Gerund vs Infinitive Page

Gerund vs Infinitive – Exercise Instructions

Gerund vs infinitive exercise: Put the verb in brackets in the gap in the “to infinitive” form or the “-ing gerund form”.

The answers are given after the exercise.

If you need help, look at the gerund and infinitive examples at the bottom of the page first.

Gerunds vs Infinitive – Exercise

1) I enjoy _______ (swim) in the lake in the summer.

2) He promised _______ (call) us when he got home.

3) He can’t afford _______ (eat) at restaurants very often.

4) I put off _______ (pay) the electric bill for too long.

5) She gave up _______ (look) for work as a nurse.

6) I don’t mind _______ (sit) in the front row.

7) She hopes _______ (attend) university in the autumn.

8) We postponed _______ (go) on vacation until next month.

9) She forgot _______ (lock) the door to her house.

10) He would never consider _______ (tell) a lie.

11) Air travel involves _______ (wait) for a flight.

12) We offered _______ (take) her home.

13) We remember _______ (drive) along the beautiful coast.

14) The gunman threatened _______ (shoot) the hostage.

15) She seems _______ (have) lost weight.

Gerund vs infinitive – Answers

1) swimming

2) to call

3) to eat

4) paying

5) looking

6) sitting

7) to attend

8) going

9) to lock

10) telling

11) waiting

12) to take

13) driving

14) to shoot

15) to have

Gerund and Infinitives List

You need to use the infinitive form after some verbs and the gerund form after other verbs.

Here are some common verbs that are followed by the gerund:

  • consider
  • delay
  • deny
  • don’t mind
  • enjoy
  • finish
  • give up
  • involve
  • miss
  • put off
  • regret
  • remember
  • risk
  • stop

Here are a few verbs that are followed by the infinitive form:

  • afford
  • agree
  • aim
  • arrange
  • attempt
  • appear
  • begin
  • claim
  • decide
  • deserve
  • fail
  • forget
  • hope
  • learn
  • offer
  • promise
  • seem
  • tend
  • threaten

Gerund Form – Examples:

I wish he would stop talking.

He denied cheating on the test.

I regret arguing with my parents.

She misses walking on the beach.

Infinitive Form – Examples:

He agreed to start work on the project.

We decided to go to a movie.

She tends to exaggerate things.

You deserve to live in a nice house.

More Gerund and Infinitive Practice

University of Toronto Gerunds and Infinitives List

Free IELTS Materials

Grammar Exercise List

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Gerund vs infinitive examples and exercises