GERUNDS AND INFINITIVES

VERBS + -ING
admit love
appreciate mention
can´t bear mind
can´t help miss
can´t stand postpone
carry on practise
consider prefer
delay put off
deny recommend
detest regret
dislike remember
enjoy resent
escape risk
face spend
fancy stop
feel like suggest
finish try
forget understand
forgive keep
give up be worth
go on it´s no good
hate it´s a waste of time
imagine it´s not worth
involve
it´s no use
like
can´t bear
can´t help

1
VERBS + TO + INFINITIVE
agree
aim intend
appear learn
arrange like
ask love
attempt manage
be able to mean
bear need
begin offer
can´t afford to plan
can´t stand prefer
can´t wait to prepare
cant´t bear pretend
care promise
choose propose
claim refuse
consent regret
decide remember*
deserve seem
determine start
expect stop
fail swear
forget teach
happen tend
hate threaten
have (got) to try
help want
hesitate wish
hope would like to

INFINITIVE WITHOUT TO
can
may
might
must
should
had better
would rather
hear
let
make
(except + passive: we were made to run in PE.)

2
GERUND or INFINITIVE WITH NO CHANGE OF MEANING
begin
start
continue
intend
bother
NORMALLY: We do not use -ing after -ing.

VERBS WITH -ING OR TO + INFINITIVE WITH CHANGE IN

MEANING
REMEMBER
• + INFINITIVE: you remember first, then you do it: Remember to lock the door.
• + -ING: you do sth, then you remember it: I could remember driving along the road
just before the accident.
FORGET
• INFINITIVE: you didn´t remember to do sth.
• + -ING: you did sth and you won´t forget it.
TRY
• INFINITIVE: make an effort to do sth: I tried to study the night before the test.
• + -ING: experiment to see if sth works: Try looking for the keys in your pockets.
REGRET
• INFINITIVE: I´m sorry that I have to say, inform, tell …: we regret to inform you that we
are unable to offer you the job.
• + -ING: I did it and now I´m sorry about it: I now regret saying what I said.

STOP
• INFINITIVE: stop in order to do sth: We stopped to have a coffe because we were tired.
• + -ING: stop sth you do: I stopped smoking because it is unhealthy.

CAN´T STAND/BEAR, HATE, LIKE, LOVE, PREFER:

• INFINITIVE: specific situation
• + -ING: general situation

3
COMMON VERBS FOLLOWED BY OBJECT + INFINITIVE
WITH TO

advise mean
allow need
ask oblige
cause order
command permit
encourage persuade
expect prefer
forbid press
force recommend
get remind
hate request
help teach
instruct tell
intend tempt
invite trouble
leave want
warn
like wish
Examples:
Who taught you to drive?
Can you remind me to phone Anne tomorrow?
I was warned not to touch the
switch.