A is the -ing form of a verb used like a noun (enjoy swimming). An is to + the base verb (decide to leave). Each verb decides which one follows it, so you learn them in groups: enjoy, avoid and suggest take -ing; want, decide and hope take to; and every preposition takes -ing.
What are a gerund and an infinitive?
A is the -ing form of a verb when it works like a noun. You can use it as the subject of a sentence or after certain verbs and prepositions. An is to plus the base verb: to study, to travel, to decide.
Both forms name an action without saying who does it or when. That is why they are useful in IELTS Writing, where you often need to talk about actions in general.
- Cycling reduces traffic in city centres. · gerund as the subject
- Many students plan to study abroad. · infinitive after plan
- She is interested in learning Spanish. · gerund after a preposition
Verbs that take the -ing form
After some verbs you must use the . You cannot choose. These are the ones that appear most often in IELTS answers:
- enjoy, avoid, finish, mind, keep, practise, miss: She avoids travelling at rush hour.
- suggest, consider, recommend, admit, deny, risk: The report suggests building more cycle lanes.
- imagine, involve, mention, delay: Learning a language involves making mistakes.
Verbs that take to + base verb
After another group of verbs you must use the . These verbs are often about plans, wishes and decisions.
- want, need, hope, plan, decide, expect, choose: The city decided to ban cars from the centre.
- agree, refuse, promise, manage, afford, learn: Few families can afford to live in the city centre.
- seem, appear, tend, happen: Young people tend to use their phones for news.
Verbs that take either form
A few verbs take both with almost no change in meaning: like, love, hate, prefer, start, begin and continue. You can say I prefer to work alone or I prefer working alone.
A small group changes meaning, so choose with care. Stop to do means you stop one action in order to do another: He stopped to buy milk. Stop doing means you no longer do it: He stopped buying milk from that shop. In the same way, remember to do is a duty you must carry out, but remember doing is a memory of something you did: I remember visiting that museum as a child.
Prepositions, purpose and the verbs make and let
After any preposition, use the , even when the preposition is to. In look forward to, be used to and object to, the word to is a preposition, so the next verb ends in -ing: I look forward to hearing from you.
To explain why someone does something (purpose), use to + base verb: People use public transport to save money. Avoid for + -ing here: do not write People use public transport for saving money.
After make, let and , use the base verb with no to: The teacher made us rewrite the essay.
How to remember which verbs go where
Do not try to memorise a list of fifty verbs in one evening. Start with the ten verbs you are most likely to use in IELTS: enjoy, avoid, suggest, consider, want, decide, hope, plan, manage and refuse. Write one true sentence for each, about your own life or your city, and say it aloud.
It also helps to notice meaning. Verbs that point forward to something not yet done, such as want, hope, plan and decide, usually take to. Verbs that look at an activity that is already real or imagined, such as enjoy, avoid, imagine and consider, usually take -ing. This is a guide, not a law, but it is right often enough to help you guess.
When you read a text for Reading or for study, underline every verb followed by -ing or to. After a week you will have a personal list that is far more useful than any list in a book, because it comes from the words you actually meet.
Common mistakes
Most mistakes come from copying the pattern of your own language, where one form may do every job. Watch for these:
- I enjoy to read. Say: I enjoy reading.
- The government suggested to build a bridge. Say: suggested building a bridge, or suggested that it should build one.
- I look forward to meet you. Say: I look forward to meeting you.
- He decided going abroad. Say: He decided to go abroad.
- People go to the library for studying. Say: People go to the library to study.
Who finds this hard?
- Spanish speakers: Spanish uses one form after most verbs, so you may write enjoy to read or suggest to go. Remember that English often needs -ing.
- Arabic speakers: Arabic often uses a that-clause where English uses an infinitive. Practise want to go, not want that I go.
IELTS tip
In Writing Task 2, a is a tidy way to start a sentence about a general idea: Using public transport reduces pollution. Check every verb you use after suggest, avoid, enjoy and look forward to, because these mistakes are easy to see and easy to fix in your final read-through.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a gerund and an infinitive?
A ends in -ing and works like a noun (swimming is fun). An is to + base verb (I want to swim). Which one you need depends on the word before it.
Is there a rule to know which verbs take -ing or to?
There is no single rule, so learn the verbs in groups. Verbs about plans and wishes (want, hope, decide) take to. Verbs of liking, avoiding and suggesting (enjoy, avoid, suggest) take -ing.
Why is it look forward to meeting and not look forward to meet?
Here to is a preposition, not part of an infinitive. Prepositions are always followed by a noun or an -ing form.
Can I use for + -ing to explain purpose?
Usually not. Use to + base verb for purpose: I use a dictionary to check meanings. For + -ing describes what a thing is for, as in a knife is for cutting.
Sources
- Swan, M. (2016). Practical English Usage, 4th edition. Oxford University Press.
- Carter, R. and McCarthy, M. (2006). Cambridge Grammar of English. Cambridge University Press.