How to Fix Infinitives vs. Gerunds

The choice between two verb forms

English lets many verbs take either an infinitive, like to run, or a gerund, like running, but some verbs accept only one. Choosing the wrong form is a common error that sounds slightly off to native ears and confuses learners. The good news is that the patterns are learnable with a bit of practice.

Infinitives often carry a sense of purpose or future intent, while gerunds often carry a sense of experience or ongoing activity. That hint helps you remember which form tends to follow which verb, even though some verbs simply require memorization.

Which verbs take which form

How to choose and fix the form

1. 1
   Check the main verb

   Identify the verb that comes before the second verb.

2. 2
   Recall its pattern

   Remember whether it takes a gerund, an infinitive, or either.

3. 3
   Test the meaning

   For verbs like stop and remember, confirm the form matches your intended meaning.

4. 4
   Apply the correct form

   Use the gerund or infinitive the verb requires.

Common mistakes

• using an infinitive after enjoy, like I enjoy to read, instead of I enjoy reading
• using a gerund after decide, like I decided going, instead of I decided to go
• confusing stop to do with stop doing, which have different meanings
• mixing forms in a parallel list, like I like swimming and to run

Make the choice feel natural

Mastering infinitives and gerunds takes some memorization, but the payoff is smoother, more natural English. Focus first on the high-frequency verbs and the few that change meaning with form. Once those are solid, the rest follows more easily.

When editing, a checker can flag mismatched forms. The free Grammar Checker at AI Humanizer Lab catches infinitive-versus-gerund errors across a whole document with no word limits, which helps learners and busy writers catch patterns they might otherwise miss.

Forms that flow from practice

The infinitive-versus-gerund choice flows from practice more than from logic. Once you have seen enjoy followed by a gerund a dozen times, the wrong form starts to feel jarring. Exposure is the real teacher, so read widely and notice which form each common verb takes.

A practical shortcut is to keep a short personal list of verbs that trip you up, with their required form beside each. Review the list before you write, and the forms stick faster than any abstract rule. Within a few weeks, the most common verbs stop causing trouble.

High-frequency verbs to master

• enjoy, avoid, finish, and suggest, which take gerunds
• decide, want, hope, and agree, which take infinitives
• stop and remember, which change meaning with the form
• any verb that follows a preposition, which always takes a gerund

Forms that become automatic

Verb forms become automatic through exposure and a little focused practice. The more correct English you read, the more your instincts align with native patterns, and the less you rely on rules you have to look up. Over a few weeks, the most common verbs stop causing hesitation.

Keep a personal list of verbs that trip you up, and review it before you write. That small effort pays off quickly, because the same high-frequency verbs appear in almost everything you write. Mastering them removes a steady source of error and lets your attention return to your ideas.