You want to say you enjoy something, so you say “I enjoy to swim,” and it feels fine until a native speaker corrects it to “I enjoy swimming.” Then five minutes later you say “I want swimming” instead of “I want to swim,” and now you’re just guessing. The gerund (-ing form) and the infinitive (to + verb) both follow a main verb in English, but which one you need depends entirely on which verb comes before it.
This is one of the genuinely irregular corners of English grammar: the choice isn’t governed by a single logical rule, it’s governed by the specific verb, which means the fastest path forward is pattern recognition built through exposure and correction, not a formula. This guide gives you the closest thing to a formula that exists, the verb groups that behave predictably, and enough practice to start recognizing the patterns yourself. It pairs naturally with our guide to modal verbs.
The Basic Shapes: Gerund and Infinitive
| Form | Structure | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Gerund | Verb + -ing, functions as a noun | swimming, reading, deciding |
| Infinitive | to + base verb | to swim, to read, to decide |
Verbs That Always Take the Gerund
enjoy, avoid, suggest, consider, mind, finish, miss, admit, deny, imagine. “I enjoy swimming,” never “I enjoy to swim.” “She suggested waiting,” never “suggested to wait.”
Verbs That Always Take the Infinitive
want, need, decide, plan, promise, hope, agree, refuse, learn, offer. “I want to leave,” never “I want leaving.” “They decided to cancel,” “She promised to call back.”
The Verbs Where Meaning Actually Changes
A handful of verbs accept both forms, but the meaning shifts depending on which one you choose. “I stopped smoking” means you quit the habit; “I stopped to smoke” means you paused another activity in order to smoke.
| Verb | With Gerund | With Infinitive |
|---|---|---|
| Remember | I remember locking the door. (memory) | I remembered to lock the door. (didn’t forget) |
| Try | I tried restarting the computer. (experiment) | I tried to restart the computer. (attempted) |
| Stop | I stopped eating meat. (quit the habit) | I stopped to eat. (paused for another reason) |
After Prepositions, It’s Always the Gerund
The single most reliable rule: any verb following a preposition takes the -ing form, no exceptions. This connects to our guide on confusing prepositions. “She’s interested in learning Spanish.” “He’s good at explaining things.” “I’m looking forward to seeing you” — “to” here is a preposition, not the infinitive marker.
7 Mistakes With Gerunds and Infinitives
| Instead of this | Say this | Why |
|---|---|---|
| “I enjoy to read” | “I enjoy reading” | “Enjoy” always takes the gerund |
| “I want swimming” | “I want to swim” | “Want” always takes the infinitive |
| “She’s interested to learn Spanish” | “She’s interested in learning Spanish” | After a preposition, always the gerund |
| “I look forward to see you” | “I look forward to seeing you” | “To” here is a preposition |
| “He suggested to go early” | “He suggested going early” | “Suggest” always takes the gerund |
Practice: Test Yourself
Choose gerund or infinitive: 1. I avoid ___ (drink) coffee at night. 2. She agreed ___ (help). 3. We’re thinking about ___ (move). 4. He promised ___ (call) me back. 5. I’m looking forward to ___ (see) you.
Answer Key: 1-drinking, 2-to help, 3-moving, 4-to call, 5-seeing
Talk about your weekend plans out loud, using at least four different verbs from the lists above. For live correction, you can practice in a Free Lesson with a tutor.
Turn Patterns Into Instinct
This topic genuinely rewards exposure over memorization: the more correct examples you hear and read, the more the right form starts to simply sound right. Our English courses build this instinct through real conversation practice. If you want a tutor to catch these slips as they happen, you can start with a private English tutor or book a Free Lesson.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Gerund vs Infinitive
Is there a simple rule for gerund vs infinitive?
There’s no single logical rule; it depends on the specific verb. Learning common verbs in groups is the fastest practical approach.
Do verbs after prepositions always take the gerund?
Yes, with no exceptions: any verb following a preposition takes the -ing form.
What’s the difference between “remember doing” and “remember to do”?
“I remember locking the door” describes a memory of a past action; “I remembered to lock the door” means you didn’t forget the task.
Why does “stop” change meaning with gerund vs infinitive?
“Stop doing” means quitting a habit entirely; “stop to do” means pausing one activity to do something else.
Why is it “look forward to seeing” not “look forward to see”?
“To” is functioning as a preposition there, not the infinitive marker, so it takes the gerund.
Which verbs always take the gerund?
Verbs like enjoy, avoid, suggest, consider, mind, finish, and admit always take the gerund.
Which verbs always take the infinitive?
Verbs like want, need, decide, plan, promise, hope, agree, and refuse always take the infinitive.
How can I get better if there’s no single rule?
By reading and listening to real English and noticing patterns, since it’s closer to vocabulary than to a grammar formula.
Are there verbs that accept both with the same meaning?
Yes, a small group including like, love, hate, prefer, and start accept both with little meaning change.
What’s the fastest way to master this?
Real conversation practice with correction on the verbs you use most often builds the instinct fastest.
