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Level: B1-B2

Gerund or Infinitive? — Practice

Why is it enjoy swimming but want to go? When one verb follows another, the first verb decides the form of the second — and the groups simply have to be memorized. Drill them with 28 correct/incorrect pairs with audio.

📝 Verbs unit · lesson 12 of 17 ⏱ about 7 minutes 🔊 every example has audio

Builds on The 5 Verb Forms Next in unit Identify Verbs →

  • Verbs followed by -ing (gerund)
  • She enjoys swimming. – Correct
  • She enjoys to swim. – Incorrect (needs -ing)
  • He finished doing his homework. – Correct
  • He finished to do his homework. – Incorrect (needs -ing)
  • Please avoid touching the wet paint. – Correct
  • Please avoid to touch the wet paint. – Incorrect (needs -ing)
  • She keeps forgetting my name. – Correct
  • She keeps to forget my name. – Incorrect (needs -ing)
  • Do you mind waiting a few minutes? – Correct
  • Do you mind to wait a few minutes? – Incorrect (needs -ing)
  • He suggested taking the train. – Correct
  • He suggested to take the train. – Incorrect (needs -ing)
  • I practice speaking English every day. – Correct
  • I practice to speak English every day. – Incorrect (needs -ing)
  • Verbs followed by to + verb (infinitive)
  • I want to go home. – Correct
  • I want going home. – Incorrect (needs to + verb)
  • They decided to move to Texas. – Correct
  • They decided moving to Texas. – Incorrect (needs to + verb)
  • We hope to see you soon. – Correct
  • We hope seeing you soon. – Incorrect (needs to + verb)
  • She plans to study medicine. – Correct
  • She plans studying medicine. – Incorrect (needs to + verb)
  • He is learning to drive. – Correct
  • He is learning driving. – Incorrect (needs to + verb)
  • I promise to call you tonight. – Correct
  • I promise calling you tonight. – Incorrect (needs to + verb)
  • She refused to answer. – Correct
  • She refused answering. – Incorrect (needs to + verb)