Gerunds and Infinitives

Gerunds and infinitives are forms of verbs that act like nouns. They can follow adjectives and
other verbs. Gerunds can also follow prepositions.
A gerund (often known as an -ing word) is a noun formed from a verb by adding -ing. See
also Nouns/Gerund. Not all words formed with -ing are gerunds.
An infinitive is to + the verb.
When a verb follows a verb it either takes the gerund or infinitive form.
Some verbs can take either the gerund or the infinitive with no loss of meaning.
For example:

With the verb start - "It started to rain." or "It started raining." Both sentences have the
same meaning.

Sometimes the use of the gerund or infinitive changes the meaning of the sentence.
For example:

With the verb remember - "I remembered to do my homework". or "I remembered doing
my homework."

In the first sentence (I remembered to do my homework), the person speaking remembered

they had some homework first and then carried out the action and did it. In the second sentence
(I remembered doing my homework.), the person speaking carried out the action (their
homework) first and then remembered doing it.
Other verbs only take one or the other, unfortunately there is no rule as to which form the verb
takes. The same is true when the verb follows an adjective.
The best way to learn their correct use is with practice - these lists may help:-

List of verbs which are normally followed by the gerund - with some examples.
List of verbs which are normally followed by the infinitive - with some examples.
List of verbs which can be followed by the gerund or infinitive - with some examples.

Principles of Composition
Verb Lists: Infinitives and
Gerunds
Select from . . .

Verbs Followed by an Infinitive

She agreed to speak before the game.
agree
aim
appear
arrange
ask
attempt
be able
beg
begin
care
choose
condescend

consent
continue
dare
decide
deserve
detest
dislike
expect
fail
forget
get
happen

have
hesitate
hope
hurry
intend
leap
leave
like
long
love
mean
neglect

offer
ought
plan
prefer
prepare
proceed
promise
propose
refuse
remember
say

shoot
start
stop
strive
swear
threaten
try
use
wait
want
wish

Verbs Followed by an Object and an Infinitive

Everyone expected her to win.
advise
allow

choose
command

have
hire

love
motivate

remind
require

ask
beg
bring
build
buy
challenge

dare
direct
encourage
expect
forbid
force

instruct
invite
lead
leave
let
like

order
pay
permit
persuade
prepare
promise

send
teach
tell
urge
want
warn

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

and may be used without an object.

Verbs Followed by a Gerund

They enjoyed working on the boat.
admit
advise
appreciate
avoid
can't help
complete
consider

delay
deny
detest
dislike
enjoy
escape
excuse

finish
forbid
get through
have
imagine
mind
miss

permit
postpone
practice
quit
recall
report
resent

resist
resume
risk
spend (time)
suggest
tolerate
waste (time)

Verbs Followed by a Preposition and a Gerund

We concentrated on doing well.
admit to
approve of
argue about
believe in
care about
complain about
concentrate on
confess to

depend on
disapprove of
discourage from
dream about
feel like
forget about
insist on
object to

plan on
prevent (someone) from
refrain from
succeed in
talk about
think about
worry about

Gerund or Infinitive
Some verbs can be followed by either an infinitive or a gerund:

One of the difficulties of the English language is that some verbs are followed by
the gerund (ex : doing) and others are followed by the infinitive (ex : to do). Other verbs,
however, can be followed by both.
Generally speaking we can use the following rules:
Examples

Rules

Explanations

Verb +
gerund

1. I enjoy playing
2. I denied stealing

Often we use the

gerund for an action
that
happens before or at
the same time as the
action of the main
verb.

1. I enjoy myself at the

time of playing.
2. I deny having stolen
anything before.

Verb +
infinitive

1. I decided to visit my Often we use the

uncle
infinitive for actions
2. I want to go out
that follow the action
of the main verb.

