Infinitives and gerunds
1. English learners often wonder which verbs are followed by gerunds and which by infinitives. See below a list of verbs that are followed by gerunds (in alphabetical order)
abhor
acknowledge
admit
advise
allow
anticipate
appreciate
avoid
be worth
celebrate
confess
consider
defend
delay
detest
discontinue
discuss
dislike
dispute
dread
endure
enjoy
escape
evade
explain
fancy
fear
feign
finish
forgive
keep
mention
mind
miss
necessitate
omit
permit
picture
postpone
practice
recall
recollect
recommend
report
resent
resist
resume
risk
shirk
shun
suggest
support
understand
urge
warrant
For example, I enjoy playing football (the verb enjoy is followed by a gerund= playing)
2. Other verbs are followed by infinitives:
agree
appear
arrange
ask
attempt
beg
can/can’t afford
can/can’t wait
care
chance
choose
claim
come
consent
dare
decide
demand
deserve
determine
elect
endeavor
expect
fail
get
guarantee
hesitate
hope
hurry
incline
learn
manage
mean
need
neglect
offer
pay
plan
prepare
pretend
profess
promise
refuse
remain
request
resolve
say
seek
seem
shudder
strive
struggle
swear
tend
threaten
volunteer
wait
want
wish
would like
yearn
For example, I would like to have a glass of water please.
3. However, we use the bare infinitive (the infinitive without 'to') in the following situations:
After modal verbs - I can meet you after work.
After 'let', 'make'- My mother let me go to the party last Saturday.
After some verbs of perception (see, watch, hear, notice, feel, sense) - I watched him win the game.
After expressions with 'why' - why bother? or why not ask for help?
Tip: Don't memorise long lists of words. Just practise a few words at a time during real conversations.