Gerunds vs Infinitives
Know when a verb needs -ing or 'to' after it.
Gerunds (-ing)
Some verbs are followed by a gerund.
- I enjoy reading.
- She avoids eating junk food.
- They finished cleaning the house.
Infinitives (to + verb)
Other verbs are followed by an infinitive.
- I want to travel.
- She decided to quit her job.
- We hope to see you soon.
Verbs that take both, with a meaning change
A few verbs change meaning depending on whether they're followed by a gerund or an infinitive.
- He stopped smoking. (quit smoking)
- He stopped to smoke. (paused in order to smoke)
Gerunds as subjects
A gerund can also act as the subject of a sentence, functioning like a noun.
- Swimming is good exercise.
- Learning a language takes time.
- Smoking is bad for your health.
More examples in context
Getting this pattern right makes your English sound much more fluent.
- I can't stand waiting in long lines.
- She refused to answer the question.
- They kept talking during the movie.
- He offered to help me carry the boxes.
- I look forward to seeing you soon.
- We managed to finish the project on time.
Common mistakes to avoid
These are frequent gerund/infinitive errors, and how to correct them.
- ✗ I enjoy to swim. → ✓ I enjoy swimming.
- ✗ She wants going home. → ✓ She wants to go home.
- ✗ He suggested to go to the beach. → ✓ He suggested going to the beach.
- ✗ I look forward to meet you. → ✓ I look forward to meeting you.
Quick practice
Choose the gerund or infinitive form, then check your answer.
- I can't imagine ___ (live) without my phone. (answer: living)
- She refused ___ (sign) the contract. (answer: to sign)
- ___ (exercise) every day keeps you healthy. (answer: Exercising)
- He admitted ___ (make) a mistake. (answer: making)
- We plan ___ (move) to a new city next year. (answer: to move)