B1daily

Gerunds & Infinitives - Daily English

Type your answer in each blank and press Enter to check it, or use Check answers below. A cue in (brackets) is the word to put in the right form.

When one verb follows another, English usually forces a choice: the second verb appears either as a gerund (the -ing form) or as an infinitive (to + base verb). The pattern is fixed by the first verb, so the safest approach is to learn verbs in groups. Some verbs take a gerund: "We finished reviewing the contract." Verbs like enjoy, avoid, consider, suggest and recommend behave this way. Others take an infinitive: "I decided to accept their offer." Verbs like want, plan, agree, hope and offer follow this pattern. After prepositions, always use a gerund: "She is responsible for managing the team" and "Thank you for joining the call." A useful rule of thumb: if you can put a preposition before the verb, you need the -ing form. A small group (start, begin, continue, like, prefer) takes either form with little change in meaning. A trickier group changes meaning: "I stopped to check my email" (you paused in order to check it) versus "I stopped checking my email" (you no longer check it); "remember to send" (a task ahead) versus "remember sending" (a memory of the past). The most common pitfall is defaulting to the infinitive after every verb, which produces errors such as "I suggest to meet on Tuesday", it should be "I suggest meeting on Tuesday." When unsure, check whether the verb belongs to a gerund group, an infinitive group, or the meaning-changing set.

Let's practise. Type each answer and press Enter, I'll check it with you.

  1. I really enjoy (cook) Italian food for my friends.
  2. My brother decided (buy) a new laptop for university.
  3. We should avoid (travel) during the rush hour.
  4. She promised (help) me with my housework this weekend.
  5. Do you mind (open) the window? It is very hot in here.
  6. They plan (visit) their grandparents next month.
  7. He finished (do) his homework an hour ago.
  8. I hope (see) you at the party on Saturday.
  9. Sarah suggested (go) to the new Italian restaurant.
  10. My parents refused (pay) for the broken window.
  11. We practiced (speak) English during our lunch break.
  12. Mark wants (learn) how to play the guitar.
  13. I can't afford (go) on holiday this year.
  14. They kept (talk) even though the teacher was speaking.
  15. Would you like (drink) some tea with us?
  16. She admitted (break) the expensive vase.
  17. It is difficult (wake) up early on Mondays.
  18. He offered (carry) my heavy shopping bags.
  19. I don't feel like (watch) a movie tonight.
  20. We chose (stay) in a small hotel near the beach.
  21. Tom loves (play) football in the park.
  22. They managed (arrive) at the airport on time.
  23. I miss (live) near the mountains.
  24. She expects (receive) a letter from her cousin soon.
  25. We considered (move) to a bigger house.

Common questions

How do I know whether to use a gerund or an infinitive after a verb?

The first verb decides. Learn verbs in groups: enjoy, avoid, consider, suggest and recommend take the gerund ("I avoid scheduling calls before nine"); want, decide, plan, agree and offer take the infinitive ("We agreed to extend the deadline"). There is no shortcut rule that covers them all, so memorise the common verbs and confirm any you are unsure about.

What is the difference between "remember to do" and "remember doing"?

"Remember to do" points forward to a task: "Please remember to copy me on the reply" (do it). "Remember doing" points back to a memory: "I remember sending that file last week" (it already happened). The same split applies to stop, forget and regret. "I stopped to read it" means you paused in order to read; "I stopped reading it" means you quit.

Which form do I use after a preposition, for example after "interested in" or "good at"?

Always use the gerund (-ing) after a preposition. Say "I am interested in joining the project," "She is good at negotiating," and "Thank you for waiting." A common mistake is the infinitive, as in "interested to join" or "good at to negotiate", both are wrong. If a verb directly follows in, at, for, of, about, on or by, put it in the -ing form.