1) What are Infinitives and Gerunds?
Infinitive = to + base verb → to eat, to study, to be.
Gerund = verb + -ing used as a noun → eating, studying, being.
Tip: Both act like nouns in a sentence. Example: To read is fun. / Reading is fun.
2) When do we use Infinitives?
- After certain verbs: want, need, decide, plan, hope, learn, agree
I want to learn English.
- To express purpose: why something happens
She went to the store to buy milk.
- After adjectives: easy, hard, happy, ready, important
It’s easy to understand this rule.
Common Verbs + Infinitive
| Verb | Example |
|---|
| want / need | They want to visit family. |
| decide / plan | We decided to move last year. |
| hope / agree | He agreed to help me. |
| learn / try | She is learning to drive. |
3) When do we use Gerunds?
- As the subject: Reading helps you learn vocabulary.
- After certain verbs: enjoy, finish, avoid, stop, suggest, consider, mind
I enjoy swimming.
- After prepositions: at, for, about, without, before, after
She is good at drawing.
Common Verbs + Gerund
| Verb | Example |
|---|
| enjoy | We enjoy playing board games. |
| finish | He finished writing the email. |
| avoid | They avoid eating late at night. |
| suggest / consider | She suggested meeting on Friday. |
4) Verbs that take Both (meaning changes)
| Verb | + Gerund | + Infinitive |
|---|
| remember | Past action: I remember meeting her. | Future duty: Remember to call her. |
| stop | End an activity: He stopped smoking. | Pause in order to: He stopped to smoke. |
| try | Experiment: Try using salt instead. | Attempt: Try to finish your work. |
Note: After a preposition, use a gerund: before leaving, without saying.
5) Mini Check
6) Practice
Ready to practice? Try the fill‑in‑the‑blank activity: Practice: Infinitives & Gerunds