VERBS FOLLOWED BY TO-INFINITIVE AND GERUND

Some verbs are followed only by the gerund form (Verb + ing), like admit, avoid, celebrate,
consider, contemplate, deny, detest, dislike, enjoy, excuse, finish, forgive, involve, keep, loathe,
mind, miss, postpone, prevent, resent, resist, risk, etc.
Eg: enjoy He enjoys visiting his grandma.
admit She admitted cheating in the exam.
deny: They denied taking Mrs. Wilson’s wallet. / having taken Mrs. Wilson’s wallet.

Some verbs are followed only by TO- Infinitive like afford, agree, appear, arrange, choose,
demand , deserve, expect, hope, manage, offer, plan, pretend, promise, refuse, seem, tend, threaten,
want, wish, etc.
Eg: want I want to become a lawyer.
refuse We refused to go with him and he got angry.
expect Do you expect to win the race?

Some verbs may be followed by either TO and infinitive or the gerund without any essential
change in meaning. These verbs are:
begin, start, continue, bother, can't bear/stand, hate, like, love, prefer.
Eg: They began to study French in March. Or They began studying French in March. (no
difference)
I like / love / hate / prefer eating at a restaurant. ( always, generally speaking)
I like / love / hate / prefer to eat at a restaurant when I celebrate my birthday. (special occasion)

Notice, however, that the verbs hate, like, love, prefer are followed only by the infinitive when they
are used in the conditional tense (with would)
 I would hate to work in an office all day long.
 Would you like to come to the cinema tonight? Thank you, I'd love to come.
Or would you prefer to go to the theatre?

The phrasals and some expressions are followed by the gerund.

 I'm going to give up smoking as soon as possible.
 Your brother kept on interrupting me while I was speaking.
 Go on working!
 Never put off doing what you can do ! 

The following expressions are also usually followed by gerund.

It's no use ....... ; It's no good ......; There's no point in .........; It's ( not ) worth .........;
Have difficulty (in) ..........; A waste of money ........; A waste of time ............; Spend / waste
( time ) .......
 It's no use worrying about your health. Just have a lot of vegetables and fruits and do regular
sports.
 There's no point in buying a car if you don't want to drive it.
 This film is worth seeing. It has educational value for children.
 A lot of people have difficulty finding a job in Indonesia. 
Put the verbs in brackets into the correct form (gerund or infinitive).

1. I am looking forward to (see) you.

2. I arranged (meet) them here.
3. I wish (see) the manager.
4. It's no use (wait).
5. He warned her (not touch) the wire.
6. Don't forget (lock) the door before (go) to bed.
7. My mother told me (not speak) to strange men.
8. I can't understand her (behave) like that.
9. He tried (explain) but she refused (listen).
10. At dinner she annoyed me by (smoke) between the courses.
11. You are expected (know) the laws of your own country.
12. He decided (disguise) himself by (dress) as a woman.
13. I am prepared (wait) here all night if necessary.
14. Would you mind (show) me how (work) the lift?
15. After (walk) for three hours we stopped to let the others (catch up) with us.
16. I am beginning (understand) what you mean.
17. He was fined for (exceed) the speed limit.
18. The boys like (play) games but hate (do) lessons.
19. I regret (inform) you that your application has been refused
20. I couldn't help (overhear) what you said.
21. Mrs. Jones: I don't allow (smoke) in my drawing. room.
22. Mrs. Smith: I don't allow my family (smoke) at all.
23. He surprised us all by (go) away without (say) 'Good-bye'.
24. Please go on (write); I don't mind (wait).
25. He wore dark glasses (avoid) (be) recognized.

Some verbs are followed by Infinitive or Gerund with change of meaning:

A. REMEMBER
"Remember" is followed by the gerund when it means "remembering some thing that one has done"
(i.e. in the past):
 He couldn't remember feeling as bad as this.
 I remember seeing the Queen when I was 12 years old.

It is followed by the infinitive when it means "remembering that one must do something" (i.e. in the
future):
 Did you remember to post the letter?
 I must remember to go to the bank tomorrow.
"Remember" can also be followed by a "that" clause, when the subjects of each part of the sentence
are different:
 She remembered that her son had forgotten to take his overcoat.

B. FORGET
"Forget" changes its meaning in the same way as remember. With the gerund, "forget" can also be
followed by "about":
 Surely you haven't forgotten (about) meeting her already?
With the infinitive:
 Arthur had forgotten to take his overcoat with him.
It can also be followed by a "that" clause.
 Sorry, I forgot that you asked me to go to the bank.

