Verbs Followed by Gerunds and Infinitives: Complete English Grammar Rules – Download PDF
Verbs Followed by Gerunds and Infinitives: Complete English Grammar Rules – Download PDF
Verbs Followed by Gerunds and Infinitives: Complete Rules, Examples, Verb Lists and Exercises
When one action is followed by another action in English, the second verb cannot always be used in its ordinary form. Depending on the first verb, we may need a gerund (-ing form) or an infinitive (to + base verb).
For example:
- We resumed talking.
- I want to see a movie.
- She avoided answering the question.
- They decided to leave early.
The difficulty is that English does not have one universal rule that works with every verb. Some verbs are normally followed by a gerund, some are followed by an infinitive, and some can be followed by either.
There is another interesting group in which both forms are possible but the meaning changes.
This topic is important for students preparing for SSC CGL, SSC CHSL, CDS, NDA, Banking, IBPS, SBI, Railway, Teaching and other competitive examinations. Questions based on gerunds and infinitives can appear in error detection, sentence improvement, fill-in-the-blanks, phrase replacement and other grammar sections.
So, instead of memorising random examples, let’s understand the patterns systematically.
What Is a Gerund?
A gerund is the -ing form of a verb when it functions as a noun or forms part of a verb pattern.
Consider these examples:
- Swimming is good exercise.
- I enjoy reading.
- She avoided talking about the issue.
- They discussed moving to another city.
In each case, the -ing form is connected with an activity.
The important point for this lesson is:
Many verbs are followed by another verb in the gerund form.
For example:
enjoy + reading
Not:
enjoy + to read
Therefore:
✅ I enjoy reading books.
❌ I enjoy to read books.
What Is an Infinitive?
An infinitive normally consists of:
to + base form of the verb
Examples:
- to read
- to write
- to learn
- to speak
- to improve
- to understand
Some verbs are followed by this structure.
For example:
- I want to learn English.
- She decided to leave.
- He promised to help me.
- They agreed to participate.
The important pattern is:
verb + to + base verb
Therefore:
❌ She decided going home.
✅ She decided to go home.
Verbs Followed by Gerunds
A large number of English verbs are followed by an -ing form.
The following are some of the most useful ones for learners and competitive-exam candidates.
Common Verbs Followed by Gerunds
admit, acknowledge, appreciate, avoid, consider, delay, deny, detest, dislike, discuss, dread, enjoy, escape, evade, finish, forgive, imagine, mention, mind, miss, postpone, practise, prevent, recommend, recall, recollect, resent, resist, risk, resume, suggest, tolerate
Let’s see some of them in sentences.
Admit
- He admitted making a mistake.
- She admitted taking the money.
Avoid
- Avoid wasting your time.
- He avoided answering the question.
Consider
- We are considering buying a new car.
- She considered changing her job.
Deny
- He denied stealing the money.
- The accused denied committing the crime.
Discuss
- They discussed moving to another city.
- We discussed changing the plan.
Dread
- I dread speaking in public.
- She dreads facing difficult questions.
Enjoy
- I enjoy reading books.
- He enjoys playing football.
Finish
- She finished writing the letter.
- I finished studying at midnight.
Imagine
- Imagine living without electricity.
- Can you imagine working there?
Mind
- Would you mind opening the door?
- Do you mind waiting for me?
Miss
- I miss meeting my old friends.
- She misses playing with her classmates.
Postpone
- They postponed starting the project.
- We postponed visiting the museum.
Practise
- He practises speaking English every day.
- You should practise writing sentences.
Recommend
- I recommend reading this book.
- The doctor recommended taking some rest.
Resist
- She resisted buying the expensive dress.
- He could not resist laughing.
Risk
- Don’t risk losing your opportunity.
- He risked damaging the machine.
Suggest
- She suggested taking a taxi.
- He suggested going there early.
A common error is:
❌ He suggested to take a taxi.
Correct:
✅ He suggested taking a taxi.
More Expressions Followed by Gerunds
Apart from individual verbs, several expressions are commonly followed by an -ing form.
Be Worth
- This book is worth reading.
- The movie is worth watching.
We normally say:
✅ It is worth trying.
Not:
❌ It is worth to try.
