Learning objectives
By the end of this lesson, you should be able to explain the rules, recognise the target forms in context, avoid common errors and apply the patterns to new sentences.
- Understand the core terms and distinctions.
- Study examples in complete sentences, not as isolated rules.
- Complete all 15 practice items before opening the answer key.
1. Gerunds and infinitives
A gerund is an -ing form used as a noun-like element; an infinitive is usually to + base verb. The form depends on the word's grammatical role and the pattern selected by the preceding verb.
2. Verbs followed by gerunds
Common verbs followed by gerunds include enjoy, avoid, finish, mind, suggest and consider. After a preposition, use a gerund when a verb follows.
3. Verbs followed by infinitives
Common verbs followed by to-infinitives include want, decide, hope, plan, promise and refuse. Some verbs take an object before the infinitive, such as ask someone to wait.
4. Patterns that change meaning
Remember, forget, stop, try and regret can change meaning according to whether they take a gerund or infinitive.
5. Common patterns and errors
Use the base verb after modal verbs; do not add to. In “look forward to,” to is a preposition and is followed by a gerund. Learn patterns as complete phrases.
Guided practice
Try each item first. Then open the answer key and read the explanation for any answer you missed.
- Complete: I enjoy ___ novels. (to read / reading)
- Complete: They decided ___ early. (leave / to leave)
- Complete: He left without ___ goodbye.
- Choose: I look forward to ___ you. (meet / meeting)
- What does “I stopped smoking” mean?
- What does “She stopped to answer the phone” mean?
- Complete: Please avoid ___ too much noise.
- Complete: He promised ___ me. (help / to help)
- Correct: “She suggested to go by train.”
- Complete: You should ___ the instructions. (to read / read)
- Choose: I remember ___ the door, so it must be locked. (locking / to lock)
- Choose: Remember ___ the door before you leave. (locking / to lock)
- Complete: She is interested in ___ French.
- Complete: They made him ___ the room. (leave / to leave)
- Choose: I tried ___ the window, but it was stuck. (to open / opening)
Show answer key and explanations
- reading — Enjoy is normally followed by a gerund.
- to leave — Decide is followed by a to-infinitive.
- saying — A verb after the preposition without takes the -ing form.
- meeting — Here to is a preposition, so it takes a gerund.
- I quit the habit of smoking. — Stop + gerund means cease the activity.
- She paused another activity in order to answer the phone. — Stop + infinitive expresses purpose.
- making — Avoid is followed by a gerund.
- to help — Promise is followed by a to-infinitive.
- She suggested going by train. / She suggested that we go by train. — Suggest normally takes a gerund or a that-clause, not a to-infinitive.
- read — A modal such as should is followed by the base verb without to.
- locking — Remember + gerund refers to a remembered past action.
- to lock — Remember + infinitive refers to an action that must not be forgotten.
- learning — The preposition in is followed by a gerund.
- leave — Make + object takes the bare infinitive in active constructions.
- to open — Try + infinitive often means make an effort to do something.
Revision checklist
- I can explain the main rules in my own words.
- I can recognise the correct form in a complete sentence.
- I can explain why a common incorrect form is wrong.
- I can apply the rule to a new example.
If an answer was wrong, identify the rule behind the mistake and try writing two original examples.
Continue learning
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