Grammar guide Updated 2026-09-11
Gerunds vs Infinitives: How to Teach the Difference
A gerund is the -ing form used as a noun; an infinitive is to plus the base verb. Both fill the same slot, so the choice rarely depends on meaning and almost always on the word in front: I enjoy swimming but I want to swim. This guide maps the patterns that cover everyday English and gives you a lesson sequence that works in a real class.
Gerund or infinitive: the patterns at a glance
| Pattern | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| verb + gerund | enjoy, avoid, finish, mind | I enjoy swimming. |
| verb + infinitive | want, decide, hope, plan | I decided to leave. |
| verb + object + infinitive | ask, tell, want, expect | She asked me to wait. |
| preposition + gerund | good at, interested in, before | I am good at swimming. |
| adjective + infinitive | happy, ready, easy, difficult | I am happy to help. |
| gerund as subject | the -ing form leads the sentence | Swimming is good exercise. |
Read the table as a list to learn, not a rule to reason out. English does not choose the form from the verb's meaning; it chose long ago, verb by verb, which is why I enjoy swimming and I want to swim express a similar feeling in different shapes.
What each form is actually doing
The gerund behaves like a noun in every position a noun can take: subject (Smoking is expensive), object (She stopped smoking) or object of a preposition (thank you for helping). The infinitive also works as a noun, but it looks forward, pointing at something planned, so it follows verbs of decision and takes the object pattern in She asked me to wait.
The verbs where the meaning changes
| Verb | + gerund | + infinitive |
|---|---|---|
| remember | remember locking the door — a memory | remember to lock the door — a task |
| forget | I'll never forget meeting her — a memory | I forgot to call her — a missed task |
| stop | He stopped smoking — the habit ended | He stopped to smoke — he paused for it |
| try | Try restarting it — a test of an option | I tried to lift it — an effort |
| go on | She went on talking — continued the same thing | She went on to talk about costs — moved to a new topic |
| regret | I regret saying that — I wish I had not | We regret to inform you — formal announcement |
These pairs are worth a lesson of their own: put He stopped smoking and He stopped to smoke side by side and ask what changed in the story.
Verbs that happily take both
A short list accepts either form with almost no change in meaning: begin, start, continue, like, love, hate, prefer. Beginners often over-correct here; tell them both forms are right, then spend the time on the six verbs above.
A four-step teaching sequence
- Sort first, explain later. Hand out fifteen sentences and ask students to sort them into two piles by the form after the main verb. The pattern emerges from the data.
- Name the four patterns. Verb + gerund, verb + infinitive, verb + object + infinitive, preposition + gerund. Keep the names on the board for the rest of the lesson.
- Contrast the meaning changers. Take one pair at a time and ask students to explain the difference, then check with the table above.
- Produce under pressure. Give a topic — a weekend plan, an old memory — and ask each student for three sentences, at least one with a gerund and one with an infinitive.
If your class is still unsure about tenses, run a short past simple drill first: both forms are easier to see once the verbs around them are automatic.
The mistakes learners make most often
✘ I enjoy to read. → ✔ I enjoy reading.
Enjoy belongs to the gerund list; there is no rule to apply, only the pattern to know.
✘ She suggested to go home. → ✔ She suggested going home.
Suggest and recommend take the gerund, unlike decide and agree.
✘ I want going home. → ✔ I want to go home.
Want takes the infinitive, as do need, hope and plan.
✘ I am interested in to learn Spanish. → ✔ I am interested in learning Spanish.
A preposition is always followed by the gerund.
✘ I look forward to see you. → ✔ I look forward to seeing you.
That to is a preposition, not part of an infinitive, so the -ing form follows.
How to practise gerunds and infinitives
Accuracy here comes from repetition, not theory. Learners need to meet the same twenty verbs often enough that the right form arrives before the rule does: a short drill builds the reflex, a paragraph writing task checks whether it survives a real message.
Then mix these patterns with the tenses they sit inside using the mixed review or the timed challenge. For class use, print the same questions as a worksheet with an answer key or combine topics in the worksheet builder. The passive voice guide covers the other place verb forms change shape after a helper.
Browse the grammar drills → Build a worksheet Quiz of the Day
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a gerund and an infinitive?
A gerund is the -ing form working as a noun: Swimming is good exercise, I enjoy swimming. An infinitive is to plus the base verb, used as a noun, adjective or adverb: I want to swim. Both fill the same slot, so the verb in front decides.
Which verbs are followed by a gerund?
Common verbs that take the gerund include enjoy, avoid, finish, mind, suggest, keep, practise, recommend, admit, consider and dislike. After a preposition you also need the gerund: good at swimming, interested in learning, before leaving.
Which verbs are followed by the infinitive?
Common verbs that take to plus the base verb include want, decide, hope, plan, need, promise, agree, offer, refuse and manage. The pattern verb plus object plus infinitive also uses to: she asked me to wait, they told us to sit down.
Why does the meaning change with remember, stop and try?
These verbs take both forms, and the form carries the meaning. Remember doing something recalls a memory; remember to do something is a task you must not forget. Stop doing something ends an activity; stop to do something pauses it to start another. Try doing something tests an option; try to do something means making an effort.
Can like, love and hate take both forms?
Yes, with very little difference. I like swimming and I like to swim are both natural, and start and begin behave the same way: it started raining and it started to rain. The infinitive can feel slightly more like a habit, but learners should not worry about the shade of difference.
Keep reading
Every guide on this blog is paired with a free drill: the same rules, applied question by question, with explanations and a printable worksheet.