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
gerund infinitive
EXAMPLE: “He misses playing with his friends.”
EXAMPLE: “She threatened to quit if she didn’t get a raise.”
1 • Verbs Followed by Gerunds & more free resources, lessons, and
www.engVid.c
Infinitives by Alex
quizzes at
© LangVid Language Training,
2013
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abhor give up (stop)
acknowledge keep (continue)
admit keep on
advise mention
allow mind (object to)
anticipate miss
appreciate necessitate
avoid omit
be worth permit
can’t help picture
celebrate postpone
confess practice
consider prevent
defend put off
delay recall
detest recollect
discontinue recommend
discuss report
dislike resent
dispute resist
dread resume
endure risk
enjoy shirk
escape shun
evade suggest
explain support
fancy tolerate
fear understand
feel like urge
feign warrant
finish
forgive
2 • Verbs Followed by Gerunds & more free resources, lessons, and
www.engVid.c
Infinitives by Alex
quizzes at
© LangVid Language Training,
2013
om
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
www.engVid.c
Infinitives by Alex
quizzes at
© LangVid Language Training,
2013
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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.)
forge I forgot meeting him.
t (I don’t have the memory of meeting him before.)
He went on to learn English and
French. (He ended one period of
go time before this.)
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.)
regre I regret to tell you that we can’t
t hire you. (I’m telling you now, and
I’m sorry.)
She remembered to visit her
grandmother. (She didn’t forget to
remember visit.)
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.)
4 • Verbs Followed by Gerunds & more free resources, lessons, and
www.engVid.c
Infinitives by Alex
quizzes at
© LangVid Language Training,
2013
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