Do you sometimes hesitate between saying I enjoy reading and I want to read? Both sentences contain a verb followed by another verb, but the second verb takes a different form. Understanding why this happens is an important step towards speaking and writing English more accurately.

The difference between gerunds and infinitives can be confusing because some English verbs are followed by an -ing form, others are followed by to + the base form, and some can be followed by either structure. In certain cases, changing the structure also changes the meaning of the sentence.

The good news is that you do not need to memorise every example at once. By learning the main patterns, studying common verbs and practising them in context, you can become much more confident using both forms.

In this guide, you will learn the difference between gerunds and infinitives, discover which verbs commonly take each form, explore examples of meaning changes, and practise what you have learned with exercises and answers.

What Is a Gerund in English?

A gerund is the -ing form of a verb used as a noun. It can refer to an activity, action or experience.

For example:

• Reading helps me relax.
• I enjoy learning English.
• She is interested in travelling.
• They discussed moving to another city.
• He avoids making unnecessary mistakes.

In these sentences, reading, learning, travelling, moving, and making refer to activities or actions.

Although gerunds end in -ing, they are not always part of a continuous verb tense. Their grammatical function depends on how they are used in the sentence.

Gerunds as the Subject of a Sentence

A gerund can appear at the beginning of a sentence and function as its subject.

Examples:

• Learning a new language takes time.
• Swimming is an excellent form of exercise.
• Practising every day improves your confidence.
• Speaking English regularly helps you become more fluent.

In each sentence, the gerund identifies the activity being discussed.

Compare these examples:

Gerund: Learning English is important.

Infinitive: To learn English is important.

Both are grammatically possible, but the gerund often sounds more natural in everyday English when referring to an activity in general.

Gerunds After Prepositions

When a verb follows a preposition, it normally takes the -ing form rather than the infinitive.

Examples:

• She is interested in learning English.
• He left without saying goodbye.
• They succeeded in completing the project.
• I am looking forward to meeting you.
• Thank you for helping me.

Notice the structure in the following example:

“I am interested in learning English.”

Here, in is a preposition, so the following verb takes the gerund form learning.

Be particularly careful with expressions such as look forward to. In this expression, to is a preposition, not an infinitive marker.

Correct: “I look forward to hearing from you.”

Incorrect: “I look forward to hear from you.”

What Is an Infinitive in English?

An infinitive is the base form of a verb. In many common English structures, it appears as to + base verb.

Examples:

• I want to learn English.
• She decided to apply for the course.
• They hope to visit Qatar.
• He plans to improve his pronunciation.
• We agreed to meet after work.

In these sentences, the infinitives are to learn, to apply, to visit, to improve, and to meet.

Infinitives often express intentions, decisions, goals, plans or purposes, although their exact meaning depends on the sentence.

Infinitives After Certain Verbs

Many English verbs are commonly followed by a to-infinitive.

Examples:

• I want to improve my English.
• She decided to study abroad.
• They hope to find a solution.
• We agreed to work together.
• He promised to call me.

In these examples, the first verb determines the form of the second verb.

For instance, want is normally followed by a to-infinitive when another verb follows it:

“I want to speak English more confidently.”

You would not normally say:

“I want speaking English more confidently.”

Learning which verbs take infinitives is one of the most useful ways to improve your grammatical accuracy.

Infinitives to Explain Purpose

A to-infinitive can also explain why someone does something.

Examples:

• I joined an English course to improve my speaking skills.
• She went to the library to study.
• He called the office to ask for information.
• They saved money to buy a new computer.

In each sentence, the infinitive answers the question “Why?”

For example:

“Why did she join the course?”

“She joined the course to improve her English.”

This structure is common in both spoken and written English.

Gerunds vs Infinitives: What Is the Difference?

The main difference is how the preceding word or sentence structure determines the form of the verb.

A gerund uses the -ing form, while a to-infinitive uses to + the base form. Both can refer to activities, but they are not interchangeable in every situation.

Gerund vs Infinitive Comparison Table

Feature	Gerund	To-Infinitive
Form	Verb + ing	To + base verb
Example	I enjoy reading.	I want to read.
Common use	After verbs such as enjoy, avoid, and suggest	After verbs such as want, decide, and hope
After prepositions	Normally used	Not normally used directly after a preposition
As a sentence subject	Common	Possible, but sometimes more formal
Purpose	Not normally used by itself to express purpose in the same way	Often used to explain purpose

Consider these sentences:

• I enjoy swimming.
• I want to swim.
• She avoided answering the question.
• She decided to answer the question.

