Verb patterns: gerunds and infinitives

Gerunds are the -ing form of a verb, and infinitives are the to + base form. These words can be
confusing; they combine the meaning of a verb with the grammar of a noun.
 My father asked me to phone him. I enjoy talking with my father.
So, how is ‘to phone’ like a noun? Imagine the first sentence said: My father asked me a question. You
can see how a question and to phone have the same grammatical role. Similarly, you could
replace ‘talking’ with the noun conversation.
Using gerunds and infinitives correctly with verbs can be difficult because some verbs go with only the
infinitive or only the gerund, and others can go with either one.
 I enjoy going to the movies. (enjoy + -ing form only)
 Jason wants to visit a museum on Friday. (want + infinitive form only)
 Tony likes eating at restaurants. Tony likes to eat at restaurants. (like + either -ing or infinitive
form)
Another difficulty is that sometimes choosing the infinitive or the gerund will change the meaning of
the sentence.
 Mary stopped eating at six.
(Mary was eating, and at six o’clock, she stopped.)
 Mary stopped to eat at six.
(Mary was walking home, and at six o’clock she stopped walking and went into a café to eat.)
The best way to learn which verbs take infinitives, gerunds, or both, is to notice them in context when
you read, or to consult grammar references. Here are some of the most common verbs:
Followed by a gerund (-ing form)
admit, advise, consider, discuss, dislike, dread, enjoy, finish, mind, practise, recommend, suggest
Followed by an infinitive
agree, appear, choose, decide, expect, fail, hope, learn, need, refuse, seem, wait, want
Followed by either, usually with no change in meaning
begin, continue, hate, like, love, prefer, start
Followed by either, with a change in meaning
stop, regret, remember, forget, go on, try
Stop
When 'stop' is followed by the gerund, the verb in the gerund stops.
 I've stopped buying coffee – it's too expensive.
 I've stopped smoking - it's bad for my health.
When 'stop' is followed by the infinitive, we stop something else in order to do the verb in the
infinitive.
 I stopped to buy a coffee on the way into work this morning. (I stopped walking in order to buy
a coffee.)
 I stopped to have a cigarette (I stopped working in order to have a cigarette.)
Regret
When 'regret' is followed by the gerund you feel sorry about something you did – or didn't do - in the
past.
 I regret telling you I was going to enter that singing competition!
 You'll regret not finishing university.
When 'regret' is followed by the infinitive, you regret something you are about to say. Often used in
formal, written English with verbs 'tell', 'say' and 'inform'.
 We regret to inform you that your application has not been successful.
Go on
When 'go on' is followed by the gerund, the activity in the gerund continues.
 She went on talking about verbs for hours - she didn't stop! (She continued talking.)
 I can't go on living in this tiny house.
When 'go on' is followed by the infinitive, one action finishes and another and another action starts.
This is often the next stage in a process.
 After talking about verbs she went on to tell a joke. (She changed activity.)
 After finishing his novel, he went on to direct a couple of plays.
Remember/forget
When 'remember' or 'forget' are followed by the gerund it means you forget or remember something
you have done.
 I still remember being nervous on my first day of school.
 I'll never forget seeing his face
When 'remember' or 'forget' is followed by the infinitive, there is something you need to do and you
remember or forget to do it.
 I forgot to bring my lunch today.
 Remember to call your mother tonight!

Choose a correct preposition that goes with the verb at the end of the sentence
and put them into the gaps.

1.They decided________ the event to another country. It just wouldn't work

(MOVE).
2.Why couldn't you prevent your dog_____ my steak ? (EAT)
3.What are the advantages_____ a new car (BUY)?
4.Forget ______ Janet to come with us. She's with Bill this weekend (ASK)
5.To start writing good essays you have to begin ______ ideas and sorting
them. (COLLECT)
6.She tried to talk me_____ to the party with her, but I didn't want to (COME)
7.I must rely ______ you me the truth (TELL).
8.I am looking forward______ my relatives for the first time this summer.
(SEE)
9.I can't understand why people don't refrain ______. It's so bad for your
health. (SMOKE)
10.You can't blame me ______the train. (MISS)
11.You have a choice_______ with us and______ at home (COME, STAY)
12.The firemen prevented the fire ______to the other buildings (SPREAD).
13.I am not interested ______ to your old stories (LISTEN).
14.The headmaster gave us the opportunity _______ what we had achieved.
(EXPLAIN)

