Definitions

Gerunds are verb forms that end in -ing and function as nouns in a sentence.

Infinitives are verb forms in their base form and function as nouns, adjectives or adverbs in a sentence.

Gerund in a sentence	Conjugated verb	Infinitive in a sentence
Reading is one of my favourite hobbies.	I am reading a good book right now.	Thriller stories are great to read.

How to Form Gerunds & Infinitives

Gerunds & Infinitives: Uses

Rules

Gerunds and infinitives can be used as:

Examples

Tip

Both gerunds and infinitives can be the object of a sentence.

When the object follows a preposition, a gerund is generally used.

Here are some examples:

Examples

Here are some more examples:

Incorrect use of infinitives	Correct use of gerunds
We’re looking forward to to see you again. X	We’re looking forward to seeing you again. ✔
She’s afraid of to fly. X	She’s afraid of flying. ✔
I’m interested in to learn new things X	I’m interested in learning new things. ✔
She apologized for to interrupt the meeting. X	She apologized for interrupting the meeting. ✔

Be careful!

Gerunds are used after prepositions except the prepositions but and except.

For these two prepositions, we use an infinitive after.

Tip

In most cases, gerunds and infinitives can be interchanged since the meaning is similar.

Gerund in a sentence	Infinitive in a sentence
He started collecting scissors.	He started to collect scissors.

However, some verbs should be followed by gerunds, and other verbs by infinitives.

Here are some examples of verbs that should be followed by a gerund:

Main verb	Example with a gerund in a sentence
admit	They admitted committing the crime.
advise	He advised returning to the entrance gate.
avoid	You should avoid transmitting private information to random people online.
consider	They considered moving away, but they decided to stay.
deny	I deny knowing anything about this situation.
involve	The project involved developing three new apps.
mention	You mentioned meeting my father earlier for a job interview.
recommend	Teachers recommend using gerunds and infinitives.
risk	“Don’t risk injuring yourself!”
suggest	They suggest exploring the area.

Here are some examples of verbs that should be followed by an infinitive:

Main verb	Example with an infinitive in a sentence
agree	I agreed to buy new equipment for my friend.
decide	I decided to go to the party tonight.
deserve	Everyone deserves to be respected.
expect	You should expect to hear from the coach today.
hope	We were hoping to see progress this week.
learn	They learned to trust their teammates.
need	We need to search for a new research subject.
offer	I offered to pay for the meal.
plan	They are planning to travel to Norway in June.
promise	She promised to help me with my science homework.
seem	It seems to be a problem.
wait	I can’t wait to participate in the next competition.
want	We don’t want to make any mistakes.