What Are Gerunds & Infinitives?
Every English learner eventually faces one of the language's most persistent puzzles: when do you say "doing" and when do you say "to do"? This question lies at the heart of gerunds and infinitives, two verb forms that function as nouns within a sentence. A gerund is the -ing form of a verb used as a noun — for example, swimming, reading, or cooking. An infinitive is the base form of a verb preceded by "to" — for example, to swim, to read, or to cook. Both forms can serve as subjects, objects, or complements in a sentence, but the real challenge is knowing which one to use after a particular verb.
Some verbs are always followed by a gerund, some always by an infinitive, and some can take either form — sometimes with a change in meaning, sometimes without. There is no single rule that covers every case; instead, English speakers rely on patterns and familiarity. This article will guide you through all the major patterns so that you can use gerunds and infinitives with confidence.
Gerund = verb + -ing (used as a noun)
Infinitive = to + base form of verb
Gerund example: Swimming is my favourite sport. — Infinitive example: I want to swim every day.
Verbs Followed by Gerunds
Certain verbs in English must be followed by a gerund (verb + -ing). Using an infinitive after these verbs is grammatically incorrect. The following table lists the most common verbs that require a gerund, along with example sentences to help you see each one in context.
| Verb | Example Sentence |
|---|---|
| enjoy | Maria enjoys reading novels before bedtime. |
| avoid | You should avoid eating too much sugar. |
| finish | Have you finished writing your essay? |
| mind | Would you mind opening the window? |
| suggest | The teacher suggested studying in pairs. |
| keep | He keeps making the same mistake. |
| practice | She practices speaking English every morning in Tokyo. |
| consider | They are considering moving to Barcelona. |
| miss | I really miss living near the sea in Lisbon. |
| imagine | Can you imagine travelling around the world? |
| deny | The suspect denied stealing the painting from the museum. |
| admit | He admitted breaking the vase in the living room. |
A helpful way to remember gerund verbs is the mnemonic MEGAFIPS: Mind, Enjoy, Give up, Avoid, Finish, Imagine, Practice, Suggest. These are the most commonly tested gerund verbs in English exams.
Verbs Followed by Infinitives
Just as some verbs demand a gerund, others must be followed by a to-infinitive. Using a gerund after these verbs sounds unnatural and is considered incorrect. Study the table below to learn the most common infinitive verbs.
| Verb | Example Sentence |
|---|---|
| want | I want to visit the Eiffel Tower someday. |
| need | We need to finish this project by Friday. |
| decide | She decided to study medicine in Berlin. |
| plan | They plan to open a restaurant in Istanbul next year. |
| hope | We hope to see you at the conference in Seoul. |
| agree | The neighbours agreed to share the cost of the fence. |
| refuse | He refused to answer any questions during the interview. |
| offer | My uncle offered to drive us to the airport in Dubai. |
| promise | She promised to call me when she arrived in Sydney. |
| learn | He is learning to play the piano at the age of sixty. |
| expect | We expect to receive the results next week. |
| manage | She managed to finish the marathon despite the rain in London. |
Subject + verb + to + base verb
All of these verbs follow the same simple pattern. The infinitive marker to always comes directly after the main verb, followed by the base form of the second verb.
Verbs Followed by Both — With Meaning Change
This is where gerunds and infinitives become truly tricky. A small group of verbs can take either a gerund or an infinitive, but the meaning of the sentence changes depending on which form you choose. Pay close attention to the differences below, because choosing the wrong form can completely alter what you are trying to say.
| Verb | + Gerund | + Infinitive |
|---|---|---|
| remember | I remember locking the door. (I locked it and I have a memory of doing it.) |
I remembered to lock the door. (I did not forget. I locked it as planned.) |
| forget | I'll never forget seeing the Northern Lights in Oslo. (A past experience I will always remember.) |
I forgot to buy milk on the way home. (I did not remember to do it. The task was not completed.) |
| stop | He stopped smoking last year. (He quit the habit of smoking.) |
He stopped to smoke outside the building. (He paused what he was doing in order to smoke.) |
| try | Try pressing the red button. (Experiment with this action to see what happens.) |
She tried to open the window, but it was stuck. (She made an effort but did not succeed.) |
| regret | I regret telling her the secret. (I told her and now I feel sorry about it.) |
We regret to inform you that your application was unsuccessful. (We are sorry to say this now. Formal announcement.) |
The difference between stop doing and stop to do is one of the most commonly tested grammar points in English exams. "He stopped talking" means he was quiet. "He stopped to talk" means he paused another activity so that he could talk. Always think about what actually happened before choosing the form.
Verbs Followed by Both — No Meaning Change
Fortunately, not every verb that takes both forms causes a headache. The verbs listed below can be followed by either a gerund or an infinitive with little or no difference in meaning. You are free to use whichever form feels more natural to you.
| Verb | + Gerund | + Infinitive |
|---|---|---|
| like | I like swimming in the morning. | I like to swim in the morning. |
| love | She loves dancing in the rain. | She loves to dance in the rain. |
| hate | They hate waiting in long queues. | They hate to wait in long queues. |
| prefer | He prefers walking to work. | He prefers to walk to work. |
| begin | It began raining heavily in Mumbai. | It began to rain heavily in Mumbai. |
| start | The children started laughing at the clown. | The children started to laugh at the clown. |
| continue | She continued working after the break. | She continued to work after the break. |
With like, love, hate, prefer, begin, start, and continue, both forms are equally correct. However, in British English the gerund is slightly more common for general preferences, while in American English the infinitive is used a bit more frequently. Either way, you will always be understood.
