GERUNDS AND INFINITIVES

VERB + GERUND , VERB + INFINITIVE

( You should check as well your Grammar Bank , pages 21 & 22 for more information)
Some verbs are usually followed by an ing form or a noun phrase. Other verbs are usually followed by to + base
form.
1.- Circle all the verbs that have an ing form after them. Underline the verbs that have to + base form after them.
The old man usually loves going out, but today he wants to stay in the cave. That's because today he
wants to make a new brush. Yesterday, he promised to show Michael how to paint the way he does. The boy likes
watching Kensuke when he's painting he enjoys kneeling beside him and just watching.

VERB + GERUND: Always use an ing form or a noun phrase after these verbs: enjoy , like , love , hate , dislike ,
(not) mind , (can't) stand , avoid , finish go , stop , (can't) help , practise.
I enjoy working here.
He loves swimming.
Stop making so much noise!
2.- Fill in the gaps. Use an ing form.
a. Has the machine ____________________ ( make ) noise?

b. Pete enjoys ____________________ ( invent) things.

c. Sue has finished ____________________ (do ) her homework.

d. Jack goes ____________________ (shop) on foot.

3.- Use one of the verbs above to complete each of the following sentences.
a. People wear safety belts to ____________________ being injured in accidents.
b. Would you ____________________ opening the window? It's very hot in here.
c. I ____________________ listening to classical music but I can't ____________________ queuing for hours outside
concert halls to get a ticket.
d. When I ____________________ writing this book, I'm going to have a long holiday.
e. My aunt is very lonely. I can't ____________________ feeling sorry for her. But she____________________ people
visiting her without a good reason.
f. You must ____________________ answering this kind of question for the examination.

VERB + PREPOSITION + GERUND:All verbs followed by a preposition take a gerund. TO can be a preposition,
and a verb + to is followed by a gerund or noun phrase, never an infinitive.(Examples of verb + to: amount to, be/get
accustomed to, be given to, be opposed to, be/get used to, come near to, limit oneself to, look forward to, object to,
resign oneself )
He went on working until he was 70. He got used to living alone on the island.
4.- Use one of the verbs above to complete each of the following sentences.
a. A
B

We'll have to get up at six o'clock tomorrow.

That's all right. I'm ____________________ to getting up early.

b. I ____________________ to seeing you at the party on Saturday.

c. I ____________________ to paying taxes when I don't know where the money will go.
d. He wanted to be a great solo violinist but he has realised that he isn't quite good enough, so he has
____________________ himself to playing in an orchestra.
e. If you make excuses that are obviously not true, it____________________ to saying that you don't want to come.

VERB + TO + BASE FORM: Use to + base form after these verbs: decide, forget ,hope, learn, need, promise, want,
would like, would love, would hate.
Look, he's learning to ski!
I'd love to see you again.

5.- Finish the sentences. Use to + the verbs below.

a. The little boy sometimes forgets ____________________ (wash) his hands.
b. He often promises ____________________ (tidy) his bedroom.
c. He's learning ____________________ (play) the guitar.
d. He'd like ____________________ (go) back to the Peggy Sue.
e. He's decided____________________ (gather) a great beacon of wood.

6.- Write what Michael enjoys, likes, loves and hates doing.
He
He
He
He

enjoys
likes
loves
hates

watch / the sunset

go / mountain biking
be /with his best friend
lose / a football match

walk / along the beach

sail / on the reservoir
swim / in the sea
wait / for a ship

play / football
fish / with his parents
play / with Stella
go / back to a cave full of mosquitoes

a.

__________________________________________________________________________

b.

__________________________________________________________________________

c.

__________________________________________________________________________

d.

__________________________________________________________________________

e.

__________________________________________________________________________

f.

__________________________________________________________________________

g.

__________________________________________________________________________

h.

__________________________________________________________________________

i.

__________________________________________________________________________

j.

__________________________________________________________________________

k.

