VERB LIST: INFINITIVES AND GERUNDS

Verbs Followed by an Infinitive She agreed to speak before the game. agree aim appear arrange ask attempt be able beg begin care choose condescend consent continue dare decide deserve detest dislike expect fail forget get happen have hesitate hope hurry intend leap leave like long love mean neglect offer ought plan prefer prepare proceed promise propose refuse remember say shoot start stop strive swear threaten try use wait want wish

Verbs Followed by an Object and an Infinitive Everyone expected her to win. advise allow ask beg bring build buy challenge choose command dare direct encourage expect forbid force have hire instruct invite lead leave let like love motivate order pay permit persuade prepare promise remind require send teach tell urge want warn

Note: Some of these verbs are included in the list above and may be used without an object.

Verbs Followed by a Gerund They enjoyed working on the boat. admit advise delay deny finish forbid permit postpone resist resume

appreciate avoid can't help complete consider

detest dislike enjoy escape excuse

get through have imagine mind miss

practice quit recall report resent

risk spend (time) suggest tolerate waste (time)

Verbs Followed by a Preposition and a Gerund We concentrated on doing well. admit to depend on plan on approve of disapprove of prevent (someone) from argue about discourage from refrain from believe in dream about succeed in care about feel like talk about complain about forget about think about concentrate on insist on worry about confess to object to

Verbs + Gerund & Verbs + Infinitive

Many of you have asked me about this forever-confusing topic: "what is the rule for using a verb in gerund form, or infinitive form, after another verb?" Examples: It started raining. I avoid getting in trouble. OR OR It started to rain. I avoid to get in trouble.

Rule # 1: there is no rule! This is one of those cases that we just have to know it! We just have to be used to the way it is. How?? By practicing the language! The more you read and observe and pay attention to what you are reading, the more you will get it! Here are some examples of usage: I recommend studying English every day to become fluent. Do you recall inviting her to the party? I don't mind going to the beach when is raining. They enjoy reading my books! I resent talking to you. I failed to arrive in time for the meeting. Susan cannot afford to go to Italy this year. You deserve to have a better job! You know English so well! I am not expecting to arrive there before noon. Shoul I choose to drive the car or the truck?

When in doubt, check out the list below:

Verbs Followed by Gerund acknowledge admit adore anticipate appreciate avoid celebrate confess contemplate delay deny describe detest discuss dislike dread endure enjoy fancy finish imagine involve keep justify mention mind miss omit

Verbs Followed by Infinitive afford agree appear arrange ask attempt care choose claim come consent dare decide demand deserve determine elect endeavour expect fail get guarentee hesitate hope hurry incline intend learn

postpone practice quit recall recommend regret report resent resume risk suggest tolerate understand

long manage mean need offer plan prepare pretend promise refuse resolve say seem tend threaten want wish

Verbs that can be used in both forms: without change of meaning:

prefer / start / beging / continue / hate / neglect / like / love / help In this case, we often use the gerund form in general situations; and the infinitive in specific situations.

Examples: a) I prefer to call you tomorrow, because I'll be free. (specific situation) b) I prefer calling people than emailing them. (general situation)

With a change in meaning:

stop / try / forget / remember

Examples: STOP: a) I will stop to buy lottery tickets. b) I will stop buying lottery tickets.

Is there a difference between those two sentences? Yes, there is!!! In fact, they mean opposite things!

In example (a) I am saying that I will stop at a place and I will buy lottery tickets. I will stop in order to buy them. In example (b) I am saying that I will stop/cease doing something. "Buying" is a noun here - not a verb. "Buying" here is "the act of buying" - it's a thing, an event. I will interrupt my habit of buying lottery tickets => I will stop buying lottery tickets.

You do this one now: a) I will stop to eat snacks on my way home. b) I will stop eating snacks on my way home.

Which one says that I won't eat snacks on my way home anymore; and which one says that I will stop the car when I am on my way home and I will eat some snacks?