Gerunds After Prepositions
One of the most important rules in English grammar is that a preposition must always be followed by a gerund, never by an infinitive. This applies to prepositions that appear after verbs, adjectives, and nouns alike. Whenever you see a preposition (in, at, of, about, for, on, etc.) before a verb, that verb must take the -ing form.
Preposition + gerund (always!)
There are no exceptions to this rule. Every preposition in English is followed by a noun or a gerund — never by an infinitive.
| Expression | Example Sentence |
|---|---|
| interested in | She is interested in learning Japanese in Kyoto. |
| good at | My brother is good at fixing computers. |
| tired of | We are tired of waiting for the bus in the cold. |
| afraid of | The little girl is afraid of flying. |
| look forward to | I am looking forward to meeting you in New York. |
| think about | He is thinking about changing his career. |
| apologise for | She apologised for arriving late to the meeting. |
| succeed in | They succeeded in climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. |
The word "to" can be either a preposition or an infinitive marker. When "to" is a preposition (as in look forward to, be used to, object to, be committed to), it must be followed by a gerund:
✔ I look forward to hearing from you.
✘ I look forward to hear from you.
When "to" is an infinitive marker (as in want to, need to, decide to), it is followed by the base verb.
The difference between the right verb form and the almost right verb form is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug.
— The Grammar GazetteExample Sentences
Gerund as Subject
A gerund can serve as the subject of a sentence. When a verb form appears at the beginning of a sentence in the subject position, it always takes the gerund form, not the infinitive. This is one of the clearest and most consistent rules in English grammar.
Gerund + verb + complement
When a verb acts as the subject of a sentence, use the -ing form. The gerund subject takes a singular verb.
| Gerund as Subject | Rest of Sentence |
|---|---|
| Swimming | is excellent exercise for the whole body. |
| Reading | improves your vocabulary and concentration. |
| Learning a new language | takes time, patience, and dedication. |
| Travelling | broadens the mind and opens doors to new cultures. |
| Cooking at home | is healthier and cheaper than eating out. |
| Running every morning | helps her stay fit and energised in Mexico City. |
While it is technically possible to begin a sentence with an infinitive (To err is human), this sounds very formal and old-fashioned. In modern English, the gerund is almost always preferred in the subject position: Making mistakes is human. Use the gerund for a natural, contemporary style.
Common Mistakes
Even advanced learners make errors with gerunds and infinitives. The following mistakes are among the most frequent ones that teachers encounter in classrooms around the world. Study them carefully and make sure you do not fall into the same traps.
The verb enjoy is always followed by a gerund, never an infinitive.
✘ I enjoy to play tennis.
✔ I enjoy playing tennis.
In the phrase look forward to, the word "to" is a preposition, not an infinitive marker. It must be followed by a gerund.
✘ I look forward to see you soon.
✔ I look forward to seeing you soon.
The verb want is always followed by an infinitive, never a gerund.
✘ I want going to the cinema.
✔ I want to go to the cinema.
The verb suggest takes a gerund, not an infinitive.
✘ She suggested to go to the park.
✔ She suggested going to the park.
Quick Reference — Gerund vs. Infinitive
This final section brings everything together in one place. Use the table below as a quick reference guide whenever you are unsure whether to use a gerund or an infinitive. Keep it handy for writing assignments, exam preparation, and everyday practice.
| When to Use | Gerund (-ing) | Infinitive (to + verb) |
|---|---|---|
| After certain verbs | enjoy, avoid, finish, mind, suggest, keep, practice, consider, miss, imagine, deny, admit | want, need, decide, plan, hope, agree, refuse, offer, promise, learn, expect, manage |
| After prepositions | Always use gerund good at swimming |
Never use infinitive good at to swim ✘ |
| As the subject | Swimming is fun. | To swim is fun. (very formal) |
| Both (meaning changes) | remember, forget, stop, try, regret + gerund = past action / experience | remember, forget, stop, try, regret + infinitive = future action / purpose |
| Both (no change) | like, love, hate, prefer, begin, start, continue + gerund | like, love, hate, prefer, begin, start, continue + infinitive |
| "To" as preposition | look forward to doing be used to doing object to doing |
look forward to do ✘ be used to do ✘ object to do ✘ |
Do not try to memorise every verb at once. Instead, focus on five new verbs each week. Write your own example sentences for each verb, and try to use them in conversation. Over time, the correct form will come to you naturally — just as it does for native speakers.
1. After a preposition → always use a gerund.
2. If the verb is the subject → use a gerund.
3. When in doubt about a specific verb → check a reliable dictionary. Most learner dictionaries show whether a verb takes a gerund, an infinitive, or both.