Gerunds vs Infinitives: The Complete English Guide

What Are Gerunds and Infinitives?

Before diving into the rules, it helps to understand exactly what these two forms are and how they function in a sentence.

A gerund is the -ing form of a verb used as a noun. Because it acts as a noun, it can be the subject of a sentence, the object of a verb, or the object of a preposition. The form never changes: you simply take any verb and add -ing.

Swimming is excellent exercise.
I enjoy reading before bed.
She is good at solving puzzles.

An infinitive is the base form of the verb, usually with "to" in front of it. This is called the to-infinitive. Like gerunds, infinitives can function as nouns, but they are also used after many adjectives and verbs to express purpose, desire, or intention.

To travel is my greatest ambition.
She decided to leave early.
It is important to listen carefully.

Both forms are non-finite verbs, meaning they do not show tense on their own. The tense of the sentence is carried by the main verb. Because both forms can follow other verbs, learners often wonder which one to choose. The answer depends on the main verb, and in a few special cases, on the meaning you want to express.

Verbs Followed by Gerunds

Certain verbs in English are always followed by a gerund, never by a to-infinitive. There is no simple logical rule for all of them — you need to learn these verbs as a set. The good news is that many of them express feelings about activities, completing actions, or attitudes toward something.

Here are the most important verbs in this group:

• enjoy — I enjoy cooking for friends.
• avoid — He avoids making eye contact when he is nervous.
• finish — Have you finished writing your report?
• consider — She is considering moving to another city.
• suggest — He suggested taking a different route.
• mind — Do you mind opening the window?
• keep — She kept talking even after the bell rang.
• practise — You should practise speaking aloud every day.
• delay — They delayed announcing the results.
• miss — I really miss living near the sea.
• deny — He denied taking the money.
• admit — She admitted feeling overwhelmed.
• imagine — Can you imagine living without electricity?
• involve — The job involves travelling frequently.
• give up — He gave up smoking years ago.
• put off — Stop putting off doing your homework.

We finished painting the living room yesterday.
She considered applying for the scholarship.
They keep interrupting me when I speak.
I can't imagine living without music.

Verbs Followed by Infinitives

Another large group of verbs is always followed by the to-infinitive. Many of these verbs relate to decisions, plans, hopes, wishes, and expectations — actions that point toward the future or express attitude about a future action.

Learn these common verbs:

• want — I want to travel across Asia.
• decide — They decided to stay at home.
• plan — We are planning to visit our relatives.
• hope — She hopes to become a doctor.
• expect — He expects to hear from them soon.
• agree — They agreed to meet at seven.
• refuse — She refused to answer the question.
• manage — Did you manage to find a seat?
• offer — He offered to carry her bags.
• promise — I promise to call you tomorrow.
• seem — She seems to enjoy the class.
• appear — He appears to be very confident.
• tend — She tends to arrive late.
• fail — He failed to submit his assignment on time.
• learn — She is learning to drive.
• pretend — He pretended to be asleep.

We agreed to split the cost equally.
She managed to finish the exam with five minutes to spare.
He refused to apologise for what he said.
They seem to know each other very well.

Some verbs in this group take an object + infinitive, meaning a person comes between the main verb and the to-infinitive:

• ask — She asked me to help her.
• tell — He told them to be quiet.
• encourage — The coach encouraged us to keep trying.
• allow — They allowed him to leave early.
• remind — Please remind me to lock the door.

Verbs That Change Meaning

This is one of the most fascinating and most tested areas of English grammar. A handful of verbs can be followed by either a gerund or an infinitive, but the choice of form changes the meaning of the sentence. These are the ones you must learn carefully.

STOP

• Stop + gerund = finish doing an activity, give it up.
  She stopped smoking. (She no longer smokes.)
• Stop + infinitive = pause what you are doing in order to do something else.
  She stopped to smoke. (She paused whatever she was doing so she could have a cigarette.)

REMEMBER

• Remember + gerund = have a memory of a past action (the remembering comes after the action).
  I remember posting the letter. (I have a memory of doing it.)
• Remember + infinitive = not forget to do something in the future (the action comes after the remembering).
  Remember to post the letter. (Don't forget to do it!)

FORGET

• Forget + gerund = have no memory of a past action.
  I'll never forget visiting Paris for the first time.
• Forget + infinitive = fail to do something you should have done.
  I forgot to buy milk on the way home.

TRY

• Try + gerund = experiment with an action, do it as a possible solution.
  Try adding a little more salt. (See if it makes a difference.)
• Try + infinitive = make an effort to do something difficult.
  I tried to open the jar but it was too tight.

REGRET

• Regret + gerund = feel sorry about a past action.
  She regrets not studying harder at school.
• Regret + infinitive = be sorry to say something (used in formal contexts).
  We regret to inform you that your application was unsuccessful.

He stopped running. (He is no longer running.)
He stopped to run. (He stopped what he was doing in order to run.)

Do you remember locking the door? (Did you lock it?)
Remember to lock the door! (Don't forget!)

Prepositions Followed by Gerunds

Here is a rule that never has exceptions: after a preposition, always use a gerund, never an infinitive. This applies to every preposition in English — words like about, after, before, by, for, in, of, on, without, and many more.

