INFINITIVE

vs
GERUND

Only Gerund is used

With the verbs and verbal phrases:
to avoid
to burst out
to deny
to enjoy
to excuse
to fancy (in exclamation & surprise)
to finish
to forgive
to give up/to leave off
to go on/to keep on
to mind (in negative & interrogative sentences)
to postpone/to put off
cannot (cant) help !!!
to consider
to include
to escape
to involve

to recall/ to recollect
to resent
to practise
to risk
to suggest !!!

With the verbs and verbal phrases used with prepositions:

to like the idea of
to suspect of
to accuse of/to blame smb for
to persist in
to agree to
to prevent from/to stop from
to approve of
to rely on
to complain of
to result in
to apologize for
to suspend smb of
to forgive for
to speak of
to congratulate on
to thank for
to count on
to think of
to depend on
to look forward to
to hear of
to inform of
to insist on
to feel like, to look like
to succeed in
to object to

With the following word combinations:

to be afraid of
to be sure of
to be angry for
to be surprised at
to be aware of
to be worried about
to be bored with
to be worth
to be busy
to be responsible for
to be capable of
to be no use/no good
to be clever at/to be good at
to be used to/accustomed to
to be disappointed at
to be engaged in
to be fond of/to be keen on/to be interested in
to be guilty of
to be pleased (displeased) at
to be grateful for
cant stand
to have difficulty in
to be proud of
to be slow at
to be sorry for

Gerund is used with noun+preposition

art of
chance of
difficulty in
experience in
habit of
idea of
importance of
interest in
means of
mistake of
opportunity of
plan for
point in
preparation for
process of
purpose of

reason for
right of
sense of
skill in
way of

Gerund is used with the following prepositions

after
before
besides
instead of
in spite of/despite
on
without
by
at

Gerund + Infinitive can be used

to be afraid*
to begin
to cease
to continue
can (cannot) afford
to dread/to fear
to forget*
to hate*
to intend
to like (dislike)*/to enjoy*
to neglect
to prefer*
to propose
to remember/to recollect
to start
to stop

* NOTE: verb + inf = its a good idea,

a special occasion
verb + ger = a general statement
e.g. The child was not afraid of remaining alone,
but that night he was afraid to stay alone on such a
stormy night.

Change of meaning
Some verbs used either with an infinitive or a gerund can have different
meanings!
to stop
to remember/to forget
to like/to love/to hate/ to prefer
to dread/to regret
to be afraid
to advise/to intend/to recommend
cannot bear
to mean
to try
to go on
to understand

EXAMPLES
Verb + Inf

Verb + Ger

1.Stop + inf = to make a break,

pause in order to do smth

1.Stop + ger = to cease the action

from continuation

She stopped to chat with her pals.

***

He stopped speaking and looked at

us in surprise.

2.Remember + inf = remember

what one has to do, the duty
Remember to lock the door.
***
3.Forget + inf = forget to do smth

2.Remember + ger = remember

what has happened

Dont forget to post my letter!

***

Ill always remember seeing you in

class.

3.Forget + ger = forget a past

event
Ill never forget swimming in the
Dead Sea.

4.Mean + inf = to intend

4.Mean + ger = to cause/entail

He means to move to New Castle.

This meant purchasing new

equipment.

5.Go on + inf = stop doing smth &

start doing smth else

5.Go on + ger = continue to do

smth

After he had learnt Hungarian, he

went on to learn Spanish.
***

The orchestra went on playing

while the Titanic was sinking.
***

6.Try + inf = attempt

6.Try + ger = experiment

She tried hard to cope with her new

job.
***

Try eating often but very little at a

time.
***

7.Regret + inf = to be sorry to

7.Regret + ger = to feel sorry for

the past event

We regret to inform you that your

flight has been delayed.
***

I regret telling her a lie.

***

8.Hate + inf = hate what one is

about to do

8.Hate + ger = feel sorry for what

one is doing

I hate to interrupt you, but I must

talk to you.

I hate making you feel

embarrassed.

Forms of the Infinitive Forms of the ing form

Present
Present
Cont
Perfect
Perfect
Cont

Active
Voice

Passive
Voice

Active Voice

Passive Voice

(to) repair
(to) be
repairing
(to) have
repaired
(to) have
been
repairing

(to) be repaired
____________

repairing
_______________

being repaired
_______________

(to) have been

repaired
____________

having repaired

having been
repaired
_______________

______________