15. Thank you _____ me from my most powerful enemy. (SAVE)

1.Please let me apologise ______so impolite to you. (BE)
2.Can you eat an apple ______ your hands ? (USE)
3.Many young girls dream ______ a model (BECOME).
4.We thought ______ to another place next year (MOVE).
5.The young man was charged ________ goods over the border. (SMUGGLE)
6.There are many advantages ______ your own flat. (HAVE)
7.Please concentrate ______the basic words in your book. (LEARN)
8.The teacher insisted______ to my parents. (SPEAK)
9.He thanked us______ him in so late at night .(LET)
10.The manager succeeded ______the deal. (MAKE)
11.The group of technicians specialize ________on difficult problems. (WORK)
12.Let me begin ______you a short introduction of what we do. (GIVE)
13.If I were you I wouldn't brag _______ three girls in one week .(DATE)
14.I am not used ______ on the left. (DRIVE).
1.Do you remember _______ me about the pen yesterday? (ASK)
2.I suggest ________ the car here and going on foot (LEAVE).
3.He advised us ______ the hot oven (NOT TOUCH)
4.I used ______a lot but I haven't had any chance to since I got here (RIDE)
5.Ask him______ in. Don't keep him ______ outside! (COME, WAIT)
6.When I caught the manager______ I stopped ______petrol there and went
somewhere else. (CHEAT, BUY)
7.He is talking about ______ up his job and _____ in the city (GIVE, LIVE).
8.I don't mind _____ next to Rudy (SIT).
9.Are you interested in _______ the whole story (HEAR).
15.I can't stand always _________up your room. You have to do it yourself some day.
(CLEAN)
 1.Isabelle enjoys _______ for her guests (COOK)
2.Are you really accusing me of ______money ? (STEAL)
3.Don't forget______ the door (LOCK)
4.He insisted on ______ me, even though I didn't need him (HELP)
5.I was just about _____ the office when the phone rang (LEAVE)
6.Elephants are known______ a fantastic memory (HAVE)
7.My favourite hobby is _____ books (READ).
8.My new trousers need______ (CLEAN)
9.I always try to avoid________ on my parents' nerves (GET)

Expedition in the mountains

Put the verbs in brackets into the infinitive or gerund.

Paul and Simon decided ______ (GO) on an expedition in the mountains. They
considered _____ (TOUR) Scotland, but then agreed ______ (GO) to Wales instead.
Although Paul is accustomed to______ (WALK) in the hills and mountains, Simon had never
been before. He normally objected to____ (DO) anything dangerous, but he
agreed____ (TAKE) part this time. They remembered ______ (TAKE) a lot of equipment with
them to avoid ______ (GET) into trouble, but unfortunately, during their trip there was a
terrible storm. On their journey a professional mountaineer spotted them and they were
made _____ (STOP) their journey temporarily. They agreed that it was no use ____ (TRY) to
continue in such bad weather conditions so they ended up _____ (SET) up camp in the
mountains. Eventually the storm stopped and although they were cold, wet and starving they
couldn't resist ______ (FINISH) their climb. They thought it would make a good
story ____ (TELL) their friends.

Fill in Gerund or Infinitive (with or without to)

Slow Food
The Slow Food movement was founded the day that an Italian journalist, Carlo
Petrini, saw that McDonald’s had opened a restaurant in Piazza di Spagna, the
beautiful square in Rome. He thought it was tragic that many people today live
too quickly _____ (SIT) down for a proper meal and only eat mass-produced fast
food. He decided ______(TRY) to do something about it and so he started the Slow
Food Movement. Although he didn’t succeed in _____ (BAN) McDonald’s from
Piazza di Spagna, slow food has become a global organization and now has more
than 80,000 members in over a hundred countries.

“We believe in people _____ (TAKE) time to enjoy the food that they eat”, says
Fiona Richmond of Slow Food UK.

Slow food also encourages people ____(EAT) local and regional food, _____ (USE)
shops and markets and ______(DINE) out in small family restaurants. Says
Richmond, “There is nothing more satisfying than _____ (RELAX) around a table
with friends. The pleasure of _____ (EAT) quality food should be celebrated.
Slow Cities
The idea of “Cittaslow” or “Slow Cities” was inspired by the Slow Food movement
and was started by the mayor of the Italian town of Greve in Tuscany. The aim
of Slow Cities is _____ (MAKE) our towns places where people enjoy _____ (LIVE)
and _____ (WORK), and where they value and protect the things that make the
town different. Towns which are interested in____ (BECOME) a slow city must
reduce traffic and noise, increase the number of green areas and build pedestrian
zones.

Many other small towns in Italy have been persuaded _____ (JOIN) the movement
and it has spread to other countries all over the world.

Slow Cities are about _____ (HAVE) a community life in the town, so people don’t
come home from work, shut their doors and that’s it.

Fill in LET , HAVE or MAKE in the correct tense.

Our father doesn’t ____ us watch TV.
1.“I will ____you run” the angry coach shouted.
2.Lucy asked” Do your parents ____ you go to the disco?”
3.Sad movies sometimes ____me cry.
4.Dr Smith ____his nurse take the patient’s temperature.
5.John ____ his bike repaired by some of his friends yesterday.
6.Robbers usually ____you give all the money to them.
7.Our father will _____ us clean up our room today.
8.People will help you if you ____ them.
9.I____ my watch repaired by the jeweler.
10.Mr Levine ______ his secretary call the minister and confirm the meeting tomorrow.
11.I _____ the mechanics check the brakes of the car yesterday.
12.Sam really wanted a dog but his parents wouldn’t _____ him have a pet.
13.The professor _____each of her students write an essay.
14.Diane thinks watching TV is a waste of time so she won’t ____ her children watch
TV.
15.I ______ the car washed yesterday, but it’s dirty again