Words used with the Infinitive

Infinitive after certain Verbs (with to)

Example: He refused to pay the bill.
 afford
 agree
 aim
 appear
 arrange
 attempt
 be determined
 beg
 care
 choose
 claim
 condescend
 consent
 dare (also without to)
 decide
 demand
 deserve
 determine
 endeavor
 expect
 fail
 guarantee
 happen
 have
 help (also without to)
 hesitate
 hope
 learn
 long
 manage
 mean
 need (also without to)
 neglect
 offer
 ought
 plan
 prepare
 pretend
 proceed
 promise
 refuse
 resolve
 seem
 stop
 swear
 tend
 threaten
 trouble
 undertake
 used
 volunteer
 vow
 want
 wish
 would hate
 would like
 would love
 would prefer

Words used with the Infinitive

Infinitive after certain Verbs (without to)

Example: We must stay at home.
 can
 dare (also with to)
 do
 help (also with to)
 let
 may
 must
 need (also with to)
 shall
 should
 will

Words used with the Infinitive

Infinitive after certain Expressions (without 'to')

Example: I would rather stay at home.
 had better
 would rather
 would sooner
 why not
 why schould I/you/… [not]

Words used with the Infinitive

Infinitive as the Subject of a Clause (followed by the verbs below)

Example: To follow his advice seemed logical.
 be
 seem
 appear

Words used with the Infinitive

Infinitive after certain Verbs with Interrogative (how, if, what, where, whether)
Example: We didn't remember where to meet.
 ask
 advise + Objekt
 consider
 decide
 explain
 find out
 forget
 know
 learn
 remember
 see
 show
 teach
 tell + object
 understand
 wonder

Words used with the Infinitive

Infinitive after certain Verbs with an Object (without 'to')

Example: We heard him scream.
 let
 make

Words used with the Infinitive

Infinitive after certain Verbs with an Object (with 'to')

Example: She got me to wash the dishes.
 advise
 allow
 ask
 beg
 cause
 enable
 encourage
 expect
 forbid
 force
 get
 help
 invite
 mean
 order
 permit
 persuade
 recommend
 remind
 teach
 tell
 want
 warn
 would hate
 would like
 would love
 would prefer

Words used with the Infinitive

Infinitive after certain Adjectives

Example: It was impossible to go back.
 amazed
 amazing
 angry
 astonished
 astonishing
 awkward
 brave
 careless
 clever
 cowardly
 crazy
 delighted
 difficult
 disappointed
 disgusted
 easy
 extraordinary
 funny
 generous
 glad
 happy
 hard
 honest
 horrified
 impossible
 kind
 nice
 odd
 pointless
 relieved
 ridiculous
 rude
 sad
 selfish
 silly
 sorry
 strange
 stupid
 surprised
 wicked
 wise

Words used with the Infinitive

Infinitive after certain Nouns
Example: There was no need to get angry.
 effort
 agreement
 aim
 appearance
 arrangement
 attempt
 choice
 claim
 decision
 determination
 expectation
 failure
 guarantee
 hesitation
 hope
 longing
 need
 neglect
 offer
 plan
 preparation
 procedure
 promise
 refusal
 resolution
 tendency
 threat
 trouble
 try

Words used with the Gerund

Adjectives (with Prepositions) followed by the Gerund

Example: I am interested in visiting the museum.
 afraid of
 angry about / at
 bad at
 busy
 clever at
 crazy about
 disappointed about
 excited about
 famous for
 fond of
 glad about
 good at
 impressed by
 interested in
 keen on
 like
 near
 proud of
 sick of
 sorry about
 tired of
 worried about
 worth

Words used with the Gerund

Präpositions followed by the Gerund

Example: Instead of studying for her exams, she went out every night.
 about (in 'how/what about')
 after
 apart from
 because of
 before
 by
 in
 in spite of
 instead of
 on
 without

Words used with the Gerund

Verbs followed by the Gerund

Example: I enjoy enjoy cooking.
 admit
 advise
 allow
 appreciate
 avoid
 can't help
 can't stand
 consider
 delay
 deny
 dislike
 enjoy
 escape
 fancy
 finish
 go (in go swimming)
 imagine
 involve
 keep
 mention
 mind
 miss
 permit
 postpone
 practise
 reject
 resist
 risk
 stop
 suggest
 understand
 waste time / money

Words used with the Gerund

Verbs with Prepositions followed by the Gerund

Example: I'm looking forward to seeing you again soon.
 accuse of
 adjust to
 agree with
 apologize for
 approve of
 ask about
 ask for
 begin by
 believe in
 be used to
 blame for
 care for
 carry on
 complain about
 concentrate on
 congratulate on
 consist of
 cope with
 decide against
 decide for
 depend on
 die of
 dream about / of
 escape from
 feel like
 forgive for
 give up
 insist on
 keep on
 look forward to
 object to
 pay for
 prevent sb. from
 protect from
 put off
 rely on
 spend money on
 spend time on
 succeed in
 suspect of
 take part in
 talk about / of
 thank for
 think of
 use for
 warn against
 worry about