Can’t Help
Can’t help means that someone cannot stop themselves from doing something.
- I couldn’t help laughing.
- She can’t help thinking about it.
Feel Like
Feel like is followed by a gerund when it means “want to do something.”
- I feel like eating something.
- She feels like going outside.
Give Up
When give up means stop an activity, it is followed by a gerund.
- He gave up smoking.
- She gave up playing tennis.
Keep / Keep On
Both can indicate continuation.
- Keep working hard.
- He kept asking questions.
- She kept on talking.
Put Off
Put off means postpone.
- They put off making a decision.
- We put off visiting the place.
Look Forward To
An especially important examination rule is:
look forward to + gerund
Here, to is a preposition, not part of an infinitive.
- I look forward to meeting you.
- We look forward to hearing from you.
Not:
❌ I look forward to meet you.
Verbs Followed by Infinitives
Now let’s look at verbs that are commonly followed by to + base verb.
Some important examples are:
agree, appear, arrange, ask, attempt, choose, claim, consent, decide, demand, deserve, determine, expect, fail, hesitate, hope, hurry, learn, manage, neglect, offer, plan, prepare, pretend, promise, prove, refuse, remain, request, resolve, seek, seem, strive, struggle, tend, threaten, volunteer, wait, want, wish
Let’s understand them through examples.
Agree
- She agreed to help me.
- They agreed to work together.
Arrange
- We arranged to meet at six.
- She arranged to visit the office.
Attempt
- He attempted to solve the problem.
- They attempted to escape.
Choose
- She chose to remain silent.
- He chose to study abroad.
Decide
- I decided to improve my English.
- They decided to postpone the meeting.
Demand
- He demanded to know the truth.
- She demanded to speak with the manager.
Expect
- We expect to receive the result soon.
- She expects to pass the examination.
Fail
- He failed to understand the question.
- She failed to complete the task.
Hesitate
- Don’t hesitate to ask questions.
- He hesitated to answer.
Hope
- I hope to see you soon.
- She hopes to become a teacher.
Learn
- He learned to drive at a young age.
- She is learning to speak English.
Manage
- He managed to finish the work.
- She managed to solve the problem.
Offer
- He offered to help me.
- She offered to pay the bill.
Plan
- We plan to visit Jaipur.
- They plan to start a business.
Promise
- He promised to return the money.
- She promised to call me.
Refuse
- He refused to answer.
- They refused to accept the proposal.
Seem
- He seems to understand the problem.
- She seems to know the answer.
Threaten
- He threatened to leave.
- The company threatened to take legal action.
Want
- I want to learn English.
- She wants to become a doctor.
Wish
- I wish to speak with you.
- They wish to participate in the competition.
Verbs and Expressions Such as “Can’t Afford” and “Would Like”
Some expressions that students should remember also take an infinitive.
Can’t Afford
- I can’t afford to buy a new phone.
- He can’t afford to waste time.
Can Wait
- I can’t wait to see you.
- She can’t wait to start her new job.
Would Like
- I would like to ask a question.
- She would like to join the course.
Need
- You need to work harder.
- He needs to improve his vocabulary.
Verbs That Can Take Either a Gerund or an Infinitive
Not every verb belongs exclusively to one group.
Some verbs can be followed by either a gerund or an infinitive with little or no major difference in meaning.
Common examples include:
begin, continue, hate, like, love, prefer, start
For example:
- It started to rain.
- It started raining.
Both are acceptable.
Similarly:
- I like reading novels.
- I like to read novels.
And:
- She continued working.
- She continued to work.
In many ordinary contexts, the difference between these forms is small.
However, learners should be careful because this does not mean that every verb can freely take both structures.
Verbs Followed by Gerund or Infinitive With a Change in Meaning
This is the section students should study particularly carefully.
With certain verbs, choosing a gerund or infinitive changes the meaning of the sentence.
The most important examples are:
forget, go on, regret, remember, stop and try
Let’s understand each one.
1. Forget + Gerund vs Forget + Infinitive
Forget + to-infinitive
This means someone failed to remember an action that needed to be done.
I forgot to call him.
Meaning: I did not call him because I failed to remember.
Forget + gerund
This refers to a memory or past experience.
I will never forget meeting him.
