Gerund and infinitive

Gerund and infinitive with to – no difference in meaning

Gerund and the Infinitive after the verb – no difference in meaning

These verbs can be followed by a Gerund and an Infinitive without changing their meaning:

Verb	Examples
begin	He began talking.
	He began to talk.
continue	They continue smoking.
	They continue to smoke.
hate	Do you hate working on Saturdays?
	Do you hate to work on Saturdays?
like	I like swimming.
	I like to swim.
love	She loves painting.
	She loves to paint.
prefer	Pat prefers walking home.
	Pat prefers to walk home.
start	They start singing.
	They start to sing.

These verbs can also be followed by a Gerund or an Infinitive without changing their meaning. Mind the structure with the infinitive:

• Gerund: Verb + -ing
• Infinitive: Verb + Person (as object) + infinitive with to

Verb	Examples
advise	They advise walking to town.
	They advise us to walk to town.
allow	They do not allow smoking here.
	They do not allow us to smoke here.
encourage	They encourage doing the test.
	They encourage us to do the test.
permit	They do not permit smoking here.
	They do not permit us to smoke here.

When recommend is followed by an infinitive, put that after recommend, then the object and then the infinitive without to.

Verb	Examples
recommend	They recommend walking.
	They recommend that we walk.

Gerund and infinitive – different meaning

Verbs change their meaning when they are followed by a Gerund or an Infinitive

Some verbs have different meanings when they are follwed by a gerund or an infinitive.

forget

GERUND	INFINITIVE
looks back in the past	looks into the future
He'll never forget spending so much money on his first computer.	Don't forget to spend money on the tickets.

go on

GERUND	INFINITIVE
to continue with the same thing	to change the activity
Go on reading the text.	Go on to read the text.

mean

GERUND	INFINITIVE
sth. has to be done to get a result	intend to do sth.
You have forgotten your homework again. That means phoning your mother.	I meant to phone your mother, but my mobile didn't work.

regret

GERUND	INFINITIVE
you did sth in the past and you are not happy about it	to tell bad news and you are not happy about it
I regret being late for school.	We regret to inform you that the flight has beeen delayed for another two hours.

remember

GERUND	INFINITIVE
looks back in the past	looks into the future
I remember switching off the lights when I went on holiday.	Remember to switch off the lights when you go on holiday.

stop

GERUND	INFINITIVE
to stop with an activity	to stop in order to do sth.
I stopped smoking.	I stopped to smoke.

try

GERUND	INFINITIVE
to test sth.	to do sth. that is not easy
I tried taking an aspirin but it didn't help.	Try to be quiet when you come home late.

The following words are a little more tricky.

like

I like reading books. = I like to read books.
There is normally no difference in meaning.

• Use the Gerund when like is used in the sense of 'enjoy'.
  Example: I like riding my bike.
• Use the Infinitive when you do sth. in the sense of a habit.
  Example: I like to do my homework in the afternoon. (I think, it is good to do my homework in the afternoon).

Mind the following examples:

• I like watching films.
• I would like to watch the film.

be afraid

Use the Gerund when you worry about sth.

• I'm afraid of having an accident.

In other cases there is no difference in meaning whether we use Gerund or Infinitive.

• I'm afraid to go by bike on this road. = I'm afraid of going by bike on this road.

need

If we use a Gerund after need, then the sentcene has a passive meaning:

• The window needs cleaning.

used to

The form to be used to + Gerund means that the person is familiar with sth.

• He is used to smoking. (He still smokes.)

The form used to + Infinitive means that the person did sth. in the past.

• He used to smoke. (He does not smoke any more.)

Attention!

• He is used to smoke. (This sentence is wrong.)