Verb patterns · Intermediate (B1)
Gerunds and infinitives
Enjoy doing or want to do? Learn which verbs take -ing, which take to + verb, and which change meaning.
The rules
Verb + -ing (gerund): enjoy, finish, avoid, mind, suggest, keep, practise, consider, can’t stand, admit, deny, miss: I enjoy cooking. Also after prepositions: interested in learning, good at drawing, before leaving. And as a subject: Swimming is good exercise.
Verb + to-infinitive: want, need, decide, hope, plan, agree, refuse, promise, learn, manage, afford, offer, expect, would like: I decided to leave. Also after adjectives: easy to use, happy to help, and for purpose: I came here to study**.
Both, same meaning: like, love, hate, start, begin, continue. Both, different meaning: stop (stop smoking = quit; stop to smoke = pause in order to smoke), remember/forget (remember doing = memory of the past; remember to do = don’t forget a duty), try (try doing = experiment; try to do = make an effort).
| + -ing | + to + verb | Meaning changes |
|---|---|---|
| enjoy, avoid, finish, mind, suggest | want, decide, hope, refuse, manage | stop, remember, forget, try, regret |
Examples
- Would you mind closing the door?
- We can’t afford to buy a house.
- I remember meeting her at a party.
- Remember to lock the door!
Common mistakes
✗ I enjoy to swim.
✓ I enjoy swimming.
enjoy + -ing.
✗ She decided going home.
✓ She decided to go home.
decide + to + verb.
✗ I’m interested in learn Chinese.
✓ I’m interested in learning Chinese.
After a preposition, use -ing.
Practice
He avoided ___ the question.
Quiz
1.I can’t stand ___ in queues.
2.Don’t forget ___ the milk.
3.Complete the sentence.
4.“Remember doing” refers to a memory of the past.