Meaning: I have a memory of meeting him.
Compare:
- I forgot to lock the door.
- I will never forget locking that door.
The meanings are different.
2. Remember + Gerund vs Remember + Infinitive
Remember + to-infinitive
This means remembering that an action needs to be performed.
Remember to bring your documents.
The action is still something that needs to be done.
Remember + gerund
This means having a memory of a past event.
I remember meeting him.
The meeting happened in the past, and the speaker has a memory of it.
Compare:
- She remembered to visit her grandmother.
- She remembered visiting her grandmother.
3. Stop + Gerund vs Stop + Infinitive
This is one of the most frequently tested structures.
Stop + gerund
It means ending an activity.
He stopped smoking.
He no longer smoked.
Stop + infinitive
It means interrupting one activity in order to perform another.
He stopped to smoke.
He stopped whatever he was doing so that he could smoke.
Another example:
- She stopped talking.
- She stopped to talk to her friend.
The first means she ended the activity.
The second means she paused another activity in order to talk.
4. Try + Gerund vs Try + Infinitive
Try + infinitive
This usually means making an effort to accomplish something.
I tried to open the window.
I made an attempt to open it.
Try + gerund
This often means experimenting with a method or possible solution.
Try opening the window.
Opening the window is being suggested as a possible solution.
Compare:
- Try to solve the problem.
- Try using a different method.
5. Regret + Gerund vs Regret + Infinitive
Regret + gerund
This means feeling sorry about something that has already happened.
I regret telling him the secret.
The speaker is sorry that the secret was revealed.
Regret + infinitive
This can be used when announcing unpleasant information.
I regret to inform you that your application was unsuccessful.
The speaker is sorry to give the information.
6. Go On + Gerund vs Go On + Infinitive
Go on + gerund
This means continuing the same activity.
He went on talking for another hour.
He continued talking.
Go on + infinitive
This can mean moving to another activity or stage.
He went on to explain the next point.
He finished one stage and then proceeded to another.
A Quick Comparison of Meaning-Changing Verbs
| Verb | Gerund | Infinitive |
|---|---|---|
| remember | memory of past action | remember an action that must be done |
| forget | forget a past experience | fail to remember an action |
| stop | end an activity | pause another activity to do something |
| try | experiment with a method | make an attempt |
| regret | feel sorry about past action | be sorry to announce something |
| go on | continue same activity | move to another activity |
Learning this table can be extremely useful before an English grammar examination.
Prepositions and Gerunds
One of the most useful rules is that when a verb follows a preposition, it normally appears in the gerund form.
Examples:
- He is interested in learning English.
- She left without saying goodbye.
- They talked about moving abroad.
- I am tired of waiting.
- He succeeded in solving the problem.
A very common mistake is confusing the preposition to with the infinitive marker to.
For example:
I look forward to meeting you.
Here, to is a preposition, so meeting is correct.
But:
I want to meet you.
Here, to meet is an infinitive.
This distinction is frequently useful in error-detection questions.
Common Errors Students Make
Error 1
❌ I enjoy to play cricket.
✅ I enjoy playing cricket.
Error 2
❌ She decided going home.
✅ She decided to go home.
Error 3
❌ He suggested to take a taxi.
✅ He suggested taking a taxi.
Error 4
❌ They avoided to answer.
✅ They avoided answering.
Error 5
❌ I want learning English.
✅ I want to learn English.
Error 6
❌ She promised helping me.
✅ She promised to help me.
Error 7
❌ I look forward to meet you.
✅ I look forward to meeting you.
Error 8
❌ He stopped to smoke.
This is not always incorrect. The meaning must be considered.
If he quit smoking:
✅ He stopped smoking.
If he paused another activity in order to smoke:
✅ He stopped to smoke.
This is exactly why understanding the meaning is important.
How to Solve Gerund and Infinitive Questions in Exams
When you see a sentence-completion question, follow these steps.
Step 1: Identify the first verb
Find the verb before the blank.
Example:
She avoided ______ the question.
The important word is avoided.
Step 2: Recall its pattern
Avoid is followed by a gerund.
avoid + doing
Step 3: Check the options
If the options contain:
- to answer
- answering
- answer
- answered
Choose answering.
