Please note: This training section concentrates on two large topics of the English grammar:

a) Infinitive vs. ing forms

b) (to) + Infinitive

Infinititive vs. ing forms

Both infinitives and ing forms can replace a noun as an object of a verb. Choosing between whether
to use an infinitive or an ing form depends on the main verb of the sentence. Follow the guidelines
below to figure out which form to use.

1. Some common verbs followed by an INFINITIVE are:

afford, agree, appear, arrange, ask, choose, decide, demand, deserve, expect, fail, happen, help,
hope, learn, long, manage, offer, plan, prepare, pretend, promise, refuse, seem, struggle, swear, tend,
wait, want, wish

Im sorry but we cant afford to pay for all of you.

He asked me to think twice before making the decision.
Do you happen to know how to get to the central station?
I decided to take a taxi back home.
I expect you all to be present at the meeting tomorrow.

2. Some common verbs followed by an ING FORM are:

acknowledge, accuse of, admit, advise, appreciate, avoid, complete, consider, deny, discuss, dislike,
enjoy, fancy, imagine, insist on, involve, keep, mention, mind, miss, postpone, recall, resent,
recommend, resist, risk, suggest

He finally admitted smuggling drugs.

I will consider hiring Paul for this position.
I suggest calling the post office tomorrow.
She cant recall talking to him on the phone.
He avoided answering that question.

Please note: We can use an ing form after a preposition but never an infinitive.
Can you listen to this lecture without yawning?
Dont confuse the preposition to with an infinite form!
I went back to reading the book.

3. Verbs followed by INFINITIVE or an ING FORM

a) Little or no change of meaning

Some verbs can be followed either by to + infinitive or an ing form, while the meaning of the
sentence doesnt change or only changes a little. Some of the most common verbs of this type are:
like, love, prefer, intend, begin, start, continue, hate, not bear

I dont like to read/reading books. I prefer to watch/watching TV.

We will begin to study/studying sociology of religion at the university this autumn.
I cant bear to listen/listening to loud music when Im working.

Please note:

Its more common to use hate + ing, except in the expression I hate to tell you this, but.

I hate cleaning up after everybody!

I hate to tell you this, but you didnt get a good grade on the exam.

If the modal verb would is used before like, love, prefer and hate, its necessary to use to +
infinitive.

I would like to invite you to my birthday party.

b) Change of meaning
Some verbs can be followed by to + infinitive or an ing form, and choosing one or the other changes
the meaning of the sentence. Please study carefully the examples of such verbs listed below.

stop

We use stop together with an ing form when we end an action. We use stop to + infinitive when we
give the reason for stopping an action.
John stopped smoking last year. (= quit smoking)
John was hurrying to a lecture but stopped to smoke a cigarette with a friend. (= in order to smoke)

try

We use try together with an ing form when we make a suggestion or talk about an action that has
not been completed and the result is not known. We use try to + infinitive when we attempt to do

something (but dont necessarily succeed), and in this case the action we are referring to, has been
completed.
If you have a sore back, try doing yoga.
I tried to make a cake yesterday but it got burned.

mean

We use mean together with an ing form when we talk about something that results in or involves
something else. We use mean to + infinitive to talk about an intention.
Getting a good grade means studying hard.
I meant to tell you about the trip but I totally forgot!

remember and forget

We use remember/forget together with an ing form when we talk about the past (the action
happened before remembering). We use remember/forget to + infinitive to talk about an action that
someone was/is supposed to do (the action happens after the remembering). We can use the ing
form to refer to memories and nostalgic feelings, while using infinitive is used to make a mind note.
I remember seeing him in the park yesterday.
(recollection, memory)
I must remember to take an umbrella with me because there is a chance of rain.
(mind note)
Maria will never forget running from the police at the demonstration.
(recollection, memory)
Dont forget to give him my regards when you see him!
(mind note)

feel, hear, listen to, see, watch

These so-called perception verbs can be followed by an object + ing, or an infinitive without to. We
use the ing form if we only see or hear a part of the action, or if the action continues (incomplete
action). We use the infinitive without to if we see or hear the whole action (complete action).
I can see my brother playing in the garden.
I watched Jane cooking the dinner.
We heard him take a deep breath.
Peter felt a small fish bite his leg.

