Verbs Followed by Gerunds or Infinitives
When one verb is followed by another verb in a sentence, the second verb must be in either the gerund or infinitive form. Which form we choose is entirely determined by the first verb.
English verbs are categorized into three main groups based on this behavior.
1. Verbs Followed Only by Gerunds
These verbs must always be followed by a gerund (Verb-ing). Following them with a to-infinitive is a grammatical error.
Common Verbs:
| Verb |
|---|
| Admit |
| Avoid |
| Consider |
| Deny |
| Dislike |
| Enjoy |
| Finish |
| Keep |
| Mind |
| Postpone |
| Practice |
| Suggest |
Examples:
- Correct: She avoided looking at him.
- Incorrect: She avoided to look at him.
- Correct: I enjoy playing football.
- Incorrect: I enjoy to play football.
- Correct: He suggested going to the cinema.
2. Verbs Followed Only by Infinitives
These verbs must always be followed by a to-infinitive (to + Verb 1).
Common Verbs:
| Verb |
|---|
| Agree |
| Choose |
| Decide |
| Hope |
| Learn |
| Manage |
| Offer |
| Plan |
| Promise |
| Refuse |
| Want |
| Would like |
Examples:
- Correct: We decided to buy the house.
- Incorrect: We decided buying the house.
- Correct: I hope to see you soon.
- Incorrect: I hope seeing you soon.
- Correct: She refused to answer the question.
3. Verbs Followed by Either (No Change in Meaning)
Some verbs can be followed by either a gerund or a to-infinitive without any noticeable difference in the meaning of the sentence.
Common Verbs:
| Verb |
|---|
| Begin |
| Start |
| Continue |
| Like |
| Love |
| Hate |
| Prefer |
Examples:
- Correct: It started raining.
- Correct: It started to rain. (Both sentences have the exact same meaning).
- Correct: I love reading books.
- Correct: I love to read books.
4. Classifications Quick Reference
| Followed ONLY by Gerund | Followed ONLY by Infinitive | Followed by EITHER (Same Meaning) |
|---|---|---|
| avoid, enjoy, finish | decide, hope, promise | begin, start, continue |
| consider, deny, suggest | plan, want, refuse | like, love, hate |
| practice, postpone, mind | learn, manage, agree | prefer |
Next, we will explore Verbs with Meaning Changes to learn about the special verbs that can take both forms but change their meaning completely.