1. Verbs that change meaning with gerund vs infinitive

Remember key verbs where meaning shifts:

• Stop
  • Stop + gerund = stop an activity
    I stopped smoking (I quit)
  • Stop + to-infinitive = stop in order to do something
    I stopped to smoke (I stopped driving to have a cigarette)

• Remember / Forget
  • Remember/Forget + gerund = remember/forget an action
    I remember meeting her
  • Remember/Forget + to-infinitive = remember/forget to perform a duty
    Remember to lock the door

• Try
  • Try + gerund = attempt as solution
    Try restarting the computer
  • Try + to-infinitive = make an effort
    Try to restart the computer

• Mean
  • Mean + gerund = involve
    This job means working weekends
  • Mean + to-infinitive = intend
    I meant to call you

2. Verbs followed by Gerunds vs Verbs followed by Infinitives

• Common Gerund Verbs

  enjoy, avoid, finish, deny, suggest, consider, mind, resist, miss, risk, imagine

  • I enjoy swimming.
  • She suggested going out.

• Common Infinitive Verbs

  agree, decide, hope, learn, need, offer, plan, promise, refuse, want, expect

  • He agreed to help.
  • I need to study.

• Verbs That Take Either (No Major Meaning Change)

  begin, start, continue, like, love, hate, prefer

  Context may affect nuance.

  • She began to cry.
  • She began crying.

3. Verb + object + infinitive / gerund patterns

• Verb + Object + Infinitive

  ask someone to do something, tell someone to do something, want someone to do something

  • She asked him to leave.

• Verb + Object + Bare Infinitive (Causative/Perceptual)

  make, let, have, see, hear, watch

  • They made him apologize.
  • I heard her sing.

• Verb + Object + Gerund (Less Common)

  catch someone doing something

  • I caught him stealing.

4. Passive and perfect forms

• Gerund Perfect

  having + past participle (to show prior action)

  Having finished the work, she left.

• Perfect Infinitive

  to have + past participle (to talk about past time relative to another)

  He claims to have seen her yesterday.

• Gerund with Passive Sense

  being + past participle

  Being told the news surprised me.

 

• Infinitive Passive

  to be + past participle

  She wants to be promoted.

5. Negation in Gerunds and Infinitives

Negation in gerunds and infinitives is used to express that an action does not take place. This can be accomplished with the use of “not.”

• Gerunds

  When negating a gerund, you place “not” before the gerund form:

  • Example: I enjoy not studying on weekends.
  • This means that studying on weekends is not enjoyable.

• Infinitives

  For infinitives, “not” is placed before the to + verb:

  • Example: He decided not to go to the party.
  • This indicates that he made a choice to avoid going to the party.

 

6. Questions in Gerunds and Infinitives

When forming questions with gerunds and infinitives, the structure varies based on what is being queried.

• Gerunds

  Forming questions with gerunds often involves using a question word before the gerund:

  • Example: What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
  • This asks about activities enjoyed during leisure time.

• Infinitives

  For infinitives, the structure requires an auxiliary verb or question word followed by “to” and the base form:

  • Example: Why did you want to learn Spanish?
  • This question asks about the motivation behind the desire to learn the language.

7. Common Learner Errors with Gerunds and Infinitives

Understanding when to use gerunds and infinitives can be challenging for many learners. Here are some common errors that frequently arise, along with corrections and explanations.

• Confusing Gerunds and Infinitives

  Error: Using a gerund when an infinitive is required, or vice versa.

  • Incorrect: I enjoy to read books.
  • Correct: I enjoy reading books.

  Explanation: The verb “enjoy” is always followed by a gerund.

• Incorrect Negation

  Error: Misplacing “not” when negating gerunds or infinitives.

  • Incorrect: She decided studying not for the exam.
  • Correct: She decided not to study for the exam.

  Explanation: In infinitives, “not” should appear before the to + verb.

• Overusing Gerunds with Certain Verbs

  Error: Using gerunds with verbs that require infinitives.

  • Incorrect: I want going to the concert.
  • Correct: I want to go to the concert.

  Explanation: Some verbs, such as “want” and “need,” require an infinitive.

• Using Gerunds Where They Don’t Belong

  Error: Misusing gerunds after prepositions.

  • Incorrect: She is interested to travel.
  • Correct: She is interested in traveling.

  Explanation: After prepositions, the gerund form is needed.

• Incorrect Question Formation

  Error: Failing to use the correct structure when asking questions with gerunds and infinitives.

  • Incorrect: What you like to do?
  • Correct: What do you like to do?

  Explanation: The auxiliary verb “do” is necessary for proper question formation.

8. Quick-reference examples

Gerund as subject: Learning languages is fun.
Gerund after verb: I avoid eating late.
Gerund after preposition: She’s good at singing.
Infinitive for purpose: He trains to run marathons.
Infinitive after verb: They hope to travel next year.
Meaning contrast: I stopped smoking. / I stopped to smoke.
Either form: It began to rain. / It began raining.