⏸️stop to do = pause to do something: "I stopped to smoke."
💭remember doing = recall a past action: "I remember locking the door."
📝remember to do = not forget to do: "Remember to lock the door."
🔄try doing = experiment with: "Try eating less sugar."
🎯try to do = attempt: "I tried to call you."

6️⃣Common Mistakes

❌I enjoy to play football.
✅I enjoy playing football.
❌She decided going to London.
✅She decided to go to London.
❌I'm interested in to study French.
✅I'm interested in studying French.
❌He's good at to cook.
✅He's good at cooking.

💭Remember

🎯Gerund (-ing) = verb used as a noun
✅Infinitive (to + verb) = basic form with "to"
📚Memorize verb lists - some take gerunds, some take infinitives
📌After prepositions, always use gerunds