Gerunds vs. Infinitives: Rules for Teens

Gerunds and infinitives are two special forms of verbs used as other parts of speech in a sentence. A gerund is a verb ending in -ing that acts like a noun (for example, Swimming is fun). An infinitive is 'to + verb' that can act as a noun, adjective, or adverb (for example, I want to swim). Choosing between these forms correctly depends on the verb or phrase that comes before them.

📥 Gerunds and Infinitives Practice Cards
Sort common verbs into patterns teens can use in real sentences.
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What Are Gerunds and Infinitives, Anyway?

Understanding the basics of gerunds and infinitives is the first step. Think of them as verbs that have changed jobs in a sentence.

Gerunds: Verbs Acting as Nouns

A gerund is a verb with '-ing' added to the end. It functions just like a noun in a sentence. This means it can be the subject, object, or complement.

Form: Base Verb + -ing

Subject: Running is good for your health. (Who or what is good? Running)
Object: I enjoy reading fantasy books. (What do I enjoy? Reading)
After a preposition: She is good at solving puzzles. (Good at what? Solving)

Infinitives: Verbs with 'To'

An infinitive is the base form of a verb with 'to' in front of it. Infinitives can act as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs.

Form: To + Base Verb

Noun: He loves to play video games. (What does he love? To play)
Adjective: I have a lot of homework to finish. (What kind of homework? To finish)
Adverb (purpose): We went outside to get some fresh air. (Why did we go? To get)

When to Use Which: Key Rules

Mastering Gerunds and Infinitives: A Guide for Young Learners | LearnLink

The trickiest part is knowing when to use a gerund and when to use an infinitive. This often depends on the main verb that comes before it in the sentence.

Verbs Followed by Gerunds

Some verbs are always followed by a gerund. It’s important to memorize these common verbs. For instance, verbs like enjoy, finish, avoid, mind, suggest, recommend, admit, deny, consider, postpone typically take a gerund.

She enjoys swimming in the ocean.
They finished doing their homework.
You should avoid eating too much sugar.

Verbs Followed by Infinitives

Other verbs are always followed by an infinitive. These include verbs like want, need, decide, agree, promise, hope, plan, learn, expect, refuse, manage, pretend.

I want to learn a new language.
He decided to visit his grandparents.
They promised to help us with the project.

Verbs Followed by Both (with Different Meanings)

Some verbs can be followed by both a gerund and an infinitive, but the meaning of the sentence changes. Common examples are stop, remember, forget, try, regret, need, mean.

Stop:
I stopped eating candy. (I no longer eat candy – gerund as object)
I stopped to eat candy. (I paused another activity to eat candy – infinitive for purpose)
Remember:
I remember visiting that museum as a child. (I recall a past event – gerund)
I must remember to visit the museum. (I have a future task – infinitive)

Core Explanations: Gerund and Infinitive Rules

Grammar Item	Rule / Usage	Example Sentences
Gerunds (-ing form)	Act as nouns. Used after certain verbs (e.g., enjoy, finish, avoid) and prepositions.	She loves dancing. They are interested in learning. Waiting is boring.
Infinitives (to + verb)	Act as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs. Used after certain verbs (e.g., want, need, decide) and after adjectives.	I want to go home. It's easy to understand. He came to help.
Verbs followed by Gerunds	admit, avoid, consider, deny, enjoy, finish, mind, miss, postpone, practice, recommend, suggest.	We enjoyed watching the movie. He suggested visiting the museum.
Verbs followed by Infinitives	agree, decide, expect, hope, learn, manage, need, offer, plan, pretend, promise, refuse, want.	She decided to study abroad. I hope to see you soon.
Verbs followed by Both (different meaning)	forget, remember, stop, try, regret, mean, need.	He stopped talking. (ended the action) He stopped to talk. (paused to do it)

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Mistakes often happen when mixing up which form goes with specific verbs. Pay close attention to the verbs that trigger these forms.

❌ Incorrect	✅ Correct
I enjoy to play tennis.	I enjoy playing tennis.
He decided going to the party.	He decided to go to the party.
She is good at to draw.	She is good at drawing.
They need studying for the exam.	They need to study for the exam.

Two teenagers enjoying a sunny day at the park, one reading a book, the other playing with a dog

🔤 Exercise 1: Choose the Correct Form

🔤 Task: Complete the sentences using the gerund or infinitive form of the verb in parentheses.

