Exercises for this card
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A2 · ⑭ -ing or to
Gerund or infinitive
Some verbs want -ing, some want to. It is not about meaning — it is about the verb in front.
45minthe whole
sheet
36questions
in the practice
3pages,
one at a time
01 · First page · which side is the verb on
The switch
These verbs take -ing
- enjoy · I enjoy reading
- finish · finish working
- avoid · avoid making noise
- mind · do you mind waiting?
- suggest · suggest going
- practise · practise speaking
- keep · keep trying
- miss · I miss seeing them
These verbs take to
- want · I want to go
- decide · decide to stay
- hope · hope to see you
- need · need to leave
- promise · promise to call
- learn · learn to drive
- offer · offer to help
- manage · manage to finish
gerund: The gerund is the verb with -ing used as a noun. It can be the subject of a sentence, the object of another verb, or come after a preposition: Swimming is good for you. I enjoy swimming. She is good at swimming.
infinitive with to: The infinitive with to names the action without placing it in time. After many verbs it carries an idea of aim or of something not yet done: I want to leave, I hope to see you, I need to ask.
after a preposition: This is the one place where there is no list to learn: after ANY preposition the verb always takes -ing. before leaving, without asking, interested in learning, good at cooking, instead of waiting. No exceptions.
- I enjoy cooking.
- She wants to leave early.
- Thanks for helping me.
- He is good at drawing.
- We decided to stay.
| What follows | ||
|---|---|---|
| Position | Form | Example |
| after a preposition | always -ing | before leaving · without asking |
| after a modal | always the bare verb | must go · can swim |
| as the subject of a sentence | usually -ing | Smoking is bad for you. |
| to express a purpose | always to | I came here to study. |
| after a listed verb | whatever that verb takes | enjoy reading · want to read |
Golden rule
Do not ask what the second verb means — look at the FIRST one. The verb in front decides, and it decides the same way every time. Learn each new verb together with the form that follows it, exactly as you learn a noun together with whether it is countable.
Watch out for to as a preposition. In look forward to, be used to and get used to, the to is NOT an infinitive: it is a preposition, so what follows takes -ing. I look forward to seeing you, never to see you. It is the one place where the rule looks broken and is not.
02 · Second page · the lists, and the verbs that take both
The uses
Liking and disliking
enjoy, love, like, hate, don't mind, can't stand — all take -ing.
I enjoy walking.She can't stand waiting.
Stopping and continuing
finish, stop, keep, give up, carry on, avoid — all take -ing.
He gave up smoking.Keep going!
Wanting and planning
want, need, hope, decide, plan, promise, refuse, offer — all take to.
They decided to move.I promise to call.
Succeeding and failing
manage, try, learn, seem, forget, fail — all take to.
We managed to finish.She learnt to swim.
stop
stop doing means you no longer do it; stop to do means you interrupt in order to do it.
He stopped smoking.He stopped to smoke.
remember
remember doing is a memory of the past; remember to do is not forgetting a duty.
I remember locking the door.Remember to lock the door.
try
try doing is an experiment; try to do is an effort that may fail.
Try turning it off and on.I tried to open it.
like
like doing is enjoyment; like to do is a choice or a habit you think is right.
I like swimming.I like to check twice.
The one that trips everybody: look forward to
In look forward to, be used to and get used to, the last word is a preposition, not the start of an infinitive — and after a preposition the verb always takes -ing. So it is I look forward to hearing from you, I am used to working late, She got used to living alone. These three expressions end almost every polite email in English, which is why getting them wrong is so visible. The test that works: replace the verb with a noun. If I look forward to your reply sounds right, then to is a preposition, and the verb after it needs -ing.
🌍 For everyone
Both languages put an infinitive after a preposition (prima di partire, przed wyjściem), where English is absolutely fixed on -ing. This one is not a list: before leaving, without asking, after finishing. If there is a preposition, stop looking anything up.
prima di partire → before leaving
To express a purpose — why you did something — English uses to, and never for with a verb. I came here to study, never for study or for to study. With a noun, for is right: I came here for the course.
I enjoy to read. → I enjoy reading.
enjoy is on the -ing side of the switch.
I finished to work at six. → I finished working at six.
finish takes -ing, like stop, keep and avoid.
She wants going home. → She wants to go home.
want is on the to side, with need, hope and decide.
Thanks for help me. → Thanks for helping me.
After any preposition the verb takes -ing, with no exceptions.
I look forward to hear from you. → I look forward to hearing from you.
Here to is a preposition, not an infinitive: the verb takes -ing.
I came here for study English. → I came here to study English.
A purpose takes to; for goes with a noun, not a verb.
He stopped to smoke last year — he is much healthier now. → He stopped smoking last year — he is much healthier now.
stop doing means he gave it up; stop to do would mean he paused in order to smoke.
- Do you mind waiting a moment?
- She refused to answer.
- I'm interested in learning Spanish.
- Remember to bring your passport.
03 · Third page · now it's your turn
Exercises
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