Gerunds And Infinitives

Verb Patterns: Gerund and Infinitives

We use gerunds (verb + ing):

• After certain verbs - I enjoy singing

• After prepositions - I drank a cup of coffee before leaving

• As the subject or object of a sentence - Swimming is good exercise

We use 'to' + infinitive:

• After certain verbs - We decided to leave

• After many adjectives - It's difficult to get up early

• To show purpose - I came to London to study English

We use the bare infinitive (the infinitive without 'to'):

• After modal verbs - I can meet you at six o'clock

• After 'let', 'make' and (sometimes) 'help' - The teacher let us leave early

• After some verbs of perception (see, watch, hear, notice, feel, sense) - I watched her walk away

• After expressions with 'why' - why go out the night before an exam?

Here are some of the most common verbs that are usually followed by the gerund:

enjoy I enjoyed living in France

fancy I fancy seeing a film tonight

discuss We discussed going on holiday together

dislike I dislike waiting for buses

finish We've finished preparing for the meeting

mind I don't mind coming early

suggest He suggested staying at the Grand Hotel

recommend They recommended meeting earlier

keep He kept working, although he felt ill

avoid She avoided talking to her boss

miss She misses living near the beach

appreciate I appreciated her helping me.

delay He delayed doing his taxes.

postpone He postponed returning to Paris

practise She practised singing the song.

consider She considered moving to New York.

can't stand He can't stand her smoking in the office.

can't help He can't help talking so loudly.

risk He risked being caught.

admit He admitted cheating on the test.

deny He denied committing the crime.

mention He mentioned going to that college.

imagine He imagines working there one day.

tolerate I tolerated her talking.

understand I understand his quitting.

involve The job involves travelling to Japan once a month.

complete He completed renovating the house.

report He reported her stealing the money.

anticipate I anticipated arriving late.

recall Tom recalled using his credit card at the store.

And here are some common verbs followed by 'to' and the infinitive:

agree She agreed to give a presentation at the meeting

ask* I asked to leave early / I asked him to leave early

decide We decided to go out for dinner

help* He helped to clean the kitchen / he helped his flatmate to clean the kitchen

plan She plans to buy a new flat next year

hope I hope to pass the exam

learn They are learning to sing

want* I want to come to the party / I want him to come to the party

would like* I would like to see her tonight / I would like you to see her tonight

promise We promised not to be late

can afford We can't afford to go on holiday.

manage He managed to open the door without the key.

prepare* They prepared to take the test /

the teachers prepared the students to take the test.

demand He demanded to speak to Mr. Harris.

choose I chose to help.

offer Frank offered to drive us to the supermarket.

wait She waited to buy a movie ticket.

would hate* I'd hate to be late / I'd hate you to be late.

would love* I'd love to come / I'd love him to come.

seem Nancy seemed to be disappointed.

expect* They expect to arrive

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