Gerund and infinitive in English. Rules and features of use

When learning a foreign language, we face forms or grammatical constructions that are not typical of our native language. In English, we often come across similar sentences, but their structure is different. Compare:

1. Do you want to cook something special?

2. Do you enjoy cooking?

In the first case, the verb want is followed by the form to cook. We know that this is the form of infinitive, an impersonal form of the verb, which names an action but does not specify either person or number, is used with the particle to, and is found in the dictionary. Let's look at other examples of infinitive usage:

- It is important to study English.

- He works hard to get a promotion.

- It was helpful to learn these grammar rules.

The form of infinitive in English is familiar and its use seems natural because we know it from our native language.

In the second example, the verb enjoy, is followed by the specific form of the verb to cook – cooking. This is an example of using a gerund in English, a form that is missing in our language. Let's find out what a gerund is and consider specific cases when it is used.

Gerund is an impersonal verb form ending in -ing used like a noun.

It can be formed from all verbs except modals. To form a gerund in English, we add “-ing” to the base form of the verb:

to be - being; to read - reading; to go - going; to play - playing.

Pay attention to the following examples of spelling of gerund forms:

to sit - sitting, to hit - hitting, to dig - digging, to star - starring;

to take - taking, to write - writing, to bake - baking;

to lie - lying; to die - dying.

Let's look at other examples with gerunds:

- Learning a new skill can be very rewarding.

- He considers running a business.

- I don't mind going out tonight.

Infinitives and gerunds can often have the same function in a sentence, so sometimes it is difficult to decide whether a gerund or an infinitive are to be used. So, let's find out how to use gerund and infinitive correctly.

Use of gerund and infinitive

Gerund

Infinitive

1. is a subject:

Smoking is harmful.
Learning new vocabulary is very important.

1. is used after adjectives:

It is very important to learn new vocabulary.
It is fun to play video games on the weekend.

1. is used after prepositions (after, before, by, about, on, without):

Have a shower before going to bed.
I think about calling my grandma.

2. expresses the purpose:

The purpose of life is to be happy.
She studies English to work in an international company.

3. follows specific verbs (advise, avoid, enjoy, quit, etc.):

My sister avoids meeting her ex-boyfriend.
I enjoy cooking.

3. follows specific verbs (agree, learn, decide, manage, etc.):

He learned to ride a bike when he was a kid.
They managed to complete the task in time.

NOTE! Subject is not always the first word in a sentence.

To work in Asia you need to get a visa.

(to work – infinitive of purpose. You – is the subject.)

Living in Asia is not really expensive.

(Living – subject in the form of gerund.)

So, how should we know which words are followed by gerunds and which ones – by infinitives? The answer is quite simple! Below you can find the list of verbs followed by either infinitive or gerund. These verbs are to be memorized.

Verbs followed by gerund		Verbs followed by infinitive
avoid	tolerate	afford	pretend
can’t help	feel like	agree	promise
can’t stand	look forward to	arrange	refuse
consider	mind	attempt	encourage
dislike	miss	claim	decide
anticipate	fancy	want	tend
resist	recall	demand	threaten
imagine	postpone	deserve	train
admit	keep	expect	seem
mention	risk	fail	would like
recommend	spend (time)	guarantee	appear
give up	suggest	hesitate	care
delay	escape	hope	prepare
deny	go (for activities)	learn	swear
enjoy	It’s (not) worth …	manage	wait
finish	There’s no point (in) …	neglect	would love
involve	It’s no use …	offer	aim
end up	It’s a waste of time / money …	plan	strive
appreciate	It’s a waste of time / money …	plan	strive

When she *finished speaking*, she asked if anyone had any questions. I *look forward to seeing* you on Tuesday. It's *not worth arguing* with her. She never listens.		We *decided to attend* the conference but we *couldn't afford to book* a stand. People *tend to be* multi-skilled these days - they *expect to change* jobs more often.

Besides, you can use both -ing and infinitive after the following verbs:

begin, bother, can't bear, continue, hate, intend, like, love, prefer, start.

Don't bother waiting / to wait for me after the meeting.

NOTE! Use like, love, hate, prefer + -ing to talk about level of enjoyment.

Use infinitives to talk about a habit or preference.

I hate doing my expenses, but I like to get them in on time.

In addition, there are also verbs which we can use with both infinitive and gerund, but the meaning is different:

Stop + gerund means the action is not happening any more:	Stop + infinitive means that someone or something stops an activity so that they can do something else:
Stop talking, please.	We stopped at the petrol station to get some coffee.
Forget + gerund means to forget about something already done:	Forget + infinitive means to forget to do something you need to do:
I can’t forget meeting that guy at your party.	Don’t forget to lock the door before leaving.
Remember + gerund means to remember about something already done:	Remember + infinitive means to remember to do something you need to do:
I don't remember losing my keys.	This time I remembered to lock the door.
Regret + gerund means to regret about something already done:	Regret + infinitive means to regret about something you need to do:
She regretted being so rude.	I regret to inform you that you have failed the exam.

The topic of use of gerunds and infinitives may seem tricky at first, but a little effort in learning the rules and regular practice will allow you to use infinitives and gerunds fluently, which will greatly enrich your speech!

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Gerund and infinitive in English. Rules and features of use

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