Gerunds and infinitives and when to use each form can be confusing.
When there are two main verbs in a sentence, the second verb must be either a gerund (+ing) or an infinitive form of the verb. There are some rules to help you decide when to use gerunds and infinitives.
Gerunds and infinitives rule #1: Use the gerund as the subject
If a sentence uses a verb as the subject of a sentence, it is most common to use a gerund.
For example:
Swimming is good for your health. (not To swim is good for your health.)
Learning is important. (not To learn is important.)
Gerunds and infinitives rule #2: Decided by the main verb
If a sentence uses a verb as the object of a sentence, the decision of whether to use a gerund or an infinitive is made by the main verb in the sentence.
For example:
The thief admitted stealing the money. (the main verb ADMIT is followed by a gerund)
He can’t afford to buy a new car. (the main verb AFFORD is followed by the infinitive).
Unfortunately, there are no reliable rules for deciding whether a main verb should be followed by gerunds and infinitives. It is simply something that needs to be learned. You can use the table below to help.
Gerunds and infinitives rule #3: Either can be used as the object and have the same meaning
Sometimes the object of a sentence can be either a gerund or an infinitive with no difference in the meaning (see the table below for a more complete list of these words)
For example:
It started raining OR It started to rain
I began playing the guitar last year OR I began to play the guitar last year
Gerunds and infinitives rule #4: Either can be used as the object but they have a different meaning
Sometimes using gerunds and infinitives as the object of a sentence can make a difference to the meaning.
For example, look at the use of gerunds and infinitives below, we have these two possible meanings:
| Gerund | Stop reading that magazine and get back to work! | This means that you should not read |
| Infinitive | Stop to read the instructions before you break it! | This means you should start reading |
Gerunds and infinitives rule #5: use the gerund after prepositions
If there is a preposition after the main verb, then you always use a gerund.
For example:
I’m tired of waiting for you every day!
Many people surf the internet without having a website of their own.
Gerunds and infinitives – general rules
Look at the table below to learn more about general rules when using gerunds and infinitives.
| Verbs followed by gerund | Verbs followed by infinitive | Verbs that can be followed by either gerund or infinitive with no real difference | Verbs that can be followed by either gerund or infinitive but with a significant difference |
| acknowledge admit adore anticipate appreciate avoid celebrate confess contemplate delay deny describe detest discuss dislike dread endure enjoy fancy finish imagine involve keep justify mention mind miss omit postpone practise quit recall recommend report resent resume risk suggest tolerate understand |
afford agree appear arrange ask attempt care choose claim come consent dare decide demand deserve determine elect endeavour expect fail get guarantee help hesitate hope hurry incline intend learn long manage mean need offer plan prepare pretend promise refuse resolve say seem tend threaten want wish |
begin continue hate like love prefer start |
forget remember stop regret |
NOTE: The table above is not a complete list (a complete list would be pages and pages long!)