The verb before the gerund or infinitive determines the grammatical pattern.

Important: There is no single rule that tells you to use a gerund for every activity or an infinitive for every future action. The correct choice often depends on the verb, expression or intended meaning.

Common Verbs Followed by Gerunds

Some English verbs are normally followed by gerunds when another verb comes directly after them. Learning these verbs can help you avoid common mistakes.

Verbs That Commonly Take Gerunds

Verb	Example
Enjoy	I enjoy reading English books.
Avoid	She avoids making the same mistake.
Finish	He finished writing the report.
Suggest	They suggested taking a short break.
Consider	We are considering moving abroad.
Mind	Do you mind opening the window?
Practise	She practises speaking English every day.
Admit	He admitted making an error.
Deny	She denied taking the money.
Keep	Keep practising until you feel confident.
Imagine	Imagine living in another country.
Recommend	I recommend studying a little every day.
Risk	He risked losing his job.
Miss	I miss spending time with my friends.
Postpone	They postponed meeting the client.

Examples in Everyday English

Enjoy

“I enjoy learning new vocabulary.”

Use a gerund after enjoy.

Avoid

“Try to avoid translating every English sentence into your first language.”

Use a gerund after avoid.

Suggest

“My teacher suggested practising pronunciation for ten minutes every day.”

Use a gerund when suggest is followed directly by an activity.

You can also use a that-clause:

“My teacher suggested that I practise pronunciation every day.”

Consider

“We are considering taking an advanced English course.”

Use a gerund after consider when describing an activity being evaluated as a possibility.

Practise

“She practises writing short paragraphs to improve her grammar.”

In this example, writing follows practises, while to improve expresses the purpose of the practice.

That sentence illustrates why it is important to look at each verb separately. A single sentence can contain both gerunds and infinitives for different grammatical reasons.

Common Verbs Followed by Infinitives

Other verbs are normally followed by a to-infinitive.

Verbs That Commonly Take To-Infinitives

Verb	Example
Want	I want to improve my English.
Need	She needs to practise more often.
Decide	They decided to change their plans.
Hope	We hope to see you soon.
Plan	He plans to study abroad.
Agree	They agreed to help us.
Promise	She promised to call later.
Refuse	He refused to answer the question.
Manage	I managed to finish the assignment.
Expect	We expect to receive the results soon.
Offer	She offered to help me.
Learn	He is learning to drive.
Choose	They chose to stay at home.
Afford	I cannot afford to buy a new laptop.
Seem	She seems to understand the lesson.

Examples in Everyday English

Want

“I want to speak English more naturally.”

Use a to-infinitive after want when another verb follows.

Decide

“She decided to enrol in an English course.”

The infinitive identifies the action she chose.

Manage

“He managed to complete the test on time.”

The expression manage to do something means succeeding in doing something, often despite difficulty.

Offer

“My colleague offered to explain the instructions.”

Use a to-infinitive after offer to describe the action someone volunteers to perform.

Expect

“We expect to hear from the university next week.”

Use a to-infinitive after expect when the subject anticipates doing or experiencing something.

Verbs That Can Be Followed by Both Gerunds and Infinitives

Some verbs can be followed by either a gerund or a to-infinitive. Sometimes the meaning remains almost the same. In other cases, the structure changes the meaning significantly.

This is one of the most important areas to understand when learning gerunds vs infinitives.

Verbs With Little or No Change in Meaning

The following verbs can commonly take either form without a major change in meaning.

Verb	Gerund Example	Infinitive Example
Like	I like reading before bed.	I like to read before bed.
Love	She loves travelling.	She loves to travel.
Hate	He hates waiting.	He hates to wait.
Prefer	I prefer walking to work.	I prefer to walk to work.
Begin	It began raining.	It began to rain.
Start	She started learning English.	She started to learn English.
Continue	They continued working.	They continued to work.

With verbs such as like, love, hate, and prefer, the choice can depend on context, emphasis and personal preference.

For example:

“I like swimming.”

This often describes an activity you enjoy.

“I like to exercise in the morning.”

This can describe a habit, preference or routine.

The distinction is not absolute, and both forms can be natural in many situations.

Verbs That Change Meaning

Some verbs have different meanings depending on whether they are followed by a gerund or an infinitive.

The most important examples include stop, remember, forget, try, and regret.

