Direct comparison
Gerund vs infinitive
A gerund is the -ing form of a verb used as a noun (writing is important); an infinitive is to + verb (to write is important). Many verbs require one form over the other, and some accept both with a difference in meaning.
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Side-by-side comparison
| Dimension | Gerund (-ing) | Infinitive (to + verb) |
|---|---|---|
| Form | Base verb + -ing: writing, finishing, running. | To + base verb: to write, to finish, to run. |
| Function | Noun (subject, object, complement). | Noun, adjective or adverb depending on position. |
| As subject | "Reading widely improves writing." | "To read widely is beneficial." (more formal) |
| Verbs that require it | enjoy, avoid, finish, deny, suggest, practise, keep, risk, consider, delay, discuss, imagine, miss, postpone, recommend. | want, hope, refuse, decide, agree, manage, arrange, fail, offer, promise, seem, tend, deserve, expect, choose. |
| After prepositions | Always use gerund after prepositions: "interested in studying", "good at writing". | Infinitives cannot directly follow prepositions (except the to in the infinitive itself). |
| After "go" | "Go + -ing" for recreational activities: go swimming, go shopping, go hiking. | "Go to + base verb" for purpose: go to study, go to collect. |
| "Remember" — meaning difference | "I remember sending the email" = I recall having done it (action came first). | "I remembered to send the email" = I didn't forget to do it (action came second). |
| "Stop" — meaning difference | "She stopped smoking" = she quit the habit permanently. | "She stopped to smoke" = she paused in order to smoke. |
| "Try" — meaning difference | "Try submitting earlier" = experiment with submitting as a solution. | "Try to submit earlier" = make an effort to submit earlier. |
| After "would like / would love / would prefer" | Not used: "I would like reading" is non-standard in this construction. | Use infinitive: "I would like to read more." (would + like requires infinitive) |
Verbs that take gerund or infinitive with different meanings
A small but important group of verbs can be followed by either a gerund or an infinitive, but the choice changes the meaning. Remember + gerund refers to recalling a past action: "I remember locking the door" (I have a memory of doing it). Remember + infinitive refers to not forgetting a future obligation: "I remembered to lock the door" (I didn't forget). Stop + gerund means to cease an activity: "He stopped running" (running is over). Stop + infinitive means to pause in order to do something: "He stopped to check the map" (he paused for that purpose). Try + gerund means to experiment with something as a potential solution: "Try taking a different approach." Try + infinitive means to attempt something that is difficult: "Try to be more precise." Regret + gerund expresses sorrow about a past action: "I regret saying that." Regret + infinitive announces bad news: "We regret to inform you." Learning these pairs removes a significant source of meaning errors.
Gerunds after prepositions, and the go + -ing pattern
One clear rule: always use a gerund, not an infinitive, immediately after a preposition. "She is interested in conducting research" (not in to conduct). "He is good at presenting data" (not at to present). "They succeeded in replicating the results" (not in to replicate). This applies to complex prepositions too: "in addition to publishing", "as well as attending", "instead of completing". The to in to in order to is a preposition in this phrase, not part of an infinitive, which is why it is followed by a gerund: "in order to studying" would be wrong (here, to is part of the infinitive to study). A second pattern: the expression go + -ing is used for recreational activities: go swimming, go skiing, go hiking, go shopping. For purposeful movement, use go to + base verb: she went to study at the library.
Key facts
At a glance
- Gerund: verb + -ing used as a noun (avoiding errors, finishing the study)
- Infinitive: to + base verb used as noun, adjective or adverb (to avoid errors)
- Gerund-only verbs: enjoy, avoid, finish, deny, suggest, practise, keep, risk, consider, delay
- Infinitive-only verbs: want, hope, refuse, decide, agree, manage, fail, offer, promise, seem
- After prepositions: always use gerund, never infinitive directly after a preposition
- Meaning-change verbs: remember, stop, try, regret — gerund vs infinitive changes the meaning
- Go + -ing: recreational activities (go swimming); go + to + verb: purposeful movement (go to collect)
Common misconceptions
What people often get wrong
Often heard: A gerund and a present participle are the same form, so they are interchangeable.
Actually: Both use -ing but perform different roles. A gerund is a noun: "Swimming is exercise." A present participle is part of a verb or acts as an adjective: "She is swimming" (part of the continuous verb form); "the swimming pool" (adjective). The function, not the form, defines them.
Often heard: Verbs that take both forms (like, love, start) always mean the same thing with gerund or infinitive.
Actually: For like, love, hate, prefer and start in ordinary contexts, the meaning is essentially the same. But for remember, stop, try and regret, the choice changes meaning significantly. Always check the specific verb.
Often heard: You can use an infinitive after a preposition: "interested in to study".
Actually: After prepositions, always use a gerund: "interested in studying". An infinitive cannot directly follow a preposition. The to in an infinitive (to study) is not a preposition; they are different grammatical elements.
Common questions
FAQ
What is the difference between a gerund and an infinitive?+
A gerund is the -ing form of a verb used as a noun: "Submitting early is advisable." An infinitive is to + the base verb, used as a noun, adjective or adverb: "She decided to submit early." Both can be subjects or objects of a sentence, but their distribution after different verbs differs: some verbs require a gerund, some require an infinitive, and some accept both.
Which verbs are followed by a gerund?+
Verbs followed by a gerund include: enjoy, avoid, finish, deny, suggest, practise, keep, risk, consider, delay, discuss, imagine, miss, postpone and recommend. Remember that any verb following a preposition also takes a gerund: "interested in conducting", "good at presenting", "succeeded in completing". These lists are not exhaustive but cover the most frequently tested cases.
What is the meaning difference between "stop smoking" and "stop to smoke"?+
"Stop smoking" (gerund) means to permanently cease the habit of smoking. "Stop to smoke" (infinitive) means to pause an activity in order to smoke — the smoking is the purpose of the pause, not the thing being stopped. This is one of the key gerund/infinitive pairs where the choice changes meaning fundamentally, alongside remember, try and regret.
Going deeper
