English — verbs that change meaning: -ing vs to
A few verbs can be followed by either the -ing form or the to-infinitive, but the choice changes the meaning. With remember, forget, stop, try, regret, go on and mean, each pattern says something different.
How it works
As a rule, the -ing form refers to an action that is already real or happened earlier, while the to-infinitive points forward to a task, purpose or intention. Compare I remember locking the door (I did it and recall it) with Remember to lock the door (please do it, don't forget).
The seven verbs
| Verb | + -ing form | + to-infinitive |
|---|---|---|
| remember | I remember locking the door. | Remember to lock the door. |
| forget | I'll never forget meeting you. | Don't forget to call me. |
| stop | He stopped smoking. | He stopped to smoke. |
| try | Try adding more salt. | I tried to open the window. |
| regret | I regret telling him the truth. | We regret to inform you of the delay. |
| go on | She went on talking for an hour. | She finished, then went on to describe the plan. |
| mean | This job means working weekends. | I meant to call you yesterday. |
Good to know
Watch try and stop in particular. He stopped smoking means he quit; He stopped to smoke means he paused in order to smoke. Try adding salt suggests an experiment; I tried to open the window means an effort was made. Note too that regret + to-infinitive is a fixed, formal way to deliver bad news: We regret to inform you...