Stop Doing vs Stop to Do

Stop + gerund means ending an activity.

Example:

“He stopped smoking last year.”

This means he no longer smokes.

Stop + to-infinitive means pausing one activity in order to do something else.

Example:

“He stopped to smoke.”

This means he stopped what he was doing so that he could smoke.

Compare:

• She stopped talking. — She was talking and then became silent.
• She stopped to talk. — She paused another activity to have a conversation.

The difference is important because the two structures communicate different events.

Remember Doing vs Remember to Do

Remember + gerund refers to remembering a past action or experience.

Example:

“I remember meeting my English teacher for the first time.”

The meeting happened in the past, and the speaker remembers it.

Remember + to-infinitive refers to remembering that something needs to be done.

Example:

“Remember to submit your assignment before Friday.”

The assignment still needs to be submitted.

Compare:

• I remember locking the door. — I have a memory of locking it.
• I remembered to lock the door. — I did not forget to lock it.

Forget Doing vs Forget to Do

Forget + gerund refers to forgetting a past event or experience. This form is often used in negative sentences or when discussing memories.

Example:

“I will never forget meeting my favourite author.”

The speaker will always remember the experience.

Forget + to-infinitive means failing to remember to perform an action.

Example:

“I forgot to send the email.”

The speaker did not send it because they forgot.

Compare:

• I’ll never forget visiting Doha. — I will always remember the visit.
• I forgot to book the hotel. — I did not remember to make the booking.

Try Doing vs Try to Do

Try + gerund means experimenting with a possible solution or method.

Example:

“Try listening to English podcasts to improve your comprehension.”

The speaker is suggesting a method that might help.

Try + to-infinitive means making an effort to achieve something, especially when it may be difficult.

Example:

“I tried to open the door, but it was locked.”

The speaker made an effort but did not succeed.

Compare:

• Try restarting your computer. — Experiment with this possible solution.
• Try to restart your computer. — Make an effort to restart it.

Regret Doing vs Regret to Do

Regret + gerund refers to feeling sorry about something that happened or something you did.

Example:

“I regret saying those words.”

The speaker wishes they had not said them.

Regret + to-infinitive is used in more formal contexts, especially when announcing unpleasant information.

Example:

“We regret to inform you that your application was unsuccessful.”

The speaker is sorry to communicate the news.

Quick Reference: Verbs That Change Meaning

Verb Pattern	Meaning	Example
Stop + gerund	End an activity	She stopped working.
Stop + infinitive	Pause to do something else	She stopped to answer the phone.
Remember + gerund	Recall a past event	I remember meeting him.
Remember + infinitive	Remember a task that must be done	Remember to call him.
Forget + gerund	Forget a past event	I’ll never forget seeing the sea.
Forget + infinitive	Fail to remember a task	I forgot to call her.
Try + gerund	Experiment with a method	Try taking a short break.
Try + infinitive	Make an effort	I tried to lift the box.
Regret + gerund	Feel sorry about a past action	I regret leaving early.
Regret + infinitive	Formally announce something unpleasant	We regret to announce the cancellation.

Gerunds and Infinitives After Adjectives and Nouns

Gerunds and infinitives also appear in structures that involve adjectives and nouns.

Infinitives After Adjectives

A to-infinitive commonly follows an adjective to explain a reaction, ability, difficulty or situation.

Examples:

• I am happy to help.
• She is ready to begin.
• It is difficult to understand this rule.
• He was pleased to receive the news.
• They are eager to learn.

A common pattern is:

It + be + adjective + to-infinitive

Examples:

• It is important to practise regularly.
• It is useful to learn new vocabulary.
• It is difficult to speak fluently without practice.
• It is essential to follow the instructions.

These structures are especially useful when giving opinions, describing experiences and explaining what is necessary.

Gerunds After Adjectives With Prepositions

When an adjective is followed by a preposition and then a verb, use the gerund.

Examples:

• She is interested in learning French.
• He is good at solving problems.
• They are worried about missing the train.
• I am tired of repeating the same mistakes.
• She is responsible for organising the meeting.

Remember that the preposition determines the form that follows it.

Correct: “He is good at speaking English.”

Incorrect: “He is good at to speak English.”

Infinitives After Certain Nouns

Some nouns are commonly followed by a to-infinitive.

Examples:

• I have a decision to make.
• She has the ability to communicate clearly.
• We need permission to enter the building.
• He made an effort to improve his pronunciation.
• They have an opportunity to study abroad.

