Verbs Followed by Gerunds and Infinitives

• Common verbs followed by a gerund:

1. abhor 21. endure 41. postpone
2. acknowledge 22. enjoy 42. practice
3. admit 23. escape 43. prevent
4. advise 24. evade 44. put off
5. allow 25. explain 45. recall
6. anticipate 26. fancy 46. recollect
7. appreciate 27. fear 47. recommend
8. avoid 28. feign 48. report
9. be worth 29. finish 49. resent
10. can’t help 30. forgive 50. resist
11. celebrate 31. give up (stop) 51. resume
12. confess 32. keep (continue) 52. risk
13. defend 33. keep on 53. shirk
14. delay 34. mention 54. shun
15. detest 35. mind (object to) 55. suggest
16. discontinue 36. miss 56. support
17. discuss 37. necessitate 57. tolerate
18. dislike 38. omit 58. understand
19. dispute 39. permit 59. urge
20. dread 40. picture 60. warrant

• Common verbs followed by an infinitive:

1. agree 12. claim 23. fail
2. appear 13. come 24. get
3. arrange 14. consent 25. grow (up)
4. ask 15. dare 26. guarantee
5. attempt 16. decide 27. hesitate
6. beg 17. demand 28. hope
7. can/can’t afford 18. deserve 29. hurry
8. can/can’t wait 19. determine 30. incline
9. care 20. elect 31. learn
10. chance 21. endeavor 32. manage
11. choose 22. expect 33. mean
 34. need 45. remain 56. threaten
35. neglect 46. request 57. turn out
36. offer 47. resolve 58. venture
37. pay 48. say 59. volunteer
38. plan 49. seek 60. wait
39. prepare 50. seem 61. want
40. pretend 51. shudder 62. wish
41. profess 52. strive 63. would like
42. promise 53. struggle 64. yearn
43. prove 54. swear
44. refuse 55. tend

• Verbs followed by a gerund or infinitive with little to no change in meaning:

1. begin
2. continue
3. hate
4. intend
5. like (Like + to has a slightly different meaning from like + -ing.)
o I like baking. (with a gerund)
= I enjoy it.
o I like to read before bed. (with an infinitive)
= This is a good thing to do or it’s a habit, but not necessarily something I enjoy.
6. love
7. prefer
8. start

• Verbs followed by a gerund or infinitive with a change in meaning:

1. forget
o He’ll never forget spending so much money on his first computer. (with a gerund)
= He spent so much money on his first computer, and he’ll always remember it.
o Don’t forget to spend money on the tickets. (with an infinitive)
= Remember that you must spend money on the tickets.
2. go on
o They went on cycling until they reached the farm. (with a gerund)
= They continued cycling until they reached the farm.
o He went on to tell us how to make a different cake. (with an infinitive)
= The next thing he did was to tell us how to make a different cake.
3. regret
o I regret being late for school. (with a gerund)
= I regret something I’ve done in the past: I wish I had been never late for school.
o We regret to inform you that the flight has been delayed for another two hours. (with an
infinitive)
= I am sorry to tell you...: we are sorry to tell you that the flight has been delayed for another
two hours.
4. remember
o I remember switching off the lights when I went on holiday. (with a gerund)
= Have a memory of a past action: I remember that I switched off the lights when I went
on holiday.
o Remember to switch off the lights when you go on holiday. (with an infinitive)
= Remember an action you need to do: remember that you must switch off the lights when
you go on holiday.
5. stop
o I stopped smoking. (with a gerund)
= Finish doing it: I finish smoking.
o I stopped to smoke. (with an infinitive)
= In order to do something else: in order to smoke.
6. try
o If you can’t read where you are, try sitting in the front row. (with a gerund)
= Test something out: sit in the front row and see if you can read there.
o I tried to lift that heavy stone. (with an infinitive)
= Make an attempt: I made an attempt to lift the stone.