VERBS FOLLOWED BY GERUND (-ING FORM)
admit | deny | finish | pardon |
anticipate | detest | imagine | postpone |
appreciate | dislike | involve | practise |
avoid | enjoy | keep (continue) | prevent |
carry on | escape | loathe | propose (suggest) |
consider | excuse | mind (object) | risk |
delay | fancy (imagine) | miss | suggest |
AFTER, BEFORE and ALL THE PREPOSITIONS are followed by GERUND. We use the gerund after go + activity (especially sports).
All verb + preposition and verb + object + preposition are followed by gerund.
accuse sy of | decide against | give up | succeed in |
apologise for | disapprove of | go on | suspect sy of |
approve of | dream of | insist on | thank sy for |
be / get used to | feel like | look forward to | think about / of |
congratulate sy on | forgive sy for | stop sy from | warn sy against |
We also use the gerund after some phrases:
It’s no use | It’s a waste of money | spend (time) |
It’s no good | It’s a waste of time | waste (of time / money ) |
It’s (not) worth | have difficulty | There’s no point in |
can’t help | can’t stand | be busy |
VERBS FOLLOWED BY INFINITIVE (TO + VERB)
afford | consent | force* | persuade* | teach* |
agree | decide | get* (persuade) | plan | tell* |
aim | decline | guarantee | prepare | tend |
appear | demand | happen | prove | threaten |
arrange | deserve | hesitate | pretend | undertake |
ask** | determine | hope | proceed | volunteer |
attempt | be determined | invite* | promise** | want** |
be / be about | enable* | learn | refuse | warn* |
beg** | endeavour | long | remind* | wish |
care | employ* | manage | resolve | would hate** |
choose | expect** | offer | seem | would like/love** |
claim | fail | order* | swear | would prefer** |
* starred verbs are followed by an object + infinitive
** starred verbs can be used with or without an object
VERBS FOLLOWED BY GERUND OR OBJECT + INFINITIVE
advise | allow | encourage | forbid | permit | recommend |
VERBS FOLLOWED BY BARE INFINITIVE (WITHOUT TO)
dare | help | let | make | would rather |
Note: ‘help’ and ‘dare’ can be used with or without to. ‘Make’ in the passive is followed by to + infinitive. With an object after ‘would rather’ we use Subjunctive.
VERBS FOLLOWED BY GERUND OR INFINITIVE WITHOUT A DIFFERENCE IN MEANING
begin | continue | intend | start |
bother | hate | love | prefer |
VERBS FOLLOWED BY GERUND OR INFINITIVE WITH A DIFFERENCE IN MEANING
forget | like | need | regret | stop |
go on | mean | propose | remember | try |
All the verbs of sensation (see, hear, feel, smell) can be followed by gerund or infinitive without to.
Meaning and examples:
forget + inf. = not to remember
E. g.: I forgot to lock the door. I have to go back.
forget + gerund = remember doing something in the past
E. g.: I will never forget meeting her for the first time.
go on + inf. = do or say something new
E. g.: After writing his homework he went on to learn the words.
go on + gerund = continue
E. g.: Don’t stop, please. Go on reading the next paragraph.
like + inf. = to think it is good and right
E. g.: I like to go to the dentist twice a year.
like + gerund = enjoy
E. g.: I like eating pizza.
mean + inf. = intend to do something
E. g.: I didn’t mean to hurt you yesterday. I just lost my temper.
mean + gerund = to have something else as a result
E. g.: Shopping in the Tesco means standing at the cashier for hours.
need + inf. = it is necessary for me to do something
E. g.: I need to go to the dentist.
need + gerund = something has to be done
E. g.: This room needs painting.
propose + inf. = intend to do something
E. g.: I propose to go to the dentist.
propose + gerund = suggest something
E. g.: He proposed going to an another restaurant.
regret + inf. = to feel sorry to tell or do ( first regret and then do)
E. g.: I regret to inform you that you failed the test.
regret + gerund = do it and then feel sorry (first do and then regret)
E. g.: I regretted asking him to cook dinner. It was awful.
remember + inf. = not to forget (first remember then do)
E. g.: Remember to turn the gas off before you leave.
remember + gerund = do something in the past and have the memories ( first do and then remember)
E. g.: I remember playing chess with my dad when I was a little.
stop + inf. = have a break to do something
E. g.: We stopped to smoke a cigarette then got back to the car and continued our trip.
stop + gerund = finish
E. g.: Yesterday I stopped smoking. I will never light a cigarette again.
try + inf. = make an effort or attempt
E. g.: I tried to open the box but it was locked.
try + gerund = do something as a new experiment or test
E. g.: I have a terrible headache. I think I’ll try taking an aspirin.
see, feel, hear, smell + inf. = the whole action was noticed
E. g.: I saw him cross the road.
see, feel, hear, smell + gerund = only a part of the action was noticed
E. g.: I saw him waiting in the bus stop.