Verbs followed by '-ing' or infinitive to change meaning

Do you know the difference between stop doing something and stop to do something? Test what you know with interactive exercises and read the explanation to help you.

Look at these examples to see how these verb patterns work.

The bus stopped picking up the children.
The bus stopped to pick up the children.

I want to try studying with a friend to see if it helps us stay more motivated.
I'm trying to study but it's impossible with all this noise.

Try this exercise to test your grammar.

Grammar test 1: Verbs followed by '-ing' or by 'to' + infinitive 2: Grammar test 1

Read the explanation to learn more.

Grammar explanation

Some verbs have a different meaning depending on whether they are followed by an -ing form or to + infinitive.

stop

Stop + -ing means the action is not happening any more.

I've stopped buying the newspaper because now I read the news online.

Stop + to + infinitive means that someone or something stops an activity so that they can do something else.

He stopped the video to ask the students some questions.

try

Try + -ing means that you are trying something as an experiment, especially as a possible solution to a problem, to see if it works or not.

Have you tried turning the computer off and on again?

Try + to + infinitive means that something is difficult but you are making an effort to do it.

I'm trying to learn Japanese but it's very difficult.

remember/forget

Remember + -ing and forget + -ing refer to having (or not having) a memory of something in the past.

I remember watching this film before.
I'll never forget meeting you for the first time in this café.

Remember + to + infinitive and forget + to + infinitive refer to recalling (or not recalling) that there is something we need to do before we do it.

Please remember to buy some milk on the way home.
He forgot to lock the door when he went out.

Do this exercise to test your grammar again.

Grammar test 2: Verbs followed by '-ing' or by 'to' + infinitive 2: Grammar test 2

Try another grammar lesson

Language level

B1 Intermediate

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Walking is good for health. It is said that GERUND is a verbal noun and it has the force of a VERB and a NOUN. In the above sentence WALKING acts as a noun because it is the subject of the verb IS. So, in this case it has the force of a noun, but how does it has the force of a VERB? Reading books is my hobby. In the above sentence, Reading has an object. Thus, Reading has the force of a verb. Moreover, Reading is also the subject of the sentence. Hence, it has the force of a noun as well. In such case it is easy to understand, but what if gerund has not any object and it has been alone as subject? In such case, How to teach that it has both forces i.e., a noun and a verb?

Hello Nehashri,

Gerunds behave as verbs within the clause, so they can take an object or be modified by an adverb, but the clause as a whole (which could be just the gerund or could contain more words) functions as a noun within the sentence.

In your second example, Reading books is a non-finite clause where the gerund is followed by an object (a verbal property). The non-finite clause is the subject (a nominal property) in the larger sentence.

Peter

The LearnEnglish Team

The second sentence tells us that he or she likes to organise their day to include porridge for break

Hello: I just came across this headline in a local English language newspaper: Fixing banking sector key to blunting coronavirus shock. Why is there blunt + ing form after the 'infinitive to' in the headline? Is it correct? Could you please explain? Thanks

Hello zahid51,

To can be part of an infinitive, but it can also be a preposition and in your example it is the latter. We call this a dependent preposition because it is attached to the adjective key. Prepositions are followed by objects, which are often nouns or gerunds. Here, blunting is a gerund - a verbal noun.

Writing the headline out in full might help to make it clearer:

Fixing the banking sector will be key to blunting the coronavirus shock.

You can read more about prepositions and adjectives, and see more examples, here:

https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/grammar/beginner-to-pre-intermediate/adjectives-and-prepositions

Peter

The LearnEnglish Team

Dear sir, But "go on" ... Does use this rule ?

Hello 83roman,

Go on can be followed by either the to-infinitive or by an -ing form, but the meaning is different:

go on + to-infinitive is used to describe the next step in a plan or sequence of actions:

He studied at Oxford and went on to have a successful career as a psychologist.

go on + -ing form is used to describe an action or situation which continues:

She was tired but she kept on walking nevertheless.

Peter

The LearnEnglish Team

HI! what is the difference here? I like to have the latest mobile phone. I like having the latest mobile phone. I like to watch people skiing. I like watching people skiing. thanks a bunch!

Hello fred,

Like + -ing means the same as enjoy. It tells us that we get pleasure from a particular action or state.

Like + to verb means a preference in terms of behaviour.

For example, we can compare these two sentences:

I like eating porridge for breakfast.

I like to eat porridge for breakfast.

The first sentence tells us that eating porridge gives the speaker pleasure. The second sentence tells us that he or she likes to organise their day to include porridge for breakfast.

Peter

The LearnEnglish Team

thank you very much for the answer isn't it more common among English native speakers to say "would like" instead of "like"? any difference? I would like to eat porridge for breakfast. thank you sir

Verbs followed by '-ing' or infinitive to change meaning

Grammar explanation

stop

try

remember/forget

Language level

Online courses