Verbs + gerunds / infinitives

INFINITIVE or -ING form?

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I have always tried (do) my best.

"My sauce always seems tasteless." "Have you ever tried
(add) a little sugar to it?"
Where did you get that money from? I don't remember
(give) it to you.
Did you remember (post) that letter I gave you?
Passengers are forbidden (talk) to the driver.
I'd love (meet) you when I am next in Athens.
There is a regulation which forbids (smoke) in hospitals.
Wouldn't you prefer (stay in) this evening?
I shall never forget (meet) you in Florence when you were
with Alan.
Don't forget (give) me a ring as soon as you get back.
I cannot help (wonder) why she never goes out anywhere.
I don't want to go if it means (change) trains.
I'm sorry, I didn't mean (interrupt) you.

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Complete the following sentences, using the gerund form of these verbs:
emigrate, go, have to, help, leave, marry, stay, phone, read, say (2), see,
talk, tell, travel.

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Fancy a man so much younger than herself!

If you like tongue-twisters, try "Six Swiss wrist watches."
Are you a student at this school? I don't recollect you here
before.
I'm sorry to trouble you, but would you mind me with this
suitcase?
It's very late. I suggest the washing-up until the morning.
I started work when I was 16. Now, I regret not at school.
I'll never finish these papers! There are so many of them!
Would you consider if things got worse in this country?
If you find the sound [h] difficult, practise "He hit her on
her hairy head with a hard, heavy hammer".
You should try to avoid in the rush hour.
I have enjoyed to you, and I hope we meet again some
time.
I deny you what to wear and what to do.
I simply couldn't resist you to tell you the good news!
She is afraid of the dentist, so she always puts off till the
last possible moment.
Can you imagine walk five miles to school every day? That
is what we had to do.

Put the verbs into the correct form: gerund or (to-)infinitive.

Mike doesn't like (1-dance). He would rather

(2-go) to the cinema. But Jean enjoys (3-dance) so much that
he let her (4-persuade) him (5-take) her to
the club last Saturday. When they arrived, a lot of other young men wanted
(6-dance) with her and kept (7-ask) her
(8-go) on the floor with them. This made Mike
(9-feel) jealous. He suggested (10-go) outside
for a breath of air, but at that moment it started (11-rain). Jean
began to get annoyed. "I know you hate (12-dance)," she said,
"but why should you (13-try) (14-stop) other
people (15-dance)?" Mike thought he had better
(16-dance) with her. He didn't want her
(17-lose) her temper.

Infinitive or '-ing' form: Practice

upper-intermediate 1

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Complete these sentences using infinitives or gerunds.

Helen should stop (criticise) people behind their backs. Has

she, I wonder, ever stopped (think) what people must be
saying about her in return?
I regret (say) that Mary didn't get the post she applied for.
She now regrets (apply) for it, because the application
took up a lot of time.
Although I don't like (look after) her dog, I do so because I
wouldn't like her (think) I was afraid of it.

Infinitive or '-ing' form: Practice

upper-intermediate 2

You say you've tried (stop) (snore) but

have failed. Have you tried (sleep) on your stomach?
5 Although I generally prefer (be) frank to
(be) secretive, on this particular occasion I prefer (keep)
my opinions of Frank to myself.
6 Lady Smith says she got my cheque. Well, I remember
(write) it, but I don't remember (post) it.
7 I dread (think) what my father's reaction will be when I tell
him the news. That's why I'm dreading (go) home.
8 I tried (persuade) him (agree) with your
proposal.
9 Do stop (talk); I'm trying (finish) a letter.
10 I advise you (start) looking for a flat at once.
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INFINITIVE or -ING form?

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I'm looking forward to (see) you soon.

He dreads (have) to retire.
I arranged (meet) him there.
Don't forget (lock) the door before (go)
to bed.
It's no use (wait) for him any longer.
He tried (explain) but she refused
(listen).
He decided (disguise) himself by (dress)
as a woman.
After (walk) for three hours we stopped
(let) the others (catch up) with us.
I don't allow (smoke) in my house. I don't allow my family
(smoke) at all.
Please go on (write); I don't mind (wait).
He wore dark glasses (avoid) (be)
recognised.
I prefer (drive) to (be) driven.
I suggest (telephone) the hospitals before
(ask) the police (look) for him.
Did you remember (give) him the key of the safe?

