📖 Quick Grammar Reference: Gerunds & Infinitives
| Pattern | Common verbs | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb + gerund (-ing) | enjoy, avoid, finish, suggest, mind, keep | She enjoys reading novels. |
| Verb + infinitive (to + verb) | want, decide, hope, promise, need, plan | They want to travel to Japan. |
| Verb + gerund or infinitive | like, love, hate, start, begin, continue | I like swimming / I like to swim. |
| Preposition + gerund | After any preposition, use the -ing form: interested in learning, good at cooking. | |
Exercise 1 — Fill in the Blank (Put the verb in brackets into the gerund or infinitive form.)
- She enjoys (read) novels.
- They want (travel) to Japan.
- He avoided (answer) the difficult question.
- We decided (leave) early to beat the traffic.
- I finished (write) the report just before lunch.
- She hopes (pass) the exam next month.
- He suggested (go) to the cinema on Friday.
- They need (find) a new flat before September.
- Do you mind (open) the window?
- I promise (call) you tomorrow morning.
Exercise 2 — True or False (Read each statement about verb patterns and circle T (True) or F (False).)
-
The verb enjoy is followed by the gerund (-ing form).
T F
-
The verb want is followed by the gerund.
T F
-
Verbs of preference like like and love can be followed by both the gerund and the infinitive with little difference in meaning.
T F
-
Stop doing something and stop to do something mean exactly the same thing.
T F
-
After a preposition, we always use the gerund, never the infinitive.
T F
Print version: write T or F on the line next to each statement.
Exercise 3 — Complete About Yourself (Complete each sentence with a true gerund or infinitive phrase about your own life.)
- I enjoy… (add an -ing activity)
- I want to… this year.
- I'm looking forward to… (add an -ing activity)
- Last year I decided to…
- I try to avoid… (add an -ing activity)
📋 Show Answer Key
Exercise 1
- reading
- to travel
- answering
- to leave
- writing
- to pass
- going
- to find
- opening
- to call
Exercise 2
- True
- False — want is followed by the infinitive (to + verb)
- True
- False — they have different meanings: stop doing = end an activity; stop to do = pause to do something else
- True
Exercise 3
Open answers. Check that students use the correct pattern for each verb: gerund after ‘enjoy’/‘avoid’ and after the preposition ‘to’ in ‘looking forward to’, and the infinitive after ‘want’/‘decide’.
Gerunds and Infinitives Worksheet — FAQ
What does this gerunds and infinitives worksheet cover?
This worksheet covers which common verbs are followed by the gerund (-ing form), which are followed by the infinitive (to + base verb), and the verb-pattern rules that decide which one to use.
What level is this gerunds and infinitives worksheet?
This worksheet is designed for B1 (Intermediate) to B2 (Upper-Intermediate) learners who already know basic verb tenses and are learning more advanced verb patterns.
What is a gerund?
A gerund is the -ing form of a verb used as a noun. Example: ‘Swimming is good exercise.’ or ‘She enjoys reading.’ Verbs like enjoy, avoid, finish, suggest, and mind are followed by a gerund.
What is an infinitive?
An infinitive is ‘to’ + the base form of a verb. Example: ‘I want to travel.’ Verbs like want, decide, hope, promise, and need are followed by the infinitive.
How do I know whether a verb takes the gerund or the infinitive?
There is no single rule — it depends on the specific verb, so the pattern must be learned verb by verb. This worksheet practises some of the most common gerund-only and infinitive-only verbs to build that recognition.
Do 'stop doing' and 'stop to do' mean the same thing?
No. ‘Stop doing something’ means to end an activity (‘I stopped smoking’), while ‘stop to do something’ means to pause one activity in order to do another (‘I stopped to smoke’ = I paused what I was doing to have a cigarette).
Can I save this worksheet as a PDF?
Yes. Click the orange ‘Print / Save as PDF’ button at the top of the page. In your browser’s print dialogue, select ‘Save as PDF’ as the destination. The worksheet is formatted for A4 paper.
Is the answer key included?
Yes. Scroll to the bottom of the worksheet to find the collapsible answer key. Click ‘Show Answer Key’ to reveal all answers. If you want to print the answers too, open the key before clicking Print.
What online exercise goes with this worksheet?
The related online exercise is Cloze Dropdown at lexfizz.com/exercises/cloze-dropdown/ — students choose the correct gerund or infinitive form from a dropdown with instant feedback.
How long does this worksheet take to complete?
The three exercises take approximately 20–25 minutes for most B1–B2 learners.