Download Here is a brief review of the differences between

Here is a brief review of the differences between gerunds and infinitives.
Gerunds are formed with
ING:
walking, talking, thinking,
listening
Infinitives are formed with
TO:
to walk, to talk, to think, to
listen
Gerunds and infinitives can do several jobs:
Both gerunds and infinitives can be the subject of a
sentence::
Writing in English is difficult.
To write in English is difficult.
Both gerunds and infinitives can be the object of a verb::
I like writing in English.
I like to write in English.
But...
Only gerunds can be the object of a preposition::
We are talking about writing in English.
It is often difficult to know when to use a gerund and when to use an infinitive. These
guidelines may help you:
Gerunds are often used when actions are real, concrete or
completed::
I stopped smoking.
(The smoking was real and happened until I stopped.)
Infinitives are often used when actions are unreal, abstract, or
future::
I stopped to smoke.
(I was doing something else, and I stopped; the smoking
had not happened yet.)
Gerunds and Infinitives
...and what Precedes them
Gerunds and infinitives are forms of verbs that act like nouns.
Ali quit smoking in 1977.
He just decided to quit one day.
A gerund is a verb + -ing. An infinitive is to + the verb.
In both the examples above, the gerund and the infinitive are the objects of the
verbs in the sentence. However, as noun substitutes, gerunds and infinitives can
also be the subject of a sentence.
Smoking is hard habit to give up. To quit takes a lot of will power.
This lesson will focus primarily on verbs that precede infinitives and gerunds
when they are used as objects in a sentence. Click here for a list of verbs that are
followed by gerunds, verbs that are followed by infinitives, and verbs that can be
followed by either.
Some common verbs are always followed by a gerund:
Jeannie admitted taking the money from the desk.
The teacher considered calling the police.
Jeannie said she was so embarrassed that she felt like dying.
The teacher finally said she would recommend giving Jeannie a light punishment.
Some verbs are always followed by infinitives.
The president said he aimed to bring down taxes.
He asked Congress to pass a tax reduction bill.
The president's party consented to lower the taxes.
However, the opposition refused to cooperate.
The president promised to fight for lower taxes in the next term.
Some verbs can be followed by either a gerund or an infinitive.
Edina's husband, Bob, began taking cooking lessons last month.
Soon he began to try out all his new creations on her.
Edina said she likes eating as much as Bob likes to cook.
She loves to sample his new recipes and she loves not cooking herself.
However, she told me she regrets eating so much rich food.
She's going to try eating less of his great food...and, she's going to try not to hurt
Bob's feelings!
Go, go, go!
A common expression in English is
go + an activity
We go swimming,
we go shopping,
we go fishing,
we go jogging,
we go sightseeing, and
we go bar-hopping (or, so I've heard).
Not always exactly the same...
Some verbs have the same meaning when followed by an infinitive or a gerund:
The same:
I like going to the races.
I like to go to the races.
The same:
The same:
I hate going to the dentist.
I hate to go to the dentist.
It began raining.
It began to rain.
However, some verbs have a slightly different meaning when followed by an
infinitive as opposed to a gerund.

remember, forget, stop
The difference is often in the sequence of events.
See what you think about the following pairs of sentences:
I remembered to feed the dog this
morning.
I remember feeding him his favorite
food.
-----first--------- second
---second----first
(I remembered and then I fed him.)
(I fed him and later I remembered the
action.)
I forgot to go to the bank.
I forgot going to the bank.
second first
----------------(I didn't remember and I didn't go to the
(I went to the bank, but later I forgot that I did.)
bank.)
I stopped to smoke.
I stopped smoking.
---first----- second
--second-- first
(I paused what I was doing to have a
cigarette.)
(I was a smoker, but now I'm not.)
One more difference
You can also use either an infinitive or a gerund after go on. However, note the
difference:
I told Billy to stop, but he went on putting his fingers in the soup.
(The use of a gerund after go on indicates a continuing or persistent activity.)
I was very proud of Billy. We went on to become a famous chef.
(The use of an infinitive after go on indicates a noteworthy or notorious future activity.)
The real test for you will be how well you get the feel of when to use infinitives
or gerunds. You can get a better understanding of this if you read English novels
and other materials critically.
Gerunds and Infinitives
Verb +
Gerund
Verb +Preposition
+Gerund
Be
+Adjective
+Preposition
+Gerund
acknowledge
adapt to
be accustomed to
agree
attempt
admit
adjust to
be afraid of
aim
begin
advise
agree (with) on
be angry about
afford
can/can't bear
anticipate
apologize for
be ashamed of
appear
can/can't stand
appreciate
approve of
be capable of
arrange
cease
avoid
argue about
be certain about
ask
continue
consider
ask about
be concerned with
care
forget
defend
believe in
be critical of
choose
go on
defer
blame for
be discouraged
from
claim
hate
delay
care about
be enthusiastic
about
consent
like
deny
complain about
be familiar with
dare
love
detest
consist of
be famous for
decide
neglect
discuss
decided on
be fond of
decline
prefer
dislike
depend on
be glad about
demand
regret
endure
disapprove of
be good at
deserve
propose
enjoy
discourage from
be happy about
desire
remember
escape
engage in
be interested in
expect
see
excuse
forgive for
be known for
fail
start
feel like
give up
be nervous about
guarantee
stop
finish
help with
be perfect for
happen
try
go
inquire about
be proud of
hope
imagine
insist on
be responsible for
intend
involve
interfere with
be sad about
know
Verb +
Infinitive
Verb
+Inifinitive or
Gerund
keep
keep on
be successful in
learn
mention
look forward to
be suitable for
manage
mind (object
to)
object to
be tired of
need
miss
participate in
be tolerant of
offer
need (passive) persist in
be upset about
plan
omit
plan on
be used to
pledge
postpone
prepare for
be useful for
prepare
practice
profit from
be worried about
pretend
prevent
prohibit from
promise
quit
put off
refuse
recall
result from
resolve
recollect
succeed in
seem
recommend
suffer from
tend
regret
talk about
struggle
resent
take part in
swear
resist
there's no point in
volunteer
resume
think about
wait
risk
warn about
want
suggest
work on
wish
tolerate
worry about
would like
understand