This structure can help you express plans, responsibilities, possibilities and goals more precisely.

Common Gerund vs Infinitive Mistakes

Understanding the rules is only part of learning. You also need to recognise common mistakes and know how to correct them.

Mistake 1: Using an Infinitive After Enjoy

Incorrect:

“I enjoy to read English books.”

Correct:

“I enjoy reading English books.”

Use a gerund after enjoy.

Mistake 2: Using a Gerund After Want

Incorrect:

“I want learning English.”

Correct:

“I want to learn English.”

Use a to-infinitive after want when it is followed by another verb.

Mistake 3: Using the Base Form After a Preposition

Incorrect:

“She is interested in learn English.”

Correct:

“She is interested in learning English.”

Use a gerund after the preposition in.

Mistake 4: Confusing Stop Doing With Stop to Do

Incorrect if the intended meaning is that he no longer smokes:

“He stopped to smoke last year.”

Correct:

“He stopped smoking last year.”

Use stop + gerund when you mean to end an activity.

Mistake 5: Using the Wrong Form After Suggest

Incorrect:

“She suggested to take a taxi.”

Correct:

“She suggested taking a taxi.”

You can also say:

“She suggested that we take a taxi.”

Mistake 6: Forgetting the Infinitive After Decide

Incorrect:

“They decided going abroad.”

Correct:

“They decided to go abroad.”

Use a to-infinitive after decide when another verb follows directly.

Mistake 7: Assuming Every Verb Can Take Both Forms

Incorrect grammar often results from applying a pattern too broadly.

For example:

“I avoided to answer the question.”

Correct:

“I avoided answering the question.”

Although some verbs accept both gerunds and infinitives, many do not. Learn the common patterns for each verb rather than assuming the forms are interchangeable.

How to Learn Gerunds and Infinitives More Effectively

Memorising long lists can be helpful, but learning grammar in context is usually more practical. The following techniques can help you remember the correct forms and use them naturally.

Learn Verbs in Groups

Instead of studying random examples, organise verbs according to their patterns.

For example:

Gerund group: enjoy, avoid, finish, suggest, consider, practise.

Infinitive group: want, decide, hope, plan, promise, manage.

Both forms: like, love, begin, start, continue.

Meaning-changing group: stop, remember, forget, try, regret.

Review a small group at a time and write your own sentences with each verb.

Learn Complete Expressions

Remembering a complete expression can be more useful than memorising an isolated verb.

For example:

• look forward to meeting
• interested in learning
• decide to apply
• avoid making mistakes
• manage to finish
• suggest taking a break

These combinations help you recognise the correct form when speaking or writing.

Practise With Your Own Experiences

Create sentences about your daily life.

Examples:

• I enjoy listening to English podcasts.
• I plan to practise speaking every evening.
• I avoid translating every sentence.
• I hope to communicate more confidently.
• I remember learning my first English words.

Personal examples are often easier to remember because they connect grammar to real experiences.

Use Both Forms in Speaking Practice

Choose a topic such as education, travel or work and speak for one minute. Try to include at least three gerunds and three infinitives.

For example:

“I enjoy travelling because I like discovering new places. I hope to visit more countries in the future. I avoid planning every detail because I prefer having some flexibility. I also want to learn more about different cultures.”

After speaking, check whether each verb is followed by the correct form.

Gerunds vs Infinitives: Practice Exercises

Test your understanding with the following exercises. Try to complete them before checking the answers.

Exercise 1: Choose the Correct Form

Choose the correct option in each sentence.

1. I enjoy _____ English books.
   • A. to read
   • B. reading
   • C. read
2. She decided _____ a new language.
   • A. learning
   • B. learn
   • C. to learn
3. They avoided _____ about the problem.
   • A. talking
   • B. to talk
   • C. talk
4. We hope _____ you again soon.
   • A. seeing
   • B. see
   • C. to see
5. He finished _____ the report before lunch.
   • A. writing
   • B. to write
   • C. write
6. I am interested in _____ my pronunciation.
   • A. improve
   • B. improving
   • C. to improve
7. Remember _____ your assignment tomorrow.
   • A. submitting
   • B. submit
   • C. to submit
8. She suggested _____ a short break.
   • A. taking
   • B. to take
   • C. take

Exercise 2: Complete the Sentences

Use the correct gerund or infinitive form of the verb in brackets.