This pattern is very common in everyday English, so it is worth practising until it feels natural.

I am excited about starting my new job.
She left without saying goodbye.
He succeeded in passing the exam.
They talked about moving to a bigger flat.
What is the best way of learning vocabulary?
After finishing the course, she felt much more confident.
Before leaving, please turn off all the lights.

This rule also applies to verb + preposition combinations (sometimes called dependent prepositions) and adjective + preposition combinations:

• look forward to + gerund — I look forward to hearing from you.
• be used to + gerund — She is used to working long hours.
• be good at + gerund — He is very good at organising events.
• be interested in + gerund — Are you interested in joining our team?
• be responsible for + gerund — She is responsible for managing the budget.
• be worried about + gerund — He is worried about losing his job.
• apologise for + gerund — She apologised for arriving late.
• insist on + gerund — He insisted on paying the bill.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Even advanced learners make predictable errors with gerunds and infinitives. Studying these common mistakes will help you avoid them in your own writing and speaking.

Mistake 1: Using an infinitive after a gerund verb

• Incorrect: I enjoy to read in the evenings.
• Correct: I enjoy reading in the evenings.

Mistake 2: Using a gerund after an infinitive verb

• Incorrect: She decided moving to Canada.
• Correct: She decided to move to Canada.

Mistake 3: Using an infinitive after a preposition

• Incorrect: He left without to say anything.
• Correct: He left without saying anything.
• Incorrect: She is good at to cook.
• Correct: She is good at cooking.

Mistake 4: Confusing "to" as preposition vs "to" as part of infinitive

• Incorrect: I'm looking forward to see you.
• Correct: I'm looking forward to seeing you. (preposition + gerund)
• Incorrect: I'm used to get up early.
• Correct: I'm used to getting up early. (preposition + gerund)

Mistake 5: Mixing up the meaning-change pairs

• Incorrect meaning: I stopped to check my phone. (said when you mean you no longer use it)
• Correct: I stopped checking my phone. (you no longer use it habitually)

Mistake 6: Using "suggest + to-infinitive" with a person as object

• Incorrect: She suggested me to try the new restaurant.
• Correct: She suggested trying the new restaurant. OR She suggested that I try the new restaurant.

Practice and Quick Reference

The best way to build confidence with gerunds and infinitives is to practise producing your own sentences. Here is a quick-reference summary to help you review everything in one place.

Always gerund (-ing) after these verbs:

admit, avoid, consider, delay, deny, enjoy, finish, give up, imagine, involve, keep, mind, miss, practise, put off, suggest

Always infinitive (to + base verb) after these verbs:

agree, appear, ask (+ object), decide, encourage (+ object), expect, fail, hope, learn, manage, offer, plan, pretend, promise, refuse, remind (+ object), seem, tell (+ object), tend, want

Gerund or infinitive — meaning changes:

forget, regret, remember, stop, try

Always gerund after a preposition:

about, after, at, before, by, for, in, of, on, to (when preposition), without — plus all verb/adjective + preposition combinations.

She admitted ___ (lie) to her teacher. → lying
Did you remember ___ (lock) the door? → to lock
He's very good at ___ (explain) things. → explaining
They decided ___ (take) the train. → to take
We regret ___ (not study) for the test. → not studying
She stopped ___ (drink) coffee entirely. → drinking

As your vocabulary grows, you will encounter new verbs and wonder which pattern they follow. When in doubt, look the verb up in a learner's dictionary — it will always tell you whether the verb takes a gerund, an infinitive, or both. With consistent practice, recognising the right pattern will become second nature.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a gerund and an infinitive?

A gerund is the -ing form of a verb used as a noun (e.g., 'Swimming is fun'). An infinitive is the base form of the verb, usually with 'to' (e.g., 'I want to swim'). Both can follow verbs, but which one you use depends on the main verb in the sentence.

Which verbs are followed by gerunds?

Common verbs followed by gerunds include: enjoy, avoid, finish, consider, suggest, keep, miss, deny, admit, imagine, practise, and phrasal verbs like give up and put off. Example: 'She enjoys cooking.'

Which verbs are followed by infinitives?

Common verbs followed by infinitives include: want, decide, plan, hope, expect, agree, refuse, manage, offer, promise, seem, and tend. Example: 'He decided to leave early.'

Why does 'stop to smoke' mean something different from 'stop smoking'?

'Stop smoking' means you quit the habit — you no longer smoke. 'Stop to smoke' means you paused whatever you were doing in order to have a cigarette. The gerund form looks back at the activity you are finishing; the infinitive expresses the purpose of the pause.

Is it 'looking forward to see' or 'looking forward to seeing'?

The correct form is 'looking forward to seeing'. In this phrase, 'to' is a preposition, not part of an infinitive. A preposition must always be followed by a gerund, never an infinitive. The same rule applies to 'be used to', 'object to', and 'be committed to'.

Can 'remember' be followed by both a gerund and an infinitive?

Yes, and the meaning changes. 'Remember + gerund' refers to a memory of a past action: 'I remember meeting her at the conference.' 'Remember + infinitive' means not to forget a future action: 'Remember to bring your passport.'

Related Grammar Guides

• Dependent Prepositions
• Reported Speech
• Relative Clauses
• Passive Voice
• Future Forms