Words used with the Gerund

Nouns / Nouns with Prepositions followed by the Gerund

Example: There's no point in waiting any longer.
 advantage of
 alternative of
 chance of
 choice between
 danger of
 difficulty in
 doubt about
 experience in
 fun
 hope of
 idea of
 interest in
 opportunity of
 place for
 pleasure in
 point in
 possibility of
 problem
 reason for
 trouble
 trouble in
 use
 way of
 waste of money
 waste of time

Words used either with the Infinitive or Gerund

Words with the same meaning

Example: I started to read. / I started reading.
 attempt
 begin
 bother
 cannot bear
 cease
 continue
 hate
 intend
 love
 prefer
 start

Words used either with the Infinitive or Gerund

Words with the same meaning but different use

Word Infinitive - with an object Gerund – without an object

advise I advise you to go by bus. I advise going by bus.

allow / permit He allowed her to take the car. He allowed taking the car.

forbid She forbids us to smoke. She forbids smoking.

Words used either with the Infinitive or Gerund

Words with a different meaning

Word Infinitive meaning Gerund meaning

forget / remember with regard to the future with regard to the past
Remember to switch off the lights. Do you remember switching off the lights?

go on start something new continue with the same action

Go on to read. Go on reading.

regret with regard to the future with regard to the past

I regret to say that. I regret saying that.

stop interrupt another action terminate

I stopped to smoke. I stopped smoking.

try do something complicated do it and see what happens

Try to solve this riddle. Try talking to him.

Words used either with the Infinitive or Gerund

Infinitive or Present Participle

Gerund and present participle are not exactly the same. As this chapter is about when to use the infinitive and
when to use the ing-form, however, we have also listed words here that can be used either with the infinitive or the
present participle. (for more information on the present participle see participles)

Words Infinitive meaning Gerund meaning

feel Emphasises that the action is completed. Action can be completed, but not necessarily.
hear Example: I saw him go up the stairs. Example: I saw him going up the stairs.
see

go expresses a purpose in connection with activities

come Example: She is coming to show us the Example: Let’s go shopping / dancing.
pictures.
 Both, Either, Neither, Nor and So

Expression Example

both … and … I like both cats and dogs.

so Jane likes cats. So do I.

not … either Jane doesn't like cats. I don't like cats either.

either … or … Jane either has a cat or a dog.

neither/nor Jane doesn't like cats. Neither do I./Nor do I.

neither … nor … I like neither cats nor dogs.

Exercise
Find out why some parents think that their teenage sons or daughters have a lot in common with cats. (Don't take it too
seriously, though.) ;o)

1. Neither cats nor teenagers turn their heads when you call them.
2. You would hardly ever see a cat walking outside of the house with its master. Nor would you see a teenager in public
with his or her parents very often.
3. A cat doesn't share your taste in music. A teenager doesn't either
4. Both cats and teenagers can lie on the sofa for hours on end without moving.
5. Cats expect you to prepare the food for them. So do teenagers.
6. If you tell a joke, neither your cat nor your teen will laugh about it.
7. If you make a sudden move in their direction, both cats and teenagers get frightened.
8. Cats do not improve your furniture. Teenagers don't either
9. Cats roam outside and often come home very late at night. So do teenagers.
10. Conclusion: no matter if you either have a cat or a teenager at home - it's all the same.

- since - if the starting point is given (two o'clock, last Friday, 1998)
- for - if the period of time is given (twenty minutes, two days, one year)

Decide whether to use »since« or »for«.

1. I have been waiting since 4 o'clock.

2. Sue has only been waiting for 20 minutes.
3. Tim and Tina have been learning English for six years.
4. Fred and Frida have been learning French since 1998.
5. Joe and Josephine have been going out together since Valentine's Day.
6. I haven't been on holiday since last July.
7. Mary has been saving her money for many years.
8. I haven't eaten anything since breakfast.
9. You have been watching TV for hours.
10. We have been living here for 2 months.
 - must not - prohibition (it is not allowed)
- need not - option (it is not necessary)

Soccer Rules
Decide whether to use 'must not' or 'need not'.

1. The teams must not have more than 11 players on the field during a match.
2. But there need not even be 11 players playing for each team.
3. Players must not wear anything which might injure another player.
4. Players need not play the ball with their feet only.
5. Substituted players must not return to the game.
6. Players must not leave the game without the referee's permission.
7. Players must not hold an opponent.
8. The referee need not send a player off if he has committed foul play.
9. However, if a player is sent off during the game, he must not be replaced.
10. A period need not be over after exactly 45 minutes.