1. I want _____ my speaking skills. (improve)
2. He enjoys _____ new people. (meet)
3. They agreed _____ us with the project. (help)
4. She is good at _____ difficult problems. (solve)
5. We decided _____ the meeting until Monday. (postpone)
6. I look forward to _____ from you. (hear)
7. He managed _____ the exam on time. (finish)
8. She avoids _____ too much time on social media. (spend)

Exercise 3: Identify the Meaning

Choose the correct interpretation of each sentence.

1. He stopped smoking.

A. He paused another activity so he could smoke.

B. He gave up smoking.

2. She stopped to answer the phone.

A. She paused what she was doing to answer the phone.

B. She stopped answering phone calls permanently.

3. I remembered locking the door.

A. I remembered that I had locked it.

B. I remembered that I needed to lock it, but had not done so.

4. Try restarting the computer.

A. Experiment with restarting it as a possible solution.

B. Make a difficult effort to restart it, with no suggestion of trying an alternative method.

Exercise 4: Correct the Mistakes

Rewrite each sentence using the correct verb form.

1. I enjoy to learn English.
2. They decided moving to another city.
3. She is interested in to study abroad.
4. He suggested to take the bus.
5. I look forward to meet your team.
6. We managed finishing the assignment.

Answers and Explanations

Exercise 1

1. B — reading. Enjoy is followed by a gerund.
2. C — to learn. Decide is followed by a to-infinitive.
3. A — talking. Avoid is followed by a gerund.
4. C — to see. Hope is followed by a to-infinitive.
5. A — writing. Finish is followed by a gerund.
6. B — improving. The verb follows the preposition in.
7. C — to submit. This refers to remembering a task that must be done.
8. A — taking. Suggest is followed by a gerund when followed directly by an activity.

Exercise 2

1. to improve
2. meeting
3. to help
4. solving
5. to postpone
6. hearing
7. to finish
8. spending

Exercise 3

1. B — He gave up smoking.
2. A — He paused another activity to answer the phone.
3. A — He remembers the past action of locking the door.
4. A — Restarting the computer is suggested as a possible solution.

Exercise 4

1. I enjoy learning English.
2. They decided to move to another city.
3. She is interested in studying abroad.
4. He suggested taking the bus.
5. I look forward to meeting your team.
6. We managed to finish the assignment.

Frequently Asked Questions About Gerunds vs Infinitives

What is the main difference between gerunds and infinitives?

A gerund is the -ing form of a verb used as a noun, as in “I enjoy reading”. A to-infinitive consists of to + the base form, as in “I want to read”. The verb or grammatical structure before the second verb often determines which form is correct.

Which verbs are followed by gerunds?

Common verbs followed by gerunds include enjoy, avoid, finish, suggest, consider, practise, mind, and keep. For example, “She enjoys learning English” and “He avoided answering the question”.

Which verbs are followed by infinitives?

Common verbs followed by to-infinitives include want, decide, hope, plan, agree, promise, manage, and expect. For example, “They decided to leave” and “I hope to improve my English”.

Can a verb be followed by both a gerund and an infinitive?

Yes. Verbs such as like, love, hate, begin, start, and continue can often take either form with little change in meaning. However, verbs such as stop, remember, forget, and try can communicate different meanings depending on which form follows them.

Is it correct to say “I look forward to meet you”?

No. The correct expression is “I look forward to meeting you”. In this expression, to is a preposition, so it is followed by a gerund rather than a to-infinitive.

Is a gerund the same as a present participle?

Both forms end in -ing, but they can have different grammatical functions. In “Swimming is enjoyable”, swimming functions as a noun and is a gerund. In “She is swimming”, swimming is part of the present continuous verb phrase.

How can I remember which verbs take gerunds or infinitives?

Learn common verbs in groups, practise complete expressions and write your own sentences. Pay special attention to verbs that change meaning depending on the form that follows them. Regular speaking and writing practice can help you use the patterns more naturally.

Are gerunds and infinitives important for IELTS?

Yes. Using gerunds and infinitives accurately can help IELTS candidates communicate more clearly in speaking and writing. However, a high score depends on overall grammatical accuracy, vocabulary, coherence and task performance rather than on using complex structures alone.

Strengthen Your English Grammar With IFI Qatar

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At IFI Qatar, you can explore English courses designed to help you develop your grammar, vocabulary, speaking and writing skills. Structured learning and regular practice can help you recognise grammatical patterns and apply them more confidently in real conversations.

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