Gerunds and infinitives
-ing or to …?
- After some verbs, use the -ing form (gerund).
- After others, use to + base verb (infinitive).
- You learn these by meeting them often.
verb + -ing
- enjoy, finish, stop, mind, suggest, avoid + -ing.
- I enjoy reading. She finished doing her homework.
- The -ing form acts like a noun.
Choose: I enjoy ___ to music.
“enjoy” is followed by -ing: “I enjoy listening …”.
verb + to-infinitive
- want, need, decide, hope, promise, learn, would like + to + base verb.
- I want to learn English. They decided to stay.
- Some verbs take either, with little change: like, love, start.
After this verb — -ing or to?
Some verbs take a gerund (-ing), others a to-infinitive.
Complete: They decided ___ stay. (one word before the verb)
“decide” is followed by a to-infinitive: “decided to stay”.
Translate into English: 我想学英语。
“want” + to-infinitive: “I want to learn English.”
After prepositions → -ing
- After a preposition (at, of, about, for, in), use -ing.
- She's good at drawing. Thank you for helping.
- Never a base verb after a preposition.
Is this correct? “She is good at draw.”
After a preposition (at), use -ing: “good at drawing”.
Common mistakes
- ❌ I enjoy to read. → ✓ I enjoy reading. — enjoy only takes -ing.
- ❌ I want reading. → ✓ I want to read. — want only takes to + verb.
- ❌ I look forward to see you. → ✓ …look forward to seeing you. — this to is a preposition.
Match the verb to a correct ending.
enjoy / avoid take -ing; hope / promise take to + verb — learn verbs in these two families.
The teacher came in, and the class went quiet: “Everyone stopped ___.”
stop + -ing = quit doing it; stop + to = pause in order to do it.
- Some verbs take -ing (enjoy, finish, avoid).
- Some take to + base verb (want, decide, hope).
- After a preposition, always use -ing.
Write one sentence about something you enjoy doing, using a verb + -ing (a gerund).
Example: “I enjoy playing basketball with my friends.”