Infinitives and Gerunds
Verbs that can be followed by both infinitives and gerunds:
begin
cease
continue
go on
hate
like
love
neglect
prefer
propose
start
The following verbs can be followed by both infinitives ad gerunds, but have different meanings
try
The doctor tried to save his life. (The doctor made an effort to save his life.)
He tried using another method. (He gave it a try to see if it would work.)
remember
Remember to lock the door. (Please remember to do it.)
I remember locking the door.(I remember I did it in the past.)
forget
I forgot to tell her about it. (I did not tell her.)
I forgot lending him the book. (I lent him the book, but I forgot about it.)
regret
I regret to tell you that you were not selected for an interview. (I'm sorry I'm going to tell you something bad.)
I regret telling her about it. (I told her about it, but I regret it now.)
need
The house needs to be painted. (Passive infinitive)
The house needs painting. (Active in form, passive in meaning)
used to
I used to get up early. (I always got up early in the past.)
be used to
I am used to getting up early. (I am in the habit of getting up early.)
I am used to get up early. (The sentence is wrong because "to" is a preposition.)
look forward to
I look forward to seeing you. (correct)
I look forward to see you. (incorrect)
stop
He stopped smoking. (He gave up smoking.)
He Stopped to smoke. (He stopped in order to smoke.)
Verbs that can only be followed by infinitives:
agree
aim
appear
arrange
ask
care
choose
claim
decide
demand
deserve
expect
fail
happen
hesitate
hope
intend
learn
manage
mean
need
offer
plan
pretend
promise
refuse
seem
swear
tend
threaten
vow
wait
want
wish
would like
Verbs that can only be followed by gerunds:
anticipate
appreciate
avoid
complete
consider
delay
dislike
dread
enjoy
escape
finish
go
imagine
involve
keep
mention
mind
miss
postpone
practice
quit
recall
recommend
resent
resist
risk
suggest
tolerate
The following phrases are followed by verb+ing
end up -ing
in addition to -ing
It's no use -ing
It's worth -ing
can't help -ing
be busy -ing
give up -ing
have trouble / difficulty -ing
feel like -ing
object to -ing
spend (time) doing sth.
Verb + Object + Infinitive
advise sb. to do sth.
allow sb. to do sth.
cause sb. to do sth.
encourage sb. to do sth.
expect sb. to do sth.
force sb. to do sth.
invite sb. to do sth.
order sb. to do sth.
permit sb. to do sth.
persuade sb. to do sth.
requre sb. to do sth.
teach sb. to do sth.
tell sb. to do sth.
urge sb. to do sth.
Zero infinitives
let sb. do sth
make sb. do sth.
watch sb. do sth / doing sth.
see sb. do sth.
hear sb. do sth.
help sb. do sth / to do sth.
"To" is used when "make" is in the passive voice.
He made his roommate clean his room.
His roommate was made to clean the room.
Do not use "to" after these phrases
Forms of Infinitives and Gerunds
to cry (infinitive)
to have cried (the perfect infinitive)
to be crying (the continuous infinitive)
to have been crying (the perfect contiuous infinitive)
to be painted (the passive infinitive)
crying (gerund)
having cried (the perfect gerund)
having been crying (the perfect continuous gerund)
being painted
(the passive gerund)
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