1. Visiting my uncle
was an action of my
decision. It comes
after.
2. What I want (now) is
to go out (after/later)

These rules are helpful but DO NOT always explain all uses of gerunds and infinitives.
Verbs that can be followed by a gerund (ex: doing)

1- After verbs that express likes/dislikes :

like

love

enjoy

dislike

hate

don't mind

can't stand

can't bear

Example:
" I like playing soccer but I hate boxing."
2- After certain other verbs, such as :

admit

appreciate

allow

avoid

advise

consider

deny

delay

understand

finish

fancy

go (in go swimming)

involve

keep

mention

mind

stop

waste time/money

imagine

involve

keep (on)

mention

miss

postpone

permit

practice

suggest

resist

reject

risk

can't help

can't stand

Example:
" I suggest going to the theater."
3- After prepositions :
interested in ...
instead of ...
good at ...
before ...
after ...
Example:
"I am interested in collecting stamps."
"After playing football I drank an orange juice".
4- After certain expressions :
it's no use ...
it's no good ...
there's no point in ...
I can't help...
I don't mind...
I can't stand/bear...
Example:
" It's no use convincing him to revise his lessons. He's so stubborn."
Verbs that can be followed by an infinitive ( ex : to do)
1- After verbs that refer to a future event:

want

hope

aim

intend

arrange

attempt

promise

be determined

plan

consent

decide

demand

deserve

determine

endeavor

expect

offer

proceed

promise

threaten

swear

volunteer

want

would like

would hate

would love

Example:

" I want to finish my work early.

2- After certain other verbs, such as:

afford

agree

help

choose

fail

happen

refuse

manage

need

seem

learn

choose

pretend

Example:
"She refused to forgive him."
3- After adjectives :

glad

pleased

disappointed

Example:

"I'm glad to know that you passed the exam."

"I'm pleased to meet you."
"I'm disappointed to hear that you flunked maths."
4- After "too" & "enough":
too difficult
easy enough
Example:
"It's too difficult to convince him to be helpful."
" But it's easy enough to fool him to get what you want."
Verbs that can be followed by both an infinitive and a gerund:
Some verbs can be followed by either a gerund or an infinitive. Here are some examples:

start

begin

stop

remember...

Example:
"I started smoking when I was young."
"I started to smoke when I left the office."

INFINITIVES
(and more)

The following verbs are followed by an infinitive:

agree

expect

need

refuse

appear

forget

offer

seem

be able

hope

plan

start*

begin*

know how

prefer*

tend

can(t) afford

learn

prepare

try

choose

like*

pretend

want

decide

manage

promise

would like

*These verbs can also be followed by a gerund

Note:

To make an infinitive negative, put not before the infinitive.

Do you promise not to tell my secret?

In a sentence with two infinitives connected by and, the second to is usually

omitted.

e.g., I expect to swim and surf in Hawaii.

Some verbs can be followed by an (pro)noun + infinitive

advise

choose

force

select

allow

convince

invite

teach

appoint

encourage

need

tell

ask

expect

permit

urge

beg

forbid

persuade

want
would like

Permit <allow< b="">+ infinitive</allow<>

Please allow me to help you.

Help + base form or infinitive

Sigurd helped his brothers (to) shovel the snow.

Let + base form

She let him borrow her car.

Some adjectives can be followed by an infinitive. Many of these adjectives

describe a
persons emotions or mental state.

glad

sorry

prepared

hesitant

happy

sad

anxious

reluctant

pleased

upset

eager

afraid

delighted

disappointed

willing

surprised

content

proud

motivated

amazed

relieved

ashamed

determined

astonished

lucky

ready

careful

shocked

fortunate

stunned

An infinitive can be the subject of a sentence, but it is very formal. In more

informal situations,
it is used as the subject and the infinitive is placed at the end of the clause.

To save for college takes many years.

It takes many years to save for college.

To have good health is very important.

It is important to have good health.

Use infinitives with too and enough.

That hill is too steep for me to ski up.
Im not strong enough to lift a car.