__________________________________________________________________________

l.

__________________________________________________________________________

7.- Write two things that you enjoy doing and two things that you hate doing.
a.

__________________________________________________________________________

b.

__________________________________________________________________________

c.

__________________________________________________________________________

d.

__________________________________________________________________________

8.- Choose the correct verb to complete the sentences. Use TO.
feed
work teach go
drive do
swim send

play

invent

a. Mabel often forgets ___________________________ her cat.

b. Steve promises ___________________________ the washing-up tonight.
c. Matthew has decided ___________________________ a new machine.
d. She is learning ___________________________ the violin.
e. Tom hopes ___________________________ to Ireland next summer.
f. I would love ___________________________ a millionaire!
g. Fred always forgets ___________________________ me a birthday card.
h. The new student needs ___________________________ harder.
i. Mel promises ___________________________ his car more carefully.
j. They would like ___________________________ in the Dead Sea.
k. My friend wants ___________________________ me to speak Chinese.

9.- What would you like to be or do? Write five sentences.

a.

__________________________________________________________________________

b.

__________________________________________________________________________

be

c.

__________________________________________________________________________

d.

__________________________________________________________________________

e.

__________________________________________________________________________

VERB + GERUND or INFINITIVE WITH TO : A number of verbs can take a gerund or on infinitive with to.
In many cases the meaning changes depending on whether a gerund or an infinitive follows the verb. Here is a list of
the most common verbs of this type (you can see the list in your Grammar Bank):
allow (takes an infinitive with an object, a gerund where there is none)
begin & start continue
intend
prefer (the gerund is more usual; infinitive in the Conditional)
love , hate & like (take the infinitive in the Conditional)
forget
remember (with gerund: have the memory of; with infinitive: not to forget)
stop ( He stopped talking: He was silent; He stopped to talk: He stopped because he wanted to talk.)
try (with infinitive: make the effort ; with gerund : experiment)
10.- Use the correct forms of the verbs in brackets to complete these sentences. If you think both gerund and
infinitive forms are possible, write both forms:

l. We don't allow ___________________________ ( smoke ) in the cinema.

2.We don't allow people ___________________________ ( smoke ) in the cinema.

3. He began ___________________________ ( walk ) slowly along the road.
4. I'm beginning ___________________________ ( understand ) how this works.
5. I hate ___________________________ ( play ) rugby.
6. I'd hate ___________________________ ( be ) a teacher at that school.
7. I like ___________________________ ( listen ) to Mozart's music.
8. I'd like ___________________________ ( play ) tennis tomorrow.
9. We stopped at the garage ___________________________ ( get ) some petrol.

11.- Choose the best option, A or B.

1. Are you interested in ________ to the party with us?
2. I'm looking forward to ________ you again soon.
3. Oh, no! I forgot ________ Jim's birthday card.
4. Sam wants ________ on holiday.
5. Are you thinking of ________ your job?
6. Sue regrets ________ school at fifteen.
7. I always enjoy ________ the cuckoo in the spring.
8. My friend is giving up ________ at last.
9. We stopped ________ because we were tired.
10. You can't sneeze without ________ your eyes.

12.- Find the incorrect sentences. Then , correct them.

1.

Tom always insists on to cook.

2.

I enjoy to get up early.

3.

Thank you for telling me about it.

4.

I expect getting a pay rise soon.

5.

I can't stand to pay for bad food.

6.

They agreed being friends again.

7.

Helen hopes being a movie star.

8.

Would you like having a cup of coffee?

9.

We feel like going out for a walk.

10. I suggest to stay here.

11. They managed finding the hotel.
12. I dislike to swim as much as running.
13. He didn't remember meeting my mother.
14. Did you forget to phone her?

A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A

to come
see
to post
to go
to change
to leave
to hear
to smoke
to rest
to close

B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B

coming
seeing
posting
going
changing
leaving
hearing
smoking
resting
closing