Infinitives and gerunds: Verb patterns
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Infinitives and Gerunds: Verb Patterns
📘 Use Gerund (-ing)
Use the gerund (-ing) in these contexts:
- When the verb is the subject of a sentence:
✅ Reading on tablets and phones isn’t very good for your eyes. - After a preposition:
✅ I’m tired of waiting. Let’s go home. - After some verbs:
✅ I don’t mind waiting.
✅ She recommended visiting this museum.
🔹 Common Verbs + Gerund
These verbs are typically followed by a gerund:
- avoid, enjoy, finish, hate, keep, like, love, don’t mind, prefer
- recommend, spend time, stop, suggest, miss, imagine, consider
Negative Gerund
Form: not + -ing
- He enjoys not having to wake up early at weekends.
📗 Use Infinitive Without “to”
Use the base form of the verb (infinitive without “to”) after:
- Auxiliary verbs (do, does, did) in questions and negatives:
✅ He didn’t say anything.
✅ Does Tim work with you?
✅ I don’t believe you. - Modal verbs (will, can, must, should, might, may):
✅ You should come with us.
✅ I can’t play the guitar.
📙 Use “to + infinitive”
Use to + verb in these contexts:
- After adjectives:
✅ It’s important to arrive early at the station. - To express reason or purpose (why):
✅ I went to Madrid to visit some family.
✅ I need time to study for the exam. - After question words:
✅ I don’t know what to eat.
✅ I want to learn how to play the guitar. - After some verbs:
✅ Don’t forget to call me.
✅ She seems to be distracted.
🔹 Common Verbs + to-infinitive
These verbs are typically followed by “to + infinitive”:
- ask, decide, forget, help, hope, learn, need, offer, plan, promise
- remember, seem, try, want, would like, would love, would hate, would prefer
Negative Infinitive
Form: not to + verb
- She decided not to enter the competition.
💡 Remember:
- Gerund = -ing → used as a noun
- To-infinitive = to + verb → used for purpose, future, or after specific verbs
- No “to” after modals or do/does/did → use base verb only