Gerunds and Infinitives: Top 15 Key Points

Understanding gerunds and infinitives is vital for their correct use in various grammatical structures. This guide covers the top 15 key points about gerunds and infinitives in English.

No.	Key Point	Explanation	Examples
1	Gerunds (Verb + -ing)	Gerunds function as nouns. They are often used after certain verbs, with prepositions, and as subject or object of a sentence.	"I enjoy swimming." "He is interested in learning Spanish." "Swimming is a good exercise."
2	Infinitives (to + Verb)	Infinitives can serve as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs. They are used after many verbs, especially those indicating preference, ability, or potential.	"She wants to study abroad." "It is important to be on time." "He has a plan to improve his skills."
3	Verbs Followed by Gerunds	Certain verbs are directly followed by a gerund. These often include verbs of preference, like 'enjoy', 'love', 'like', 'hate'.	"She suggested going to the cinema." "They admitted cheating on the test." "I can’t stand waiting in long lines."
4	Verbs Followed by Infinitives	Some verbs are typically followed by an infinitive. These include verbs of decision, promise, plan, and agreement.	"They agreed to help us." "He decided to leave early." "We hope to start a new project."
5	Verbs Followed by Gerunds or Infinitives with Change in Meaning	With certain verbs, using a gerund or an infinitive changes the meaning of the verb.	"Stop talking (stop an action)." "Stop to talk (pause in order to talk)." "Remember leaving the keys (recollect the action)." "Remember to leave the keys (don't forget to do it)."
6	Gerunds as Subject or Object	Gerunds are used in the position of subject or object, giving the sentence a more dynamic quality.	"Swimming is fun." (subject) "I like swimming." (object) "Do you enjoy reading?" (object)
7	Infinitives to Express Purpose	Infinitives often convey the purpose of an action, answering the question 'why?'.	"I went to the store to buy milk." "She is studying hard to pass the exam." "He works extra hours to earn more money."
8	Infinitives after Adjectives	Infinitives can follow adjectives to complete or explain the adjective.	"I am happy to be here." "It's hard to understand." "She is anxious to start."
9	Gerunds after Prepositions	Gerunds are used after prepositions, forming phrases that function as nouns.	"She is good at painting." "They are interested in visiting Rome." "We talked about going to the new restaurant."
10	'Go' + Gerund for Activities	The verb 'go' is often followed by a gerund when referring to activities, especially recreational ones.	"Let's go shopping." "We went skiing during our vacation." "She goes jogging every morning."
11	'Would Like' + Infinitive for Preferences	'Would like' is used with an infinitive to express a wish or preference.	"I would like to have a coffee." "She would like to visit her grandparents this weekend." "They would like to start their own business."
12	'Need' + Gerund or Infinitive	'Need' can be followed by a gerund to imply something should be done (often in passive sense) or an infinitive to imply necessity.	"The car needs servicing." (gerund, implying it should be serviced) "I need to service the car." (infinitive, implying necessity) "He needs to improve his skills." (infinitive)
13	Using Infinitives with 'Too' and 'Enough'	Infinitives are used with 'too' and 'enough' to indicate excessive or sufficient degree for an action.	"He's too young to drive." (excessive degree) "She's experienced enough to handle the task." (sufficient degree) "It's too hot to go outside."
14	Gerunds in Continuous Tenses	Gerunds are used as part of continuous verb tenses to describe actions in progress.	"He is running." (present continuous) "She was singing." (past continuous) "They will be meeting us later." (future continuous)
15	Avoiding Double Gerunds	It's generally avoided to use two gerunds consecutively. Instead, mix gerund and infinitive forms for clarity.	"I enjoy dancing and singing." (Not: "dancing and to sing") "She avoided talking and to look at me." (better: "talking and looking at me")