Purdue North Central Writing Center Handout

Infinitives and Gerunds

            INFINITIVES             (TO and verb form, such as to go, to swim, etc.)

                        SOME VERBS ARE FOLLOWED ONLY BY INFINITIVES:

                                     agree               expect              learn                promise

                                    decide             hope                need                 want

                        Examples: I hope to go on vacation soon.

                                         She promised to go on a diet.

            GERUNDS                (VERB plus ING     - such as going, swimming, etc.)

                        SOME VERBS ARE FOLLOWED ONLY BY GERUNDS:                                                          

                        admit               appreciate              avoid                         can’t help

                        consider         delay                     deny                           detest

                        dislike             enjoy                      finish                          fond of

                        give up            keep                       keep on                       mind

                        miss                postpone                practice                      put off

                        quit                 recall                     recommend                regret

                        resist              risk                        stop (= quit)               suggest

                        tolerate

                        Examples: Try to avoid drinking before driving.

                                         I recall asking her that question.

            SOME VERBS ARE FOLLOWED BY INFINITIVES OR GERUNDS:

            attempt            begin                 continue           hate                  hesitate           

            intend              like                    love                 neglect             plan

            prefer              remember          start                 try       

             Examples: He continued to read the book.

                             He continued reading the book.

                                    GERUNDS AND INFINITIVES

The gerund is the ING FORM OF THE VERB.   To + verb forms the infinitive.  In English there are some verbs that use the gerund form exclusively, and some verbs only use the infinitive.  Below are lists of these problem verbs.  If your verb does not appear on the list, it is best to use the gerund: The gerund is used more often in English than the infinitive. 

Verbs that have infinitive objects without actors:

            Example: Most students plan to study. 

agree               begin               continue                      decide             fail            hesitate

hope                intend              learn                            neglect             offer            plan    

prefer              pretend            promise                       refuse             

remember            start                 try

Verbs that have infinitive objects with actors:

            Example: Their fathers advise them to study.

Advise             allow               convince            encourage       force       hire        instruct             invite               permit                rewind            teach       tell

 Verbs that use both patterns:

            ask            expect              like            want                would              like.

 Verbs that take the gerund and never the infinitive.

            Example: Mrs. Allen enjoys cooking.

admit               appreciate       avoid              can’t help                 consider

deny                 enjoy               finish              keep                         keep on

get through       postpone         practice          recall                       regret

risk                  stop                 suggest            fond of                      used to

(to get accustomed to)            tired of

Verbs that take gerund or infinitive with no change in meaning:

begin               continue                      intend              like                  neglect             plan                 prefer              start                             try

Sense verbs that take an object and gerund or a simple verb:

Feel                 hear                 notice              observe                      see                  

small               taste                 watch

Forget and Remember:

             These two verbs change meaning depending on whether a gerund or an infinitive is used as the object.

Jack forgets to take out the cat.  (He regularly forgets.)

Jack forgets buying paper.  (He did it, but he doesn’t remember.)

Jack remembers to take out the cat.  (He regularly remembers.)

Jack remembers taking out the cat.  (He did it, and he remembers.)