As you see, "parar para comer" and "parar de comer" tm sentidos bem opostos!

TIP: you must recognize if the verb after "stop" is a verb in action or a verb with noun function. If it's action, must be infinitive; if it's noun it takes the gerund form. Same principle applies to the other verbs: try, forget, remember

TRY: a) Please try to do your homework this evening. "Try to do something" implies making an effort to start something. In other words: Please, make an effort to do your homework this evening.

b) I have an idea! Try doing your homework in the evenings. "Try doing something" implies suggestion: experiment the option of doing your homework in the evenings instead of in the mornings. Again, as you see in example (a), "to do" is a verb; and in example (b) "doing" is a noun (an option of doing something).

REMEMBER: a) I didn't remember to turn the lights off when I left. It means: At that specific moment in past I didn't remember to perform an action: to turn the lights off.... (to turn = verb / infinitive form) b) I don't remember turning the lights off when I left. It means: At this present moment I don't recall the moment or the event in the past of turning off the lights. (turning = noun / gerund form)

Do you REMEMBER learnING how to ride a bike or how to drive a car? All learnings are like this, slow at first, then we improve naturally - if we persist and practice the skill! So, STOP procrastinatING and TRY puttING more attention when you read! STOP TO think about this and TRY TO REMEMBER TO read these tips when you are in doubt about what to use (infinitive or gerund). And, if you haven't got these differences yet, ask me and I'll explain it all again.

II. In English, if you want to follow a verb with another action, you must use a gerund or infinitive. For example:
We resumed talking. (gerund verb + ing) I want to see a movie. (infinitive to + base

verb)

There are certain verbs that can only be followed by one or the other, and these verbs must be memorized. Many of these verbs are listed below.

Common verbs followed by a gerund:

Example: He misses playing with his friends.

abhor acknowledge admit advise allow anticipate appreciate avoid be worth cant help celebrate confess consider defend delay detest discontinue discuss dislike dispute dread endure enjoy escape evade explain fancy fear feel like feign finish forgive give up (stop) keep (continue) keep on mention

mind (object to) miss necessitate omit permit picture postpone practice prevent put off recall recollect recommend report resent resist resume risk shirk shun suggest support tolerate understand urge warrant

Common verbs followed by an infinitive:

Example: She threatened to quit if she didn't get a raise.

agree appear arrange ask attempt beg can/cant afford can/cant wait care chance choose claim come consent dare

decide demand deserve determine elect endeavor expect fail get grow (up) guarantee hesitate hope hurry incline learn manage mean need neglect offer pay plan prepare pretend profess promise prove refuse remain request resolve say seek seem shudder strive struggle swear tend threaten turn out venture volunteer wait want wish would like yearn

Verbs followed by a gerund or infinitive with little to no change in meaning:

Example: It started to rain. / It started raining.

begin cant bear cant stand continue hate like love prefer propose start

Verbs followed by a gerund or infinitive with a change in meaning:

I forgot to meet him.

forget

(I didnt meet him because I forgot to do it.)

I forgot meeting him.

(I dont have the memory of meeting him before.)

He went on to learn English and French.

go on

(He ended one period of time before this.)

He went on learning English and French.

(He continued learning the languages.)

She quit to work here.

quit

(She quit another job in order to work here.)

She quit working here.

(She quit her job here. She doesnt work here anymore.)
I regret promising to help you.

regret

(Im sorry that I made the promise.)

I regret to tell you that we can't hire you.

(Im telling you now, and Im sorry.)

She remembered to visit her grandmother.

remember She stop

(She didnt forget to visit.)

remembered visiting her grandmother.

(She had memories of this time.)

I stopped to call you.

(I interrupted another action in order to call you.)

I stopped calling you.

(I stopped this activity. Maybe we had a fight.)

I tried to open the window.

try

(I attempted this action but didnt succeed.)

I tried opening the window.

(This was one option I sampled. Maybe the room was hot.)