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Lesson 6 - House
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This page: Learn which verbs are followed by the infinitive and which are followed by the gerund.

Infinitive or Gerund

Infinitive or Gerund?
Grammar

With some verbs, the infinitive form of the verb is always used. The infinitive is the basic form of the verb (to + verb).

With other verbs, the gerund form of the verb is used (verb + -ing).

With other verbs, either form of the verb can be used (infinitive or gerund).

Verbs used with the infinitive

The following is a list of verbs that, when used with another verb, are followed by the infinitive form of the verb (to + verb). Click on the links in the table to listen to and repeat the pronunciation.

arrange
to organize or put things in order
demand
to ask for something strongly
expect
to think something will happen
hope
to want something good to happen
manage
to succeed in doing something
need
to require something
offer
to say you are willing to give or do something
plan
to decide what you will do in the future
promise
to say you will definitely do something
refuse
to say no to something
threaten
to say you will do something bad if something does not happen
want
to desire something
would like
a polite way to say you want something

 

Exercise - Verbs with the infinitive

Write sentences using the following information. Remember that the infinitive is used with all of these verbs. Make sure you use the correct capitalization and include a period or question mark at the end.

exercise
I/plan/study tomorrow

1. She/wants/work in that company
   
   

2. He/arranged/have the wedding in the park
   
   

3. I/expected/pass the test
   
   

4. They/offered/help us
   
   

5. He/demanded/see the doctor
   
   

6. We/promise/work harder
   
   

7. She/needs/study the vocabulary
   
   

8. I/hope/finish the project
   
   

9. They/refuse/do the work
   
   

10. She/managed/become the director of the company
   
   

11. He/threatened/destroy the evidence
   
   

12. I/would like/go to Hawaii
   
   

 

Verbs used with the gerund

The following is a list of verbs that, when used with another verb, are followed by a verb in the gerund form (verb + ing).

begin
to start doing something
finish
to complete something
give up
to stop trying to do something
miss
to feel sad because someone or something is not with you
practice
to do something many times to get better at it
start
to begin doing something
stop
to end an action or activity

 

Exercise - Verbs with the gerund

Write sentences with the following information. Remember that the gerund is used with all these verbs.

exercise
She/stopped/smoking/last week

1. He/started/work/at a new job
   
   

2. She/finished/clean/the house
   
   

3. I/practiced/write/sentences in English
   
   

4. I/miss/eat/food from my country
   
   

5. He/gave up/drink/alcohol
   
   

6. They/began/paint/the house
   
   

 

Verbs that can be used with either the infinitive or the gerund

The following is a list of verbs that, when used with another verb, can be followed by either the infinitive or the gerund.

hate
to dislike something very much
like
to enjoy something
love
to like something or someone very much

 

Exercise - Verbs with the infinitive or gerund

Write these sentences in two ways (using the infinitive and the gerund).

exercise
I/hate/cook

Infinitive

Gerund

1. I/like/swim
    Infinitive
   
   

    Gerund
   
   

2. She/loves/read
    Infinitive
   
   

    Gerund
   
   

3. They/hate/clean
    Infinitive
   
   

    Gerund
   
   

 

Exercise - Infinitive or Gerund

Select the correct form of the verb. In some cases, there is more than one correct answer (you can use the infinitive or the gerund).

1. I expect the project next week.
   

2. He stopped .
   

3. They offered her.
   

4. I promise the work tomorrow.
   

5. We need .
   

6. She hopes English quickly.
   

7. He gave up .
   

8. I hate .
   

9. We plan on vacation next month.
   

10. She refused the work.
   

11. We finished the homework.
   

12. I like .
   

13. We began English last year.
   

14. I love to restaurants.
   

15. He started an hour ago.
   

16. I want to Europe.
   

17. I miss my family.
   

18. He threatened the project.
   

19. We would like dinner.
   

20. I practiced English.
   

 

Find the Mistake

Instructions
Identify the error in the following sentences and write the corrected version.

example
He are a teacher. → He is a teacher. 

1. The toilet is stoped up.

2. There are cockaroches in the house.

3. She finished to work.

4. I started to study English.

5.  I need study the verbs.

 

Writing

Write five sentences using the verbs from this lesson.

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