(incomplete action)
(incomplete action)
(complete action)
(complete action)

To + Infinitive
We use to in front of the infinitive in the following cases:
1. After certain verbs
2. After certain adjectives
3. To show purpose

After certain verbs

We use to + infinitive after verbs which express thinking, feeling, saying, and wanting. These verbs
can be followed by to + infinitive in any tense.

agree
arrange
attempt
choose
decide
expect
fail
forget
hate

help
hope
intend
learn
like
love
manage
mean
plan

prefer
promise
refuse
remember
tend
try
want
would like
would love

She prefers to drink tea rather than coffee.

Please remember to lock the door when you leave.
He has decided to accept the position in Denmark.
I would like to learn how to cook Indian cuisine.
He is planning to meet me in London.

Some verbs are followed by an object + to + infinitive.

advise

ask
persuade

encourage
remind

tell

expect
want

intend
warn

invite
would like

She asked me to help paint her house.

I expect him to be on time to work.
They persuaded her to go skydiving.

Please note: to make the sentence negative, we use not before to + infinitive.
I promise not to call you after midnight.
She advised him not to quit his job until he has a new one.
They have asked me not to buy too many toys for my niece.

order

After certain adjectives

We use to + infinitive after certain adjectives to give a reason for the adjective:

anxious
disappointed
glad

happy
pleased
proud

sad
surprised
unhappy

He was surprised to see me at the party.

I am sad to hear of the casualties caused by the hurricane.
She was disappointed to find out that she didnt get into her favorite university.

We also use to + infinitive to express an opinion:

clever
difficult
easy

foolish
hard
impossible

kind
nice
possible

right
silly
wrong

It is difficult to learn how to snowboard but it is easy to improve quickly.

It was very nice to meet you.
It was kind of you to give your seat on the bus to the elderly woman.

Other adjectives used with to + infinitive:

due
eager

keen
prepared

ready
(un)able

(un)likely
(un)willing

They were unwilling to negotiate the terms of the contract.

He is eager to leave for his holiday.

To show purpose
We often use to + infinitive to demonstrate purpose, explaining why we do something.
I went home to rest.
She went to the store to buy groceries.
I went to Japan to learn about the local culture.
Another way to express purpose in a statement using to + infinitive is to use:
in order to
so as to

in order not to
so as not to

He worked hard in school in order to get a scholarship for university.

We didnt bring the children to the fancy restaurant so as not to disturb the other patrons.

Passive Infinitive
Many of the verbs mentioned above can be followed by a passive infinitive: to be + past participle.
I arranged to be met by a driver at the airport.
He wants to be informed of any changes to the account.

Bare Infinitive
We use the bare infinitive, which is the infinitive without to in the following cases:

After most modal verbs

We use the bare infinitive after these modal verbs:

can

could

may

might

must

shall

should

will

would

She will finish her homework tonight.

They would repair the roads if there was money to do it.
He should be here soon.

With verbs of perception

We use bare infinitive after a direct object with verbs of perception. The bare infinitive in such cases
indicates an action taken by the direct object.

feel

hear

see

smell

sense

taste

watch

I heard him yell.

She saw the cat fall and land on his feet.

Make, bid, let, have

We also use the bare infinitive with several verbs of permission or causation, the most common of
them being make, bid, let, have. Study the examples below.
She made me do it.
I bade him do his homework.
He let me choose which color to paint the house.

Other cases for using the bare infinitive

After had better:

You had better find the keys so we are not locked out.

With the word why:

Why fix what is not broken?