Some English verbs are followed by a second verb in the -ing form. Some are followed by to plus the base verb. A few accept both, and the meaning changes. There is no single logic that predicts the choice, but there are clear groups, and the groups cover the verbs people actually use.
The -ing form used as a noun is called a gerund: "Swimming is good exercise." The to form is called the infinitive: "I want to swim." Both can be the subject or the object of a sentence, but each main verb has its own habit.
This page gives you the two big verb lists, the "two objects" pattern with want and tell, and the famous meaning-changing pairs: stop, remember, forget, try and go on.
The rule
The two forms and their jobs
- Gerund: verb plus -ing, used like a noun. "Reading helps me relax."
- Infinitive: to plus the base verb. "I decided to read the book."
- Both can be the subject: "Swimming is fun", "To swim in that lake is dangerous". The gerund is far more common as a subject.
- The choice usually belongs to the first verb, not to the second: enjoy takes -ing, decide takes to.
Verbs that take the gerund (-ing)
- enjoy, finish, avoid, suggest, mind, keep, practise, admit, consider, risk, deny, imagine, recommend.
- "I enjoy cooking." "She avoided answering the question." "They suggested going by train."
- Any preposition takes the gerund: "good at drawing", "interested in learning", "before leaving", "instead of waiting".
- Fixed phrases with a preposition take the gerund too: look forward to, be used to, get used to, object to.
Verbs that take the infinitive (to + verb)
- want, need, decide, hope, plan, promise, agree, offer, refuse, learn, afford, manage, choose, expect.
- "I want to help." "He promised to call." "We cannot afford to wait."
- After adjectives, use the infinitive: "happy to help", "ready to leave", "easy to use".
- After too and enough, use the infinitive: "too tired to cook", "old enough to drive".
Verb plus object plus to
- Some verbs name the person first, then use to: want, ask, tell, advise, invite, remind, expect, allow, persuade, encourage.
- "She wants me to help." Not "She wants that I help."
- "They asked us to wait." "He reminded me to lock the door."
- With make, let and help, the to disappears: "She made me laugh", "Let me go", "Help me carry this".
Both forms, different meaning
- Stop smoking: end the habit. Stop to smoke: pause in order to smoke.
- Remember locking the door: have a memory of the action. Remember to lock the door: do not forget to do it.
- Forget meeting her: not remember a past event. Forget to meet her: fail to do the task.
- Try pushing the button: experiment with a method. Try to push the button: make an effort, which may fail.
- Go on talking: continue the same activity. Go on to talk about: move to a new topic. Like and love take both with almost no change.
Examples
- I enjoy reading before bed.Enjoy takes the gerund.
- She finished writing the report at midnight.Finish takes the gerund.
- He avoided looking at me.Avoid takes the gerund.
- They suggested taking the earlier train.Suggest takes the gerund.
- I want to learn Portuguese.Want takes the infinitive.
- She promised to send the file today.Promise takes the infinitive.
- We decided to stay another night.Decide takes the infinitive.
- He asked me to close the door.Object plus to after ask.
- Please remember to lock the door.Remember to do a future task.
- I remember locking the door, so the house is safe.Remember doing a past action.
Common mistakes
- Wrong: I enjoy to read. Right: I enjoy reading.
- Enjoy is followed by the gerund, never by the infinitive.
- Wrong: I look forward to see you. Right: I look forward to seeing you.
- The "to" in this phrase is a preposition, so the next verb takes -ing.
- Wrong: She wants that I come early. Right: She wants me to come early.
- Want does not take a that-clause. The pattern is want plus object plus to.
- Wrong: He suggested to go home. Right: He suggested going home.
- Suggest takes the gerund. (You can also say "He suggested that we go home.")
- Wrong: I decided going to Spain. Right: I decided to go to Spain.
- Decide takes the infinitive.
Practice drill
Answer all 20 questions. Each answer is marked at once, and the rule is explained under the question.
I enjoy ___ in the sea.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A. swimming Enjoy takes the gerund: enjoy swimming.
She decided ___ the job offer.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B. to accept Decide takes the infinitive: decided to accept.
They suggested ___ a taxi.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C. taking Suggest takes the gerund: suggested taking.
We hope ___ you again soon.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: D. to see Hope takes the infinitive: hope to see.
He finished ___ the emails at nine.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A. writing Finish takes the gerund: finished writing.
I am interested in ___ Japanese.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B. learning After a preposition, use the gerund: interested in learning.
She promised ___ me a postcard.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C. to send Promise takes the infinitive: promised to send.
Please remember ___ the door when you leave.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: D. to lock Remember to lock means do not forget to do it later. Remember locking would mean a memory of having locked it.
I remember ___ the door, so do not worry.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A. locking Remember doing means have a memory of the action.
He stopped ___ two years ago.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B. smoking Stop doing something means end the activity. Stop to smoke would mean pause in order to smoke.
We stopped ___ a coffee on the way home.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C. to have Stop to do something expresses purpose: we paused in order to have a coffee.
She avoided ___ my question.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: D. answering Avoid takes the gerund: avoided answering.
I cannot afford ___ a new car this year.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A. to buy Afford takes the infinitive: afford to buy.
They invited us ___ with them.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B. to stay Invite follows the verb plus object plus to pattern: invited us to stay.
My parents made me ___ the piano every day.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C. practise Make plus object takes the base verb without to: made me practise.
Do you mind ___ the window?
Show answer and explanation
Answer: D. closing Mind takes the gerund: mind closing.
I am looking forward to ___ from you.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A. hearing "To" in look forward to is a preposition, so the verb after it takes -ing.
He refused ___ the offer.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B. to accept Refuse takes the infinitive: refused to accept.
Try ___ the button again. Maybe it works now.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C. pressing Try doing means experiment with a method. Try to press suggests effort that might fail.
We plan ___ a house next year.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: D. to buy Plan takes the infinitive: plan to buy.
Questions learners ask
Is there a rule for which verbs take -ing and which take to?
No complete rule, because the pattern comes from the history of each verb. Two practical rules cover most cases. First, every preposition takes the gerund: interested in learning, before leaving, look forward to seeing. Second, verbs about plans, promises and wishes (want, decide, hope, plan, promise, offer) take the infinitive. Learn the groups on this page and check a dictionary for anything else.
What about "like", "love" and "hate"?
These verbs take both forms with almost no change in meaning: "I like reading" and "I like to read" are both correct. There is a small tendency: the -ing form describes enjoyment of the activity, and the to form describes a habit or a choice you consider sensible. Learners can use either one.
Why does "stop smoking" not mean "stop to smoke"?
The gerund is the object of stop: you end the activity. The infinitive expresses purpose: you stop doing something else in order to smoke. The same logic explains "remember locking the door" (a memory) versus "remember to lock the door" (a task for later), and "try pushing" (an experiment) versus "try to push" (an effort).
More grammar topics
Past continuous
Was or were plus -ing: the action in progress, the interruption, and the background of a story.
Past simple vs past continuous
The event or the background: choosing the right past tense, and how when and while help.
Will vs going to
The future has two shapes: will for decisions made now, going to for plans and visible evidence.
Take the free A1 to C2 level test to find your starting point.