1. My friend suggested ______ (watch) a movie tonight.
2. I promised ______ (help) my mom with chores.
3. They avoid ______ (talk) about politics at dinner.
4. She wants ______ (travel) the world someday.

🔤 Exercise 2: Describe the Scene

🔤 Task: Look at the picture of the park. Write 3-4 sentences describing what the people are doing or planning to do. Use both gerunds and infinitives in your sentences.

1. Example: The girl is enjoying ______ (read) her book.
2. Example: The boy wants ______ (play) with his dog.
3. Example: They decided ______ (spend) the afternoon at the park.

🔤 Exercise 3: Your Own Experiences

🔤 Task: Create your own sentences about your life. Write 3-4 sentences using verbs that require gerunds or infinitives.

1. What do you enjoy doing on weekends?
2. What do you plan to do next summer?
3. What do you avoid doing during exams?

Step-by-Step Learning Progression

Learning gerunds and infinitives effectively involves a structured approach, adapted for different age groups. This method ensures students build accuracy before fluency.

1. Input: Listening and Reading for Patterns

Exposure is key. Learners need to see and hear these forms in context.

Preschool kids: Use simple stories and songs. Highlight phrases like "I like playing" or "I want to eat." Focus on common verbs.
school-age kids: Watch engaging cartoons or read short stories. Ask students to identify sentences with '-ing' verbs or 'to + verb' forms. You can find many resources, like best cartoons to learn English.
school-age kids: Encourage reading diverse articles, blogs, and fiction. Watch movies and pay attention to how native speakers use gerunds and infinitives. Discuss sentence patterns.

2. Controlled Practice: Building Accuracy

This stage focuses on correct form usage through guided tasks.

Preschool kids: Use picture matching or simple fill-in-the-blank activities. "I like to ____ (run/running)" with choices.
school-age kids: Provide worksheets with multiple-choice questions or simple sentence completion exercises. Focus on specific verb lists (e.g., verbs followed only by gerunds).
Teens: More complex gap-filling, error correction tasks, and sentence transformation exercises. They can also explore common English phrases to see how these forms fit in.

3. Semi-Controlled Practice: Guided Application

Learners start producing sentences, but with some support.

Preschool kids: Complete sentence starters orally or with drawing. "I want to ____." "I love ____."
school-age kids: Describe pictures using provided verbs. "The girl enjoys ______ (read)." Create short sentences about daily routines.
Teens: Answer specific questions that require using gerunds or infinitives, write short paragraphs describing a future plan, or tell a story from a series of prompts.

4. Free Production: Expressing Ideas

The goal here is natural, spontaneous use, even with some errors.

Preschool kids: Talk about what they like to do or what they want to play. Focus on communication over perfect grammar.
school-age kids: Tell a story, describe their favorite activities, or talk about what they plan for the weekend. Encourage them to speak freely.
Teens: Participate in debates, write short essays, or discuss complex topics. The focus shifts to conveying ideas effectively using the learned grammar naturally.

5. Feedback: Refinement and Review

Constructive feedback is crucial for correcting mistakes and reinforcing rules.

All Ages: Offer gentle correction, focusing on patterns rather than every single error. Highlight correct usage.
Encourage self-correction by asking, "Does that sound right?" or "What form usually follows 'enjoy'?"
Regularly review the lists of verbs that take gerunds, infinitives, or both.

Conclusion

Mastering gerunds and infinitives can seem daunting for teens, but with consistent practice and a clear understanding of the rules, it becomes much easier. Remember to pay attention to the specific verbs that precede them and practice them in real-life contexts. By following a step-by-step approach, young learners can confidently use these verb forms, significantly improving their fluency and accuracy in English.

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For the child-development context behind this advice, American Academy of Pediatrics gives a broader reference point for parents.

Try five teen-friendly sentences using gerunds after enjoy, avoid, and finish.
Practice ten infinitive patterns with your 13-year-old after want, need, and decide.
Use one favorite book scene to compare stopping to read and stopping reading.
Review three mistakes together, then rewrite each sentence with the correct form.
Create a weekly chart tracking gerund and infinitive choices in real conversations.

If your child needs steady speaking practice, start small — choose a free trial lesson.

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