Two small words, one daily headache. Do you say I enjoy to cook or I enjoy cooking? I want going home or I want to go home? Gerunds (the -ing form) and infinitives (the to form) trip people up at every level, and it isn't your fault — English doesn't hand you one neat rule. It hands you patterns, a few stubborn exceptions, and a handful of verbs that flip meaning completely depending on which form you pick. The good news: once you can see the patterns, most of your choices stop being guesses. Here's how to get them right.
What gerunds and infinitives actually are
A gerund is a verb wearing an -ing coat and behaving like a noun: swimming is good exercise, I love reading, thanks for helping. An infinitive is the base verb with to in front: to swim, to read, to help. Both exist for one reason — English won't let you stack two plain verbs side by side. You can't say I enjoy cook or I want go; one of the two verbs has to change shape. Your whole job is knowing which one.
The patterns that cover most cases
Some verbs are always followed by a gerund: enjoy, finish, avoid, suggest, mind, keep, can't help. I finished eating. She avoids flying. Would you mind waiting? Others insist on an infinitive: want, need, decide, hope, promise, agree, learn, refuse. I decided to leave. He promised to call. We're learning to drive. A third group takes an object and then an infinitive: tell, ask, advise, allow, want. She told me to wait. They asked us to stay. Don't try to memorise hundreds of these. Notice the logic instead: verbs about plans and intentions (want, hope, plan, decide) lean toward the infinitive, while verbs about ongoing or finished actions (enjoy, finish, avoid) lean toward the gerund. That instinct will carry you further than any list.
After a preposition, always use -ing
This one's a gift, because it's a rule with almost no exceptions. Whenever a verb follows a preposition — in, on, at, of, about, for, after, before, without — it takes the -ing form. Good at cooking. Interested in learning. Thanks for coming. Tired of waiting. The classic trap is the little word to, which is sometimes a preposition rather than part of an infinitive. In I look forward to hearing from you, that to is a preposition, so it has to be hearing, not hear. Same with used to living here (meaning accustomed) and committed to improving. When you're unsure, test it: if you could drop a noun into that spot (look forward to the weekend), it's a preposition — so use -ing.
The verbs that change meaning
Here's where it gets interesting, and where careful learners pull ahead. A few common verbs accept both forms, but the meaning shifts depending on your choice. Remember to lock the door is a task still ahead of you; I remember locking the door is a memory of something already done. Stop to talk means you pause in order to talk; stop talking means you go quiet. I tried to open the window (you made the effort) is different from try opening the window (a suggestion, an experiment). With like, love and hate the gap is softer: I like swimming is about enjoyment, while I like to swim every morning leans toward habit or choice. Learn these as fixed examples rather than rules — say them aloud until the right version simply sounds correct.
Gerunds and infinitives reward exposure far more than memorisation. The more good English you read and hear, the more often the right form just feels right, and the less you'll freeze mid-sentence trying to work it out. If you'd like to build that instinct faster, with a teacher who can spot the patterns you keep slipping on, our live online courses at Kensington English give you the speaking practice and feedback that turn rules into reflexes.
