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🔀 Compendium
Grammar
EN
English — Gerund vs infinitive after verbs
Some verbs are followed by the -ing form, others by the to-infinitive, and a few accept both. Choosing the wrong one — as in the incorrect I enjoy to read — sounds unnatural to native speakers.
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How it works
✓ Rule
Verbs like enjoy, avoid and mind are followed by the -ing form (I enjoy reading), while want, hope and decide take the to-infinitive (I want to leave). The pattern is fixed by the first verb, not by the meaning.
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Examples
| Verb | Followed by | Example |
|---|---|---|
| enjoy | + -ing | I enjoy reading. |
| avoid | + -ing | She avoids driving at night. |
| mind | + -ing | Do you mind waiting? |
| want | + to-infinitive | I want to go home. |
| hope | + to-infinitive | We hope to win. |
| decide | + to-infinitive | He decided to leave. |
| like | + -ing / to | I like swimming. / I like to swim. |
| start | + -ing / to | It started raining. / It started to rain. |
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Good to know
⚠ Note
Verbs like like, start and continue take either form with almost no change in meaning. But a few change meaning: remember to lock the door (a task ahead) versus remember locking the door (a past memory); the same happens with stop and try.