Both infinitives and gerunds can be translated as “doing” and seem similar, but there are differences in the verbs they can follow and in the rules for prepositions. Let’s organize them carefully.
Basic Rules
There are three main patterns:
① Gerund only: enjoy / finish / stop / mind / give up / avoid / practice / suggest
② Infinitive only: want / hope / decide / try / plan / promise / agree / refuse / wish / expect
③ Both are possible (same meaning): like / love / hate / start / begin / continue
Words whose meanings change: Be careful because remember / forget / stop / try have different meanings with infinitives and gerunds.
Memory tip: It is easy to understand if you think of infinitives as “future-oriented” (things you will do from now on) and gerunds as “actual experiences or actions that have already been carried out.”
remember to lock the door. (Remember to lock the door.) ← something to do from now on
I remember locking the door. (I remember locking the door.) ← an action done in the past
She stopped to smoke. (She stopped in order to smoke.) ← adverbial infinitive
She stopped smoking. (She quit smoking.) ← object of stop
I tried to open the door. (I tried to open the door.) ← attempted it; success unknown
I tried opening the door. (I tried opening the door.) ← actually tried doing it
Points to Note
① remember to do (remember to do something = do it without forgetting) / remember doing (remember having done something = a memory of the past).
② forget to do (forget to do something) / forget doing (forget having done something).
③ try to do (try to do something = make an attempt) / try doing (try doing something = actually try it).
④ stop to do (stop in order to do something) / stop doing (quit doing something).
⑤ A gerund must always follow a preposition: look forward to seeing you. Here, to is a preposition, so it is seeing, not see! “I look forward to see you.” is incorrect.
⑥ A gerund also follows How about / What about: “How about going to the park?”
- Infinitive = future-oriented; gerund = an action already completed or established
- remember / forget / stop / try change meaning.
- A gerund must follow a preposition.
- look forward to + doing (to is a preposition!)
- How about + doing makes a suggestion.
Practice
- Write “I am looking forward to seeing you” in English (using look forward to).
- Write “He forgot to lock the door” in English (using forget to).
- Write “How about going to the park?” in English (using How about).