Gerund and Infinitive

V. GERUNDS AND INFINITIVES
1. Verbs that are always followed by the infinitive
agree
attempt
claim
decide
demand
desire

expect
fail
hesitate
hope
intend
learn

need
offer
plan
prepare
pretend
refuse

seem
tend
want
wish
 
 

 
I decided to write a research essay.  

 
I work hard and I think I deserve to be well paid.  

 
Peter wished he’d never promised to help them.

 2. Verbs that are always followed by the gerund
admit
appreciate
avoid
can`t help
consider
delay

deny
enjoy
finish
imagine
mind
miss

postpone
practice
quit
report
resist
risk

suggest






 
She enjoys running for competition.  

 
Where possible, we have avoided using technical terms.  

 
I appreciated hearing from them.  

 
I can`t help worrying about it

3. Verbs + preposition followed by the gerund
approve of
count on
depend on
give up
insist on
keep on

rely on
succeed in
look forward to
object to



 
I object to paying so much for milk.  

 
His wife finally persuaded him to give up smoking.

 4. Adjectives + preposition followed by the gerund
accustomed to
afraid of
capable of
fond of
intent on

interested in
successful in
tired of



 
I was afraid of losing my way.

5. Adjectives followed by the infinitive
anxious
easy
hard
ready
boring
good

pleased
strange
dangerous
prepared
usual
difficult

common
able





 
She’s upstairs getting ready to go out.  

 
I’m not prepared to listen to excuses.

6. Verb + Noun/Pronoun followed by the infinitive
advise
convince
force
order
teach
allow

hire
permit
tell
ask
instruct
want

cause
expect
invite
remind
warn
need

require
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
I taught him to swim.  

 
They did not permit us to enter the area during the investigation.  

 
They tried to convince him to buy a cheaper car.  

 
My uncle is going to teach me to drive this summer.  

7. Gerund or Infinitive
 
Here are verbs that can take either a gerund or infinitive. However, some of them can be followed by either a gerund or an infinitive with a difference in meaning.

begin
can`t stand
remember*
forget*
start
stop*

dread
prefer*
hate
try*
continue
like*

regret
love
intend




    
 
He began shouting abuse at them.  

 
Suddenly the rain began to fall.

             
 
 
PREFER  

 
 
I prefer walking to riding. (In general)  

 
 
Let`s take a bus. No, I prefer to walk. (On a particular occasion )  

 
 
LIKE  

 
 
I like eating apples. (In general)  

 
 
I`d like to eat an apple now. (At the moment)  

 
 
STOP  

 
 
He stopped talking. (He didn`t talk any more.)  

 
 
He stopped to talk. (He stopped doing something in order to talk.)  

 
 
REMEMBER  

 
 
Remember to come tomorrow. (Future action)  

 
 
I remember hearing this song before. (Past event)  

 
 
FORGET  

 
 
He forgot to write a letter to me. (He didn`t remember.)  

 
 
I shall never forget seeing the zoo for the first time.  

 
 
(Forget: no longer have the memory of)  

 
 
TRY  

 
 
He`ll try to meet us at 4 o`clock. (try: make an attempt)  

 
 
Try cleaning it with petrol. (try: make an experiment of)