Step 4: Check the meaning
For verbs such as remember, forget, stop, try and regret, don’t rely only on memorisation. Check what the sentence actually means.
Gerund and Infinitive Practice Questions
Question 1
They avoided ______ the issue.
A. to discuss
B. discussing
C. discuss
D. discussed
Answer: B. discussing
Question 2
She decided ______ harder.
A. studying
B. study
C. to study
D. studied
Answer: C. to study
Question 3
I enjoy ______ English.
A. learning
B. to learn
C. learn
D. learned
Answer: A. learning
Question 4
He promised ______ me.
A. helping
B. helped
C. help
D. to help
Answer: D. to help
Question 5
Would you mind ______ here?
A. to wait
B. waiting
C. wait
D. waited
Answer: B. waiting
Question 6
She hopes ______ the examination.
A. passing
B. pass
C. to pass
D. passed
Answer: C. to pass
Question 7
I remember ______ him at the station.
A. meeting
B. to meet
C. meet
D. met
Answer: A. meeting
Question 8
Remember ______ the door.
A. locking
B. locked
C. lock
D. to lock
Answer: D. to lock
Question 9
He stopped ______.
A. smoking
B. to smoking
C. smoke
D. smoked
Answer: A. smoking
Here, the intended meaning is that he ended the activity.
Question 10
Try ______ another method.
A. use
B. using
C. to used
D. used
Answer: B. using
The sentence suggests experimenting with another method.
Important Verb Lists for Quick Revision
Verbs Commonly Followed by Gerunds
admit, acknowledge, appreciate, avoid, consider, delay, deny, detest, dislike, discuss, dread, enjoy, escape, evade, finish, forgive, imagine, mention, mind, miss, postpone, practise, prevent, recommend, recall, recollect, resent, resist, risk, resume, suggest, tolerate
Verbs Commonly Followed by Infinitives
agree, appear, arrange, ask, attempt, choose, claim, consent, decide, demand, deserve, determine, expect, fail, hesitate, hope, learn, manage, offer, plan, prepare, pretend, promise, prove, refuse, request, resolve, seek, seem, strive, struggle, tend, threaten, volunteer, wait, want, wish
Verbs That Commonly Allow Both
begin, continue, hate, like, love, prefer, start
Important Meaning-Changing Verbs
forget, go on, regret, remember, stop, try
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a gerund?
A gerund is an -ing form of a verb used as a noun or as part of a gerund construction.
What is an infinitive?
An infinitive is generally formed using to + the base form of a verb, such as to read or to study.
Which verbs are followed by gerunds?
Common examples include enjoy, avoid, suggest, finish, consider, admit, deny, postpone and recommend.
Which verbs are followed by infinitives?
Common examples include want, decide, hope, plan, promise, agree, refuse and manage.
Can the same verb take both a gerund and an infinitive?
Yes. Verbs such as start, begin, continue, like and love can commonly take both forms.
Do gerunds and infinitives always have the same meaning?
No. With verbs such as remember, forget, stop, try, regret and go on, changing the form can change the meaning.
Is gerund and infinitive an important topic for SSC?
Yes. It can be useful for error detection, sentence improvement, fill-in-the-blanks, phrase replacement and other English grammar questions.
Final Takeaway
Gerunds and infinitives become much easier when you learn them as verb patterns, rather than trying to memorise isolated grammar rules.
Remember the three main groups:
Verb + Gerund
enjoy reading
avoid wasting
suggest taking
finish working
Verb + Infinitive
want to learn
decide to go
promise to help
refuse to accept
Verb + Gerund / Infinitive
start reading / start to read
like reading / like to read
Then give special attention to:
remember
forget
stop
try
regret
go on
because the choice between the gerund and infinitive can change the meaning.
For competitive examinations, the best strategy is not to memorise hundreds of verbs in one sitting. Start with the most frequently used patterns, learn them through complete sentences and then practise questions regularly.
Once you become familiar with these patterns, sentences such as “I enjoy reading,” “She decided to leave,” and “Remember to call me” will no longer feel like rules you have to calculate. They will simply sound correct.
That is the real goal of learning English grammar: not just knowing a rule, but being able to recognize the correct structure quickly and confidently.
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