{"id":27143,"date":"2025-10-14T07:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-10-14T05:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ellalanguage.com\/blog\/?p=27143"},"modified":"2025-09-19T12:44:49","modified_gmt":"2025-09-19T10:44:49","slug":"en-gerund-vs-infinitive","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ellalanguage.com\/blog\/en-gerund-vs-infinitive\/","title":{"rendered":"Gerund vs Infinitive \u2014 How to Use Them"},"content":{"rendered":"

What Are Gerunds and Infinitives?<\/h1>\n
Gerund = verb + -ing<\/strong><\/div>\n
Example:<\/em> working, swimming, reading<\/div>\n
Infinitive = to + base verb<\/strong><\/div>\n
Example:<\/em> to work, to swim, to read<\/div>\n
\n

When Do We Use Gerunds?<\/h2>\n
After certain verbs showing feelings or states<\/div>\n
She likes cooking<\/strong> dinner every night.<\/div>\n
They hate waiting<\/strong> in traffic.<\/div>\n
After prepositions<\/div>\n
Are you interested in learning<\/strong> Spanish?<\/div>\n
He is afraid of flying<\/strong>.<\/div>\n
As the subject of a sentence<\/div>\n
Running<\/strong> helps me relax.<\/div>\n
Swimming<\/strong> is good exercise.<\/div>\n
In compound nouns<\/div>\n
I bought new fishing rods.<\/strong><\/div>\n
They installed a parking lot.<\/strong><\/div>\n
After some expressions<\/div>\n
I can\u2019t stand listening<\/strong> to loud music.<\/div>\n
It\u2019s no use crying<\/strong> over spilled milk.<\/div>\n
After movement verbs<\/div>\n
We like to go hiking<\/strong> on weekends.<\/div>\n
She came running<\/strong> when she heard the news.<\/div>\n
After phrasal verbs<\/div>\n
He gave up smokin<\/strong>g last year.<\/div>\n
She put off meeting<\/strong> him.<\/div>\n
\n

When Do We Use Infinitives?<\/h2>\n
As the subject of a sentence (sometimes)<\/div>\n
To travel<\/strong> is my dream.<\/div>\n
To learn<\/strong> a new language takes time.<\/div>\n
To show intention or desire<\/div>\n
I want to start<\/strong> a new hobby.<\/div>\n
They hope to visit<\/strong> Japan next year.<\/div>\n
To explain how something can be used<\/div>\n
I need a book to read<\/strong>.<\/div>\n
Do you want something to drink<\/strong>?<\/div>\n
After adjectives<\/div>\n
It\u2019s nice to meet<\/strong> you.<\/div>\n
I\u2019m happy to help<\/strong>.<\/div>\n
After \u201ctoo\u201d and \u201cenough\u201d<\/div>\n
It\u2019s too cold to go<\/strong> outside.<\/div>\n
She\u2019s tall enough to reach<\/strong> the shelf.<\/div>\n
After expressions like would like, would love, would hate<\/div>\n
I would like to learn<\/strong> guitar.<\/div>\n
She would hate to miss<\/strong> the concert.<\/div>\n
After \u201cto\u201d or question words<\/div>\n
I don\u2019t know where to find<\/strong> it.<\/div>\n
Can you tell me how to get<\/strong> there?<\/div>\n
\n

Bare Infinitive (without \u201cto\u201d)<\/h2>\n

Use the base verb (bare infinitive) after:<\/p>\n

Modal verbs (can, must, should)<\/div>\n
You must finish<\/strong> your homework.<\/div>\n
She can drive<\/strong> a car.<\/div>\n
Make and let<\/div>\n
Don\u2019t make me wait<\/strong>!<\/div>\n
Let\u2019s go<\/strong> now.<\/div>\n
Had better<\/div>\n
You had better call<\/strong> her.<\/div>\n
Why (in questions)<\/div>\n
Why leave<\/strong> so early?<\/div>\n
\n

When Gerund and Infinitive Both Work (with meaning changes)<\/h2>\n
I love to watch<\/strong> movies. = I love watching<\/strong> movies. (same meaning)<\/div>\n
I stopped to smoke<\/strong>. = I stopped what I was doing to smoke.<\/div>\n
I stopped smoking<\/strong>. = I quit smoking.<\/div>\n
I forgot to lock<\/strong> the door. = I didn\u2019t lock the door.<\/div>\n
I forgot locking<\/strong> the door. = I don\u2019t remember locking the door.<\/div>\n
\n

How to Form Gerunds<\/h2>\n

Add -ing<\/strong> to the base verb:<\/p>\n

jump \u2192 jumping
\nread \u2192 reading<\/div>\n

Rules:<\/h3>\n
Double last consonant if one syllable, vowel before consonant:<\/div>\n
run \u2192 running
\nsit \u2192 sitting<\/div>\n
Double last consonant if last syllable stressed in multisyllable words:<\/div>\n
begin \u2192 beginning
\nadmit \u2192 admitting<\/div>\n
Don\u2019t double if two vowels before last consonant:<\/div>\n
read \u2192 reading
\nclean \u2192 cleaning<\/div>\n
Drop \u201ce\u201d before adding -ing<\/strong>:<\/div>\n
make \u2192 making
\nwrite \u2192 writing<\/div>\n
Change \u201cie\u201d to \u201cy\u201d:<\/div>\n
lie \u2192 lying
\ndie \u2192 dying<\/div>\n
Add \u201ck\u201d if ends with \u201cc\u201d:<\/div>\n
panic \u2192 panicking
\npicnic \u2192 picnicking<\/div>\n

Verbs Commonly Followed by Gerunds<\/h2>\n

(admit, avoid, enjoy, finish, keep, miss, suggest\u2026)<\/p>\n

She avoids eating<\/strong> junk food.<\/div>\n
We enjoy playing<\/strong> tennis.<\/div>\n
He keeps calling<\/strong> me every day.<\/div>\n
They suggest going<\/strong> earlier.<\/div>\n
\n

Verbs Commonly Followed by Infinitives<\/h2>\n

(agree, decide, expect, hope, learn, plan, promise\u2026)<\/p>\n

I agree to help<\/strong> you.<\/div>\n
She decided to leave<\/strong> early.<\/div>\n
We hope to arrive<\/strong> soon.<\/div>\n
He plans to buy<\/strong> a new car.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n

\"English?<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

What Are Gerunds and Infinitives? Gerund = verb + -ing Example: working, swimming, reading Infinitive = to + base verb Example: to work, to swim, to read When Do We Use Gerunds? After certain verbs showing feelings or states She likes cooking dinner every night. They hate waiting in traffic. After prepositions Are you interested […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":27145,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[14349,57],"tags":[68],"class_list":["post-27143","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-englishblog","category-grammar","tag-grammar"],"yoast_head":"\nGerund vs Infinitive \u2014 How to Use Them | ELLA<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Understand the difference between gerunds and infinitives. 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