Gerunds and Infinitives

What is it?

GERUND = verb + -ing (used as noun): "I enjoy swimming" / "Swimming is fun". INFINITIVE = to + base verb: "I want to swim" / "It's hard to swim". After some verbs, use GERUND: enjoy, finish, mind, avoid → "I enjoy swimming" ✓ (not: enjoy to swim*). After others, use INFINITIVE: want, need, decide, plan → "I want to swim" ✓ (not: want swimming*). Some take BOTH with SAME meaning: like, love, hate, start, begin → "I like swimming" = "I like to swim". Some change MEANING: stop, remember, forget → "I stopped smoking" (quit) ≠ "I stopped to smoke" (pause to smoke).

How to form it

Subject	Positive	Negative	Question
GERUND (verb + -ing)	enjoy doing, finish working, mind waiting, avoid going, keep studying	not applicable	What do you enjoy doing?
INFINITIVE (to + verb)	want to go, need to work, decide to leave, plan to visit, hope to see	not applicable	What do you want to do?
BOTH (same meaning)	like doing/to do, love doing/to do, hate doing/to do, start doing/to do	not applicable	What do you like doing/to do?
Gerund after prepositions	good at swimming, interested in learning, tired of waiting, before going	not applicable	not applicable
Infinitive after adjectives	happy to help, easy to use, hard to understand, important to know	not applicable	not applicable

• GERUND (-ing): verb used as noun → Swimming is fun. / I enjoy swimming.
• INFINITIVE (to + verb): want to go, need to work, decide to leave
• Verbs + GERUND only: enjoy, finish, mind, avoid, keep, consider, suggest, practice
• Verbs + INFINITIVE only: want, need, decide, plan, hope, expect, agree, refuse, promise
• Verbs + BOTH (same meaning): like, love, hate, prefer, start, begin, continue
• STOP + gerund (quit) vs STOP + infinitive (pause to do): stopped smoking ≠ stopped to smoke
• REMEMBER/FORGET + gerund (past) vs infinitive (future): remember doing ≠ remember to do
• After prepositions: ALWAYS gerund → good at swimming, interested in learning
• After adjectives: USUALLY infinitive → happy to help, easy to use

When to use it

1
Verbs + GERUND — enjoy, finish, mind, avoid, keep, consider
"I enjoy swimming." / "She finished working." / "Do you mind waiting?" / "He avoids going there." / "Keep studying!"
2
Verbs + INFINITIVE — want, need, decide, plan, hope, agree
"I want to go." / "She needs to work." / "They decided to leave." / "We plan to visit." / "I hope to see you."
3
Verbs + BOTH (same meaning) — like, love, hate, start, begin
"I like swimming." = "I like to swim." / "She loves dancing." = "She loves to dance." / "They started working." = "They started to work."
4
STOP — meaning changes
STOP + gerund (quit forever): "I stopped smoking." (I don't smoke anymore) | STOP + infinitive (pause to do): "I stopped to smoke." (I paused in order to smoke)
5
REMEMBER/FORGET — meaning changes
REMEMBER + gerund (past memory): "I remember meeting her." | REMEMBER + infinitive (future obligation): "Remember to call me." | Similar with FORGET
6
After prepositions — ALWAYS gerund
"good at swimming" / "interested in learning" / "tired of waiting" / "before going" / "after eating" / "without knowing"
7
After adjectives — USUALLY infinitive
"happy to help" / "easy to use" / "hard to understand" / "important to know" / "ready to go" / "difficult to explain"

Common mistakes

I enjoy to swim.

I enjoy swimming.

ENJOY takes gerund, not infinitive.

I want swimming.

I want to swim.

WANT takes infinitive, not gerund.

I'm good at to swim.

I'm good at swimming.

After prepositions, use gerund (not infinitive).

I stopped to smoke. (meaning: I quit)

I stopped smoking. (quit) OR I stopped to smoke. (paused to smoke)

STOP + gerund = quit | STOP + infinitive = pause in order to do something.

Quick reference

GERUND (-ing): verb as noun → enjoy swimming, finish working
INFINITIVE (to + verb): want to go, need to work, decide to leave
Verbs + gerund: enjoy, finish, mind, avoid, keep, consider
Verbs + infinitive: want, need, decide, plan, hope, agree
Both (same): like, love, hate, start, begin → like doing = like to do
STOP changes: stopped smoking (quit) ≠ stopped to smoke (pause)
After prepositions: ALWAYS gerund → good at swimming
After adjectives: USUALLY infinitive → happy to help

Natural conversation example

Discussing hobbies and plans

Tom

What do you enjoy doing in your free time?

Lisa

I enjoy reading and swimming. What about you?

Tom

I like to play guitar. I also want to learn piano.

Lisa

That sounds great! When did you start playing guitar?

Tom

I started to learn three years ago. Do you mind waiting? I need to make a call.

Lisa

No problem! Remember to call your mom too.

Tom

Thanks! I always forget to call her.

Practice Exercises

Complete with gerund or infinitive.

1.
I enjoy (swim).
2.
I want (go).
3.
She finished (work).
4.
They decided (leave).
5.
I like (read). (same meaning)
6.
I'm good at (cook).

Verbs (overview)All Topics Gerunds and Infinitives Verb Lists

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