This document discusses the use of gerunds (verb + -ing) versus infinitives (to + verb) after certain verbs and expressions in English. It provides examples of verbs that can be followed by either a gerund or infinitive and how the meaning may change depending on which form is used. Key points include: gerunds are used after prepositions, with expressions like "can't help", and after verbs of perception; infinitives are used to express purpose and after verbs like "forget", "try", and "let"; and certain verbs like "stop" and "remember" have distinct meanings depending on whether a gerund or infinitive follows.

2. Gerund or
Infinitive?

3. VERB + ING
• When the verb is the subject of the
sentence
• “Paying attention is essential in class”
• After prepositions
• “I am looking forward to hearing from you”

4. After certain verbal expressions:
• CAN’T STAND
• CAN’T HELP
• BE/GET USED TO
• DON’T MIND/WOULD MIND
• FEEL LIKE
“I can’t help getting angry when pupils speak in
class”
We select the –ing form....

5. After some adjectives :
“I am happy to
announce my
daughter’s wedding”
“The wall was too high
to jump for young
children”
We use the Infinitive....

6. To express purpose:
“We are going to the beach to lie in the sun”
“To watch the clip again, press replay”
We use the Infinitive....

7. Verbs of perception(hear, feel,...) ; LET;
MAKE  INF WITHOUT TO:
– “I heard him enter the house”;
– “Let me explain myself”;
– “She made me do it”.
– I was made to do it.

9. Verbs that can be followed by both
“INFINITIVE” or “-ING”
•No change in meaning: begin, love, start...
•Change in meaning: Remember, stop …

10. STOP
• STOP + -ING:
To give up doing
something
• STOP +
INFINITIVE:
To interrupt an
action to do
something else
You should stop smoking, it
will kill you!
Let’s stop here to have a
drink!

11. REMEMBER
• REMEMBER + -ING:
It refers to something
done in the past
• REMEMBER +
INFINITIVE:
It refers to the future.
I will always remember
meeting you for the first
time.
You should remember to
call Mr Jones to put off
the meeting.
You should remember to
post the letter.

12. FORGET
• FORGET + ING :
To express that
we’ve forgotten
something which
was done in the
past.
• FORGET +
INFINITIVE:
To forget doing
something.
I forgot writing the letter,
and I’ve written it again!
(you wrote it, but you don’t
remember)
I forgot to call you on your
birthday.
(you didn’t call, so you
didn’t remember)

13. REGRET
• REGRET + ING :
To regret something
from the past.
• REGRET +
INFINITIVE:
To make bad news
public.
She regrets breaking up
with him.
I regret to tell you have
failed the exam.

14. TRY
• TRY + ING :
‘Experiment with
something’
• TRY +
INFINITIVE:
‘Attempt”
I cannot sleep because of
the heavy traffic. Why
don’t you try closing the
window?
I tried to open the door but I
couldn’t.
Why don’t you try using this
key?

15. • Examples:
– “I remember my aunts in
London when I was a child” (visit)
– “Remember the questions
before handing out the exam” (revise)“
– My grandmother forgot the
door when she left the house” (lock)
– “I repeated the activity because I
forgot
it last week” (do)
visiting
to revise
to lock
doing

16. • What did your parents let you
do/to do/doing when you were
about 12?
DO

17. • What do you hope do/to do/doing
in ten years´time?
TO DO

18. • Is there anything you have stopped
do/to/doing recently?
DOING

19. What activities can´t you stand do/to
do/doing?
DOING

20. What makes you laugh/to
laugh/laughing?
LAUGH

21. Do you think you wouldn´t mind do/to
do/doing a well-paid but boring job?
DOING

22. • How often do you invite your
friends come/to come/coming for
dinner or just a chat?
TO COME

23. • What are you looking forward to
do/to do/doing?
DOING