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Infinitive or '-ing' form: Practice

upper-intermediate 3

15 Why do you keep (look) back? Are you afraid of

(be) followed?
16 You'll never regret (do) a kind action.
17 She apologised for (borrow) my sewing machine without
(ask) permission and promised never
(do) it again.
18 The police accused him of (set) fire to the building but he
denied (have) been in the area on the night of the fire.
19 There are people who can't help (laugh) when they see
someone (slip) on a banana skin.
20 I didn't mean (eat) anything but the cakes looked so good
that I couldn't resist trying one.
21 If you want (catch) the 7 a.m. train tomorrow, that means
(get) up at 6, and you're not very good at
(get) up early, are you?
22 By (work) day and night he succeeded in
(finish) the job in time.
23 A job worth (do) is worth (do) well.
24 Try (forget) it; it is not worth (worry)
about.
25 Some children wish people wouldn't keep on (point out)
how, years ago, children were made (show) far more
respect to their elders.
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INFINITIVE or -ING form?

After (get) (know) him better, I regretted

(judge) him unfairly.
He tried (speak) German but found that he couldn't. His
attempts at (speak) Spanish were equally unsuccessful.
I would advise you (wait) before (decide)
(accept) his offer.
Surely you remember (lend) him the money? I hope, at
least, that he won't forget (pay) you back. He has a habit
of (forget) things he doesn't want
(remember).

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Infinitive or '-ing' form: Practice

upper-intermediate 4

GERUNDS and INFINITIVES. Rewrite the sentences in a different way

without changing the meaning.

I'll be happy when I see my friends on Friday.

I'm looking forward
If you want a table you must phone the restaurant.
It's essential
I don't normally eat at restaurants.
I'm not used
You could sit by the window or outside on the terrace.
Would you prefer
They went on smoking all through the meal.
They didn't stop
I forgot to bring my wallet with me.
I didn't remember
Boiling an egg is not difficult.
It's
Could you get me some water, please?
I'd like you
Expensive restaurants are out of my price range.
I can't afford
You could share my pizza, if you like.
I don't mind you
If you want to be healthy you mustn't eat too much.
Being healthy means
I look forward to having lunch with you again.
I hope
They argued all the morning about drugs.
They spent
We're glad that we'll see you again.
We're looking
We must chase it out before it does any more damage.
We must chase it out to prevent it

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Infinitive or '-ing' form: Practice

upper-intermediate 5

16 Air pressure is measured by a barometer.

A barometer is for
17 It's very kind of you to help me.
Thank you

key to exercises
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[1] dancing [2] go [3] dancing [4] persuade [5] to take [6] to dance [7] asking
[8] to go [9] feel [10] going [11] to rain [12] dancing [13] try [14] to stop
[15] dancing [16] dance [17] to lose
[1] to do [2] adding [3] giving [4] to post [5] to talk [6] to meet [7] smoking
[8] to stay in [9] meeting [10] to give [11] wondering [12] changing [13] to
interrupt
[1] marrying [2] saying [3] seeing [4] helping [5] leaving [6] staying
[7] reading [8] emigrating [9] saying [10] travelling [11] talking [12] telling
[13] phoning [14] going [15] having to
[1] criticising/ to think [2] to say/ applying [3] looking after/ to think [4] to
stop/ snoring/ sleeping [5] being/ being/ to keep [6] writing (having
written)/ posting [7] to think/ going [8] to persuade/ to agree [9] talking/ to
finish [10] to start.
[1] seeing [2] having [3] to meet [4] to lock/ going [5] waiting [6] to explain/
to listen [7] to disguise/ dressing [8] walking/ to let/ catch up [9] smoking/
to smoke [10] writing/ waiting [11] to avoid/ being [12] driving/ being driven
[13] telephoning/ asking/ to look [14] to give [15] looking/ being [16] doing
[17] borrowing/ asking/ to do [18] setting/ having [19] laughing/ slip [20] to
eat [21] to catch/ getting/ getting [22] working/ finishing [23] doing/doing
[24] to forget/ worrying [25] pointing out/ to show
[1] getting/ to know/ judging [2] to speak/ speaking [3] wait/ deciding/ to
accept [4] lending/ to pay/ forgetting/ to remember

Infinitive or '-ing' form: Practice

upper-intermediate 6

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I'm looking forward to seeing my friends.

It's essential to phone the restaurant if you want a table.
I'm not used to eating at restaurants.
Would you prefer to sit by the window or outside on the terrace?
They didn't stop smoking all through the meal.
I didn't remember to bring my wallet with me.
It's not difficult to boil an egg.
I'd like you to get me some water, please.
I can't afford to [go to/ eat in] expensive restaurants.
I don't mind you sharing my pizza.
Being healthy means not eating too much.
I hope to have lunch with you some time.
They spent all morning arguing about drugs.
We're looking forward to seeing you again.
We must chase it out to prevent it from doing any more damage.
A barometer is for measuring air pressure.
Thank you for helping me.

Infinitive or '-ing' form: Practice

upper-intermediate 7