GERUNDS AND INFINITIVES VERBS FOLLOWED BY TO OR

GERUNDS AND INFINITIVES VERBS FOLLOWED BY “TO” OR “-ING”

GERUND (VERB + -ING) • We use the gerund after prepositions and phrasal verbs. E. g. : I’m very good at remembering names. / She’s given up smoking. • As the subject of a sentence. E. g. : Eating out is quite cheap here. • After some verbs: enjoy, hate, spend, don’t mind, finish, like love, practice, stop, suggest, …E. g. : I don’t mind getting up early.

INFINITIVE (+ TO) • We use infinitive after adjectives. E. g. : My flat is easy to find. • To express reason or purpose. E. g. : He’s saving money to buy a new car. • After some verbs: (can’t) afford, agree, want, need, learn, decide, expect, forget, help, hope, learn, need, offer, plan, pretend, promise, seem, want, would like, … E. g. : She’s never learnt to drive. / I hope to see you soon.

INFINITVE (without to) • Use the infinitive ( without to) after modal verbs, e. g. : can may, might, must, should, had better, would rather, and after the verbs make and let. • Examples: They made me eat that horrible food. Don’t let me go.

WARNINGS • Gerunds and infinitives form the negative form with NOT. E. g. : not to be, not being • In the passive, make is followed by the infinitive with to. Compare: My boss make us work hard. At school we were made to wear uniform. • Some verbs can be followed by the gerund or infinitive (with to) with no change of meaning. E. g. : begin, start, continue. • Like, love, hate and prefer can also be used with either, but the gerund is more common when you are talking generally, and the infinitive when you talk about a specific occasion. Compare: I like skiing (in general) I like to go skiing in February or March (specific).

VERBS THAT CAN BE FOLLOWED BY EITHER GERUND OR INFINITIVE (WITH TO) WITH A CHANGE OF MEANING

REMEMBER • Remember+infinitive = you remember first, then you do something. Example: Remember to lock the door when you go out. • Remember+gerund = you do something then you remember it. Example: I remember going to a rock concert as a child.

TRY • Try + infinitive = make an effort to do something. Example: I tried to listen to her but I didn’t understand. • Try + gerund = experiment to see if something works. Example: Try doing yoga, this will be good for your back.

FORGET • Forget+infinitive = you didn’t remember to do something. Example: Sorry I forgot to do the homework. • Forget + gerund = you did something and you won’t forget it. It is more common in the negative. Example: I’ve never forgotten being in the Twin Towers.