Verbs Followed by
Gerunds & Infinitives
In English, if you want to follow a verb with another action, you must use a gerund or infinitive.
EXAMPLE: We resumed talking. (gerund – verb + ing)
I want to see a movie. (infinitive – to + base verb)
There are certain verbs that can only be followed by one or the other, and these verbs must be memorized. Many of these verbs are
listed below.
Verbs commonly followed by a Verbs commonly followed by an infinitive
gerund EXAMPLE: “She threatened to quit if she didn’t get a raise.”
EXAMPLE: “He misses playing with his friends.”
1 • Verbs Followed by Gerunds & more free resources, lessons, and quizzes
www.engVid.com
Infinitives by Alex
at
© LangVid Language Training, 2013
2 • Verbs Followed by Gerunds & more free resources, lessons, and quizzes
www.engVid.com
Infinitives by Alex
at
© LangVid Language Training, 2013
agree mean
appear need
arrange neglect
ask offer
attempt pay
beg plan
can/can’t afford prepare
can/can’t wait pretend
care profess
chance promise
choose prove
claim refuse
come remain
consent request
dare resolve
decide say
demand seek
deserve seem
determine shudder
elect strive
endeavor struggle
expect swear
fail tend
get threaten
grow (up) turn out
guarantee venture
hesitate volunteer
hope wait
hurry want
incline wish
learn would like
manage yearn
3 • Verbs Followed by Gerunds & more free resources, lessons, and quizzes
www.engVid.com
Infinitives by Alex
at
© LangVid Language Training, 2013
Verbs followed by a gerund or infinitive with little to no change in meaning:
EXAMPLES: “It started to rain.” ~OR~ “It started raining.”
begin like
can’t bear love
can’t stand prefer
continue propose
hate start
Verbs followed by a gerund or infinitive with a change in meaning:
I forgot to meet him.
(I didn’t meet him because I forgot to do it.)
forget I forgot meeting him.
(I don’t have the memory of meeting him before.)
He went on to learn English and French.
(He ended one period of time before this.)
go on He went on learning English and French.
(He continued learning the languages.)
She quit to work here.
(She quit another job in order to work here.)
quit She quit working here.
(She quit her job here. She doesn’t work here anymore.)
I regret promising to help you.
(I’m sorry that I made the promise.)
regret I regret to tell you that we can’t hire you.
(I’m telling you now, and I’m sorry.)
She remembered to visit her grandmother.
(She didn’t forget to visit.)
remember She remembered visiting her grandmother.
(She had memories of this time.)
I stopped to call you.
(I interrupted another action in order to call you.)
stop I stopped calling you.
(I stopped this activity. Maybe we had a fight.)
I tried to open the window.
(I attempted this action but didn’t succeed.)
try I tried opening the window.
(This was one option I sampled. Maybe the room was hot.)
