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Understanding whether to use a gerund or infinitive (e.g., doing or to do) can be challenging in English. While there are general rules, it’s important to note that these rules may not cover all cases. Let’s explore some guidelines and examples to help you make the right choice.
Gerund Or Infinitive
Generally speaking, we can use the following rules to decide whether to use a gerund or infinitive:
| Pattern | Examples | Rules | Explantions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Verb + gerund | 1. I enjoy playing 2. I denied stealing | Often we use the gerund for an action that happens before or at the same time as the action of the main verb. | 1. I enjoy myself at the time of playing. 2. I deny having stolen anything before. |
| Verb + infinitive | 1. I decided to visit my uncle 2. I want to go out | Often we use the infinitive for actions that follow the action of the main verb. | 1. Visiting my uncle was an action of my decision. It comes after. 2. What I want (now) is to go out (after/later) |
These rules are helpful but DO NOT always explain all uses of gerunds and infinitives.
Here are the specific rules for the gerund or infinitive patterns:
1. Rules for Using Gerunds and Infinitives:
Here are the general rules for choosing between gerund or infinitive patterns:
a. Verb + Gerund:
- I enjoy playing.
- I denied stealing.
Explanation: Gerunds are used for actions that happen before or at the same time as the main verb.
b. Verb + Infinitive:
- I decided to visit my uncle.
- I want to go out.
Explanation: Infinitives are used for actions that follow the action of the main verb.
2. Verbs Commonly Followed by a Gerund:
Verbs expressing likes/dislikes, such as:
- like
- love
- enjoy
- dislike
- hate
Example: “I like playing soccer, but I hate boxing.”
3. Verbs Followed by a Gerund:
A. After Verbs Such As Admit, Advise, Allow, Anticipate, etc.
B. After Prepositions Such As ‘At’, ‘On’, ‘In’
Examples:
- aim at:
- She is aiming at improving her writing skills.
- The company aims at expanding its market share.
- keep on:
- He kept on talking about his travel experiences.
- The students kept on studying until late at night.
- interested in:
- I am interested in learning a new language.
- Are you interested in joining the photography club?
- instead of:
- She ate an apple instead of having dessert.
- He decided to walk instead of taking the bus.
- good at:
- She is good at playing the piano.
- He is good at solving math problems.
- before:
- Before going to bed, he always reads a book.
- Please finish your homework before watching TV.
- after:
- After finishing her work, she went for a walk.
- Let’s have a meeting after completing the project.
C. After Some Expressions Such As “‘It’s no use” And, “It’s no good”
- It’s no use:
- It’s no use crying over spilled milk.
- It’s no use waiting for a response; he may not reply.
- It’s no good:
- It’s no good complaining about the weather; we can’t change it.
- It’s no good worrying about things beyond your control.
- There’s no point in:
- There’s no point in arguing with him; he won’t change his mind.
- There’s no point in trying to fix the old computer; it’s too damaged.
- I can’t help:
- I can’t help laughing when I watch that comedy show.
- I can’t help feeling excited about the upcoming trip.
- I don’t mind:
- I don’t mind helping you with your homework.
- I don’t mind waiting a few more minutes for the bus.
- I can’t stand/bear:
- I can’t stand listening to that loud music next door.
- I can’t bear watching horror movies; they scare me too much.
Example: “I am interested in collecting stamps.”
4. Verbs Followed by an Infinitive:
A. After Verbs Referring to a Future Event
| Verbs | Examples |
|---|---|
| afford | We can’t afford to buy a new car. |
| agree | She agreed to help him. |
| aim | The government aims to reduce illiteracy rates |
| arrange | He arranged to stay at a hotel. |
| attempt | He attempted to join them. |
| choose | He chose to stay at home. |
| consent | She consented to marry him. |
| decide | They decided to go to the movies. |
| deserve | He deserves to be punished. |
| demand | He plans to pursue a career as an engineer. |
| endeavor | They endeavor to provide the best possible service |
| expect | They expected to arrive early. |
| fail | He failed to convince him. |
| happen | They happened to be at the theatre when we met them. |
| help | She helped me to do the exercise. (Note, help is also followed by a bare infinitive: She helped me do the exercise.) |
| hope | I hope to join you as soon as possible. |
| intend | She intends to write an autobiography. |
| learn | He learned to play the guitar when he was young. |
| manage | He managed to do his homework without his mother’s help. |
| need | I need to find a job. |
| offer | He offers to help us. |
| plan | He plans to follow a career as an engineer. |
| pretend | The child pretended to be asleep. |
| proceed | He proceeded to show us how to use the machine. |
| promise | She promised to come on time. |
| refuse | She refused to forgive him. |
| seem | He seemed to be unhappy. |
| swear | I swear to tell the truth. |
| threaten | He threatened to reveal her secret. |
| volunteer | He always volunteers to help the needy. |
| want | I want to finish my work early. |
| would hate | He would hate to lose. |
| would like | He would like to drink a cup of tea. |
| would love | I would love to meet you. |
B. After Adjectives
After expressions like “be determined, be disappointed, be glad, be happy, be pleased“:
- be glad:
- I am glad to have the opportunity to meet you in person.
- We are glad to announce the launch of our new product.
- be happy:
- They are happy to help with the community project.
- She is happy to share her knowledge with others.
- be disappointed:
- He was disappointed to find the store closed when he arrived.
- She would be disappointed to miss the concert tonight.
- be determined:
- She is determined to learn how to play the guitar.
- The team is determined to win the championship this year.
- be pleased:
- We are pleased to inform you that your application was successful.
- The manager was pleased to see an increase in productivity.
In these examples, the adjectives are followed by an infinitive to indicate the purpose, intention, or result of the emotion or state described.
C. After “Too” & “Enough” (too difficult, easy enough)
- too difficult:
- The math problem was too difficult to solve without assistance.
- The task seemed too difficult to complete within the given time frame.
- easy enough:
- It’s easy enough to follow the recipe and make a delicious cake.
- The instructions are easy enough to understand for beginners.
5. Verbs Followed by Both an Infinitive and a Gerund:
Some verbs can be followed by either a gerund or an infinitive. Here are some examples:
- start:
- I started jogging to improve my fitness.
- I started to jog regularly last month.
- begin:
- Let’s begin painting the room; the walls need a fresh coat.
- We began to paint the room after preparing the necessary materials.
- stop:
- He stopped playing the piano when his friends arrived.
- He stopped to play the piano for a moment when he saw his favorite songbook.
- remember:
- I remembered calling you yesterday.
- I remembered to call you before leaving the office.
- In these examples, the verbs “start,” “begin,” “stop,” and “remember” are followed by both gerunds and infinitives, each conveying a slightly different meaning.
Conclusion
Understanding these verb patterns will improve your ability to choose between gerunds and infinitives in various contexts. Practice is key to mastering this aspect of English grammar.
More on the gerund or infinitive patterns here.
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