GRAMMAR & STRUCTURE
Gerunds & Infinitives

Definition

Gerunds are verbs used as subjects or nouns, and infinitives are the to + verb form of the verb. Some verbs are followed by the gerund, others are followed by infinitives. There are other verbs that are followed by either gerunds or infinitives, but the meaning changes depending on which type of verb is used. The following sections describe verbs that are followed by either gerunds or infinitives.

Example

I stopped drinking beer. (The meaning is: I do not drink beer anymore.) I stopped to drink a beer. (The meaning is: The reason I stopped was so that I could drink beer.)

Explanation

These verbs take either the gerund or the infinitive, but they mean different things when they are followed by a gerund than they do when followed by an infinitive: stop, remember, try, forget.

Related Sections

Gerunds
Infinitives