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Gerunds and infinitives: more patterns
B1 B1 grammar · lesson 13 of 23
At A2 you learned that some verbs take -ing and some take to + verb. Now you will learn more patterns that make your English sound natural and correct.
Quick review
Some verbs are followed by a gerund (-ing): enjoy, finish, mind, avoid, suggest, keep, practise, imagine, miss. Others are followed by an infinitive (to + verb): want, decide, hope, plan, promise, agree, refuse, learn, manage, offer.
Ken avoids driving in the city centre.
We managed to find a parking space.
Gerund patterns
| Pattern | Example |
|---|---|
| -ing as the subject of a sentence | Swimming is good for your back. |
| after prepositions (in, at, of, about, before, after, without…) | She’s good at drawing. |
| after look forward to | I’m looking forward to seeing you. |
| after can’t stand, don’t mind, it’s worth | The film is worth watching. |
Infinitive patterns
| Pattern | Example |
|---|---|
| adjective + to | It’s easy to learn. I was happy to help. |
| verb + object + to (want, ask, tell, help, invite, allow, teach, would like) | My parents want me to study law. |
| question word + to | I don’t know what to say. |
| too / enough + to | He’s too young to drive. |
Learning a language takes time.
Mia left without saying goodbye.
I’m interested in joining the club.
Tom’s parents want him to become a doctor.
The teacher asked us to work in pairs.
Can you show me how to use this machine?
It’s important to drink enough water.
Like, love, hate, prefer, start
Some verbs can take both forms with little change in meaning: I love cooking / I love to cook. But after would like / would love / would prefer, use to: I’d like to cook for you.
Common mistakes
✗ I’m thinking about to change my job.
✓ I’m thinking about changing my job.
✗ She wants that I help her.
✓ She wants me to help her.
✗ Smoke is bad for your health.
✓ Smoking is bad for your health.
✗ I look forward to hear from you.
✓ I look forward to hearing from you.