Verb + Infinitive or Verb + ...ing

If you want to connect two verbs in one sentence some verbs need a to-infinitive - others use the ing-form. A few of them can be used in both manners.

Sometimes sentences can have a different meaning:

He stopped smoking.

He stopped to smoke.

Two sentences with a different meaning:

He stopped smoking two months ago. So he doesn't smoke anmyore.

He stopped to smoke a cigarette before he entered the building. So he smokes cigarettes.

Task

1. Watch the video.
2. There are some interactive exercises at the bottom of the page. Can you do them correctly?

Word list

verb + to + inf

I want to have a nice car.

I tried to find a cheap one.

• afford (sich leisten (können))
• agree
• aim
• appear
• arrange
• bother
• can’t wait (want)
• care
• claim (behaupten, beanspruchen)
• decide
• demand
• expect
• fail
• guarantee
• happen
• hasten
• hesitate (zögern)
• hope
• learn
• long (sich sehnen)
• manage
• offer
• pretend (etw. vortäuschen)
• promise
• propose (etw. vorschlagen)
• prove (sich erweisen)
• refuse
• seek
• seem
• swear
• threaten
• trouble

verb + ...ing

I feel like dancing.

I believe in keeping fit.

• agree with
• apologize for
• believe in
• blame for (jmd. beschuldigen)
• complain about
• concentrate on
• congratulate sb. on
• cope with (bewältigen/ zurecht kommen)
• depend on (abhängen von)
• dream about/of
• feel like
• get used to
• insist on (bestehen auf)
• look forward to
• rely on sth. (sich auf etwas verlassen)
• succeed in
• specialize in
• stop sb. from
• talk about/of
• think of
• worry about

Interactive Exercises

KEYWORD transformation

TASK

Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence, using the KEYWORD given.

Do not change the KEYWORD. You must use between two and five words, including the word given.

1. I'm sure he 'll manage to finish his homework.SUCCEED

   I'm sure he'll succeed in finishing() his homework.

{{{1}}}

2. Last week he learned to play the guitar every day.PRACTISED

   Last week he practised playing() the guitar every day.

{{{1}}}

3. He hoped to become a famous star..DREAMED

   He dreamed of becoming() a famous star.

{{{1}}}

Siehe auch

• Use of English/Keyword Transformation

Download

Infinitive or gerund.pdf - Verblisten zum Lernen (pdf)

Weblinks

• Verb patterns: verb + infinitive or verb + -ing?
• Verb + -ing or verb + infinitive (britishcouncil.org)
• Verbs + Infinitive or -ING