C. TRY
This takes the gerund when it means "experiment" or "do something to see if it has an effect":
 He tried taking a couple of aspirins, but they did not have any effect.
It takes the infinitive when it means "attempt":
 She tried to read for a bit, but she couldn't concentrate.

D. STOP
"Stop" with the gerund means "not continue":
 Will you please stop making that noise?
"Stop" with the infinitive means "pause in order to do something else":
 When we got to the top of the hill, we stopped to look at the view.

E. REGRET
“Regret" with the gerund means "be sorry that one has done something" (i.e. in the past):
 I don't regret leaving my last job at all. It was so boring!
"Regret" with the infinitive means “be sorry that one must do something" (i.e. in the future):
 Dr Wimple regrets to say that he cannot answer readers' letters.
However, "regret" is very often followed by a "that" clause in both meanings:
 I don't regret that I left my last job at all.
 Dr Wimple regrets that he cannot answer readers' letters.

F. MEAN
"Mean" with the gerund, means, "involve" (only used impersonally):
 Having a bad chest means going without cigarettes.
With the infinitive, it means “intend":
 I meant to bring you a couple of your textbooks, but I couldn’t find them.
 Sorry, I didn’t mean to hurt you.

G. ALLOW and PERMIT

These are used with the gerund when a person or persons is not mentioned
 I don't allow/permit smoking in the classroom.
They are used with the infinitive when a person or persons is mentioned:
 I don't allow/permit my students to smoke in the classroom.

SOME GOLDEN RULES:

1. Adjectives + to – infinitive: I find it difficult TO GET UP early.
2. Prepositions + gerund: He succeeded in PASSING all his exams.
3. Phrasal Verbs + gerund: She gave up SMOKING last year.
4. Subject of a sentence: Gerund Climb is a risky activity. (wrong)
Climbing is a risky activity. (correct)

PUT THE VERB IN BRACKETS INTO THE GERUND OR THE INFINITIVE WITH TO,
ACCORDING TO THE MEANING:

a) If your washing is dull and grey, try ............................ (use) Brighto washing powder.
b) When he woke up in hospital the next day, he remembered ................................(get) into his car
but he couldn't remember ............................ (drive) it or ............................ (have) the accident.
c) We regret ............................ (inform) you that you are $100 overdrawn.
d) She never allows her children ............................ (go out) by themselves in the evening.
e) Has it finally stopped ............................ (rain)?
f) Do you remember ............................ (break) your arm when you were small?
g) I'm sorry I was naughty, Mummy. I'll try ............................ (be) good in future.
h) You can't go out tonight. Have you forgotten ............................ (invite) John and Mary to dinner?
i) I shall never regret ............................ (marry) you, but I might regret ............................ (have) so
many children.
j) I remembered ............................ (buy) the stamp but then I forgot ............................ (post) the
letter.
k) I'm so sorry, I. didn't mean ............................ (insult) you.
1) Damn! I forgot ............................ (collect) my shoes from the cobbler's.
m) Let's stop ............................ (have) a picnic, shall we?
n) Going to the doctor's means ............................ (wait) for hours.
o) We don't allow ............................ (sing) and ............................ (dance) in this pub.

COMPLETE THIS STORY WITH To- INFINITIVE OR GERUND

Last Monday was a terrible evening. I had forgotten (take) .......................................... my umbrella
that morning and when I left the office it was raining really hard. I tried
(find) .......................................... a taxi but there were none anywhere. This meant
(walk) .......................................... to the station. I can’t remember ever (get) ................................ so
wet in such a short time. When I got to the station I meant (look) .................................. to see
whether the train on the platform was the one I wanted but somehow I didn't remember
(look) .......................................... at the indicator board. I sat down and fell fast asleep. I remember
(try) .......................................... (stay) ........................ awake, but this was obviously no good. When
I woke up I found that I was travelling through completely strange countryside. I had caught the
wrong train. This meant (get) .......................................... off at the next station. By this time, I
certainly regretted (forget) .......................................... (look) .......................................... at the
indicator board.

MAKE- LET – ALLOW. Are these sentences right?

1. They didn't allow anyone to leave the room for an hour.
2. Don't let me watch TV too long. I have to study for tomorrow's test.
3. They were promised large discounts on their next purchases.
4. We're not allowing photos taken in this museum. Sorry.
5. We were finally let go at 7pm when the police said the area was safe.
6. You should use persuasion without making someone to do something.
7. I made him promise me that he wouldn't tell my mother.
8. Jenny and her brother will be made watch the documentary again.