Grammar Rules · Gerund or infinitive
Gerund or infinitive.
Some verbs take -ing and some take to + verb. The pair is fixed, so learn them together. Enjoy, finish, suggest, and keep take -ing: "I enjoy cooking." Want, decide, plan, and hope take to: "I want to go." With stop, the form changes the meaning: "stop smoking" means you quit; "stop to smoke" means you pause for a cigarette.
Wrong → right
| Common mistake | Corrected |
|---|---|
| I enjoy to cook on weekends. | I enjoy cooking on weekends. |
| I want going home early today. | I want to go home early today. |
| He stopped to smoke last year and feels much healthier now. | He stopped smoking last year and feels much healthier now. |
| I finished to write the report. | I finished writing the report. |
| She suggested to leave before traffic. | She suggested leaving before traffic. |
| I look forward to see you. | I look forward to seeing you. |
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