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ENGLISH GRAMMAR

GERUND vs INFINITIVE: using both

When can we use both the gerund and the infinitive?

Sometimes both the infinitive and the gerund can be used with no change in meaning, but in some cases the meaning changes.
Here are some examples:

EXAMPLES OF USE
AFRAID TO


AFRAID OF
  • What he/she is afraid to do:
    - My dad is afraid to take his car.
    - Anna is afraid to answer the question.

  • Why he/she is afraid:
    - My dad is afraid of having an accident.
    - Anna is afraid of making a mistake.
    		•
    FORGET
  • What you failed to do.:
    - I forgot to lock the door when I left.
    - He forgot to send a copy to his colleague.

  • Past action forgotten (or not):
    - I’ll never forget buying my first car.
    - I had forgotten seeing that video before.
    		•
    GO ON
  • Continue the same action:
    - The teacher went on reading the poem.
    - She went on speaking in spite of the noise.

  • Change activity:
    - The teacher went on to read a second poem.
    - She then went on to talk about the author.
    		•
    HELP


    CAN'T HELP
  • Give assistance:
    - Paul helped Tom (to) paint his house.
    (The verb 'help' can be used with or without 'to'.)

  • Be unable to stop.:
    - I couldn’t help laughing at the monkey!
    		•
    MEAN
  • Intention:
    - Did you mean to call this number?
    - I didn't mean to upset you.

  • What an action involves or implies:
    - Catching the first flight means getting up early.
    - Accepting the job would mean driving to and from work.
    • NEED
  • What you need to do:
    - I need to go to the hairdresser’s.
    - We need to resolve the problem.

  • Why you need to do it:
    - My hair needs cutting.
    - Those windows need cleaning..
    • REMEMBER
  • Tell someone not to forget.:
    - Remember to buy bread. (= don’t forget)
    - Remember to call your grandmother. It's her birthday.

  • What you recall doing:
    - I remember buying bread but I can’t find it now!
    - He remembers falling down the stairs when he was a child.
    • REGRET
  • Present regret.:
    - I regret to tell you that I’m leaving the company.
    - We regret to inform you that the product is no longer available.

  • Regret about the past:
    - I regret telling him about my plans.
    - We regret inviting them to our wedding.
    • START or BEGIN
  • In non-continuous tenses, both the infinitive and the gerund can be used:
    - She started to read/reading the article.
    - He started to explain/explaining the difficulties encountered.

  • In continuous tenses only the infinitive is used.:
    - She is starting to agree with the author.
    - We are beginning to regret our decision.
    • STOP
  • Why you stopped:
    - I stopped to buy cigarettes.
    - He stopped to tie his shoe laces.

  • What you stopped doing :
    - I stopped smoking last year.
    - We've stopped eating processed food.
    • TRY
  • What you try to do:
    - I work hard to try to improve my English.
    - He tried to open the door but it was stuck.

  • How you try / method (experiment with an action):
    - You should try speaking English every day.
    - He even tried pushing the door with his shoulder.

    • See also: When to use the gerund or infinitive.
    - Infinitive after certain verbs
    - Gerund after certain verbs

    Try an exercise

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