Causative verbs:
make + simple form
Sad movies make me cry.
have + simple form
I had the maid polish my shoes.
get or persuade + infinitive
Sigurd got Haakon to give him a ride to school.
have or get + object + past participle
She got her shoes repaired in University Village.

The following verbs can be followed by either a gerund or an infinitive with no

change in meaning:

attempt

continue

like

begin

deserve

love

cant stand

hate

prefer

start

These verbs can be followed by either a GERUND or and INFINITIVE with

a difference in meaning.

remember

forget

regret

try

Remember, forget + infinitive

refers forward in time to things that one still has or still had to do at the
moment of remembering or forgetting.
You must remember to pick up Mr. Brown from the airport tomorrow.
I forgot to buy the milk.

Regret + infinitive
is used mostly in announcements of bad news
We regret to inform passengers that the 14.50 train for Tacoma will leave
approximately 45 minutes late.

Try + infinitive
is used to talk about making an effort to do something difficult
I tried to change the tire, but my hands were too cold.
(Note: Sometimes we use the gerund in this case also)

GERUNDS

A gerund can be:

the subject of the sentence Swimming is my favorite sport.

the object of the sentence They enjoy watching movies.

the object of the preposition Hes concerned about passing Grammar 5.

Note: A gerund subject takes a singular verb. Eating raw oysters is disgusting.
To make a gerund negative, put not before it. Not arriving on time
makes me uncomfortable.

These verbs are followed by a gerund:

admit

delay

imagine

practice

advise

deny

keep

quit

appreciate

discuss

mind

recommend

avoid

dislike

miss

regret

cant help

enjoy

permit

risk

consider

finish

postpone

suggest

Go + gerund (recreational activities)

boating

fishing

sailing

skiing

bowling

hiking

shopping

swimming

camping

hunting

sightseeing

dancing

jogging

skating

Verbs of perception can be followed by verb-ing or an infinitive

see

look at

hear

feel

notice

observe

listen to

smell

watch

Remember, forget + gerund

refers back to the past to things that one did. Forget...ing is used mostly in
the phrase Ill never forget...ing... and expressions with similar meanings.

I still remember buying my first bicycle.

Ill never forget meeting the President.

Regret + gerund
refers back to pastsomething that one is sorry one did
I regret leaving school at 14 it was a big mistake.

Try + gerund
is used to talk about making an experiment-doing something to see what will
happen.
I tried sending her flowers, writing her letters, and giving her
presents, but she still wouldnt speak to me.

Special expressions + verb-ing

have: fun, a good time, trouble, difficulty, etc.
She had a good time watching the ice skating competition.
spend time, waste time
He spends a lot of time playing computer games.
sit, stand, or lie + expression of place
I stood at the bus stop waiting for 45 minutes.
find or catch + (pro)noun
I found the cat sleeping in my bed.

A gerund can be the object of a preposition after a verb or adjective (see list
below)
He complained about getting a bad grade.
She is upset about leaving her homework at home.

PREPOSITIONS
Verbs + preposition

adjust to

hear of

agree with

insist on

apologize to...for

listen to

approve of

look at

argue about

look for

believe in

look forward to

blame...for

object to

care about

plan on

complain about

prevent...from

concentrate on

rely on

consist of

speak about

deal with

succeed in

decide on

suspect...of

depend on

take care of

disapprove of

talk about

dream about/of

thank...for

feel like

think about

forget about

wait for

forgive...for

warn...about

hear about

worry about

The dots (...) indicate than an object is needed: "She thanked the man for
helping her carry her groceries."

Adjective + Preposition

accustomed to

interested in

afraid of

lazy about

amazed at/by

mad about

angry about/at

mad at

ashamed of

opposed to

aware of

proud of

bored with/by

responsible for

capable of

sad about

concerned about

satisfied with

different from

sick of

excited about

sorry about

famous for

sorry for

fond of

sure of

glad about

surprised at

good at

tired of

grateful to...for

upset about

guilty of

used to

happy about

worried about