Gerunds & infinitives (verb patterns)

Some English verbs are followed by a second verb — but that second verb doesn't always look the same. After enjoy, the second verb takes the -ing form: I enjoy cooking. After want, it takes to + verb: I want to cook. Both are correct English, but you can't swap them: ❌ I enjoy to cook and ❌ I want cooking both sound wrong to a native speaker. The choice usually depends on the first verb, but some verbs allow more than one pattern, sometimes with a change in meaning.

There's no single rule that predicts which pattern a verb takes — it mostly has to be learned verb by verb. The good news is that the common verbs fall into a small number of groups. Some verbs take both patterns; with a few high-frequency ones, the choice changes the meaning, and this article focuses on the most useful of those at B1.

Quick shortcut: it helps to learn each verb with its pattern as a pair — enjoy + -ing, want + to — the same way you'd learn a verb with its preposition.

Verbs followed by -ing (the gerund)

These common verbs are followed by the -ing form of the next verb, not to + verb:

You already know the smaller everyday set like / love / hate / enjoy / don't mind / prefer + -ing from an earlier topic, verbs + -ing (like, love, hate, enjoy) — the verbs above extend the same -ing pattern to a wider, more B1 range of verbs.

So it's ✅ avoid driving, never ❌ avoid to drive; ✅ suggested going, never ❌ suggested to go. One exception worth knowing: suggest can also be followed by a that-clause instead of -ing: She suggested that we go.

Verbs followed by to + infinitive

In this direct verb + second verb pattern, these common verbs normally take to + the base form of the next verb, not -ing:

So it's ✅ decided to stay, never ❌ decided staying; ✅ promised to call, never ❌ promised calling.

One exception worth knowing: need + -ing can have a passive meaning — The car needs washing means the car needs to be washed.

Some of these verbs can also take an object + to + verb: I want you to stay, She asked me to help, He told her to wait. This is a related pattern worth recognising, even though the examples above focus on the simpler verb + to + verb form.

Verbs that take both — with the same meaning

With begin, start, and continue, both -ing and to + verb are usually possible with little real difference in meaning:

• It began raining. / It began to rain.
• We started walking. / We started to walk.
• She continued working. / She continued to work.

Like, love, hate, and prefer can also take either pattern for a general preference — She loves dancing and She loves to dance both work. But watch the would forms: would like / would love / would hate / would prefer normally take to + verb, not -ing — ✅ I'd like to go, not ❌ I'd like going.

Verbs that take both — with a different meaning

A few verbs change meaning depending on which pattern follows, and these are worth learning carefully:

These four are common exam and mistake traps, because both sentences are grammatically fine — only the meaning changes:

• ✅ I remember posting the letter means the memory of doing it exists. ✅ I remembered to post the letter means the task got done, not forgotten. Mixing these up flips the meaning, not just the grammar.
• He stopped to smoke ≠ he stopped smoking — the first means he paused another activity in order to smoke; the second means he quit smoking altogether.

Common mistakes

• ❌ I enjoy to swim. → ✅ I enjoy swimming. (enjoy takes -ing)
• ❌ She wants going to the party. → ✅ She wants to go to the party. (want takes to)
• ❌ He avoided to answer the question. → ✅ He avoided answering the question.
• ❌ We decided staying at home. → ✅ We decided to stay at home.
• ❌ I remembered locking the door (when the meaning is "I didn't forget to do it") → ✅ I remembered to lock the door. (remember + -ing is about a memory, not a completed duty)

Quick check

Can you choose the correct form of the verb in brackets?

1. She suggested ____ (go) to the cinema.
2. I hope ____ (see) you soon.
3. He avoids ____ (eat) sugar.
4. They decided ____ (buy) a new car.
5. Don't forget ____ (call) your mother tomorrow.

Key takeaways

• Some verbs (enjoy, avoid, finish, suggest, mind, consider, practise, keep, miss) are normally followed by -ing.
• Some verbs (want, decide, plan, hope, need, promise, learn, agree, offer, manage, refuse, afford) are normally followed by to + verb.
• With begin/start/continue, both patterns are often possible with little difference; with like/love/hate/prefer both can work too, though would like/love/hate/prefer normally take to + verb.
• A few verbs (remember, forget, stop, try) take both patterns but change meaning depending on which one follows — these are worth learning as pairs, not as a single rule.
• There's no shortcut rule for which pattern a new verb takes — it is useful to learn each verb together with its pattern, the same way you'd learn it with its preposition.