Verbs Followed by Gerunds or Infinitives Quiz

Verbs Followed by Gerunds or Infinitives

• Some verbs can only be followed by an -ing form (gerund), including: avoid, consider, dislike, enjoy, finish, practise, and suggest.
• Examples: He enjoyed travelling, and travelled all over the world. Would you consider moving to another country?
• Some verbs can only be followed by an infinitive, including: agree, ask, attempt, choose, decide, expect, forget, hope, manage, offer, prepare, promise, seem, and want.
• Examples: I offered to help my father clean the car. She decided to study Law at university.

Verbs with No Difference in Meaning

• Some verbs can be followed by either an infinitive or an -ing form, with no difference in meaning, including: begin, continue, hate, intend, like, love, prefer, and start.
• Examples: My brother likes playing the guitar. I prefer to read historical novels. I love getting to know the characters.

Verbs with Difference in Meaning

• Some verbs can be followed by either an infinitive or an -ing form, but with a difference in meaning, including: forget, remember, stop, and try.
• Examples: She stopped talking when she saw the beautiful view (stop = interrupt). We stopped to check our route on the map (stop = pause). I remember playing in the park when I was younger (remember = recall). I must remember to return that book to the library (remember = not forget).
• Try can mean either "experiment" or "attempt", depending on the context: Try reading a work of fiction instead (try = experiment). I tried to finish the book during my holiday, but it was too long (try = attempt).

Note on the Verb "Prefer"

• The verb "prefer" can be used in two different ways: I prefer reading/to read fictional novels.

Test your knowledge of English grammar rules with this quiz on verbs that can be followed by gerunds or infinitives. Learn how to use verbs like enjoy, consider, and offer correctly in sentences. Improve your language skills and become a master of verb forms!