6)The use of gerund or the infinitive with certain groups of verbs.

Their functions overlap. In English some verbs take the Gerunds as a verbal direct object exclusively while other verbs take only the Infinitives and still others can take either. There are 3 groups:

I Verbs that take only the Infinitive as a verbal direct object

agree – decide – expect – hesitate – learn – need – promise – neglect – hope – want – plan – attempt – propose – intend - pretend

I hope to go on a vacation soon. He promised to go on a diet. They agreed to sign the treaty.

 

II Verbs that take only the Gerund as a verbal direct object

deny – risk – delay – consider – can’t help – keep – give up – be fond of – finish – quit – put off practice – postpone – tolerate – suggest – stop – enjoy – keep (on) – dislike – admit – avoid – recall – mind – miss – detest – appreciate – recommend - get/be through - get/be tired of - get/be accustomed to - get/be used to

 They always avoid drinking before driving. Charles keeps calling her.

 

III Verbs that take the Gerund or the Infinitive as a verbal direct object

start – begin – continue – hate – prefer – like – love – try - remember

They like to go to the movies. They like going to the movies.

Special attention should be paid to the use of the verbs to forget and to remember: These two verbs change time reference and meaning depending on whether the Gerund or the Infinitive is used as a direct object. The Gerund refers the action to the past, while the Infinitive refers it to the present or future: 

• Jack forgets to take out the cat. (He regularly forgets.) Jack forgets taking out the cat. (He did it, but he doesn't remember now.)

Jack forgot to take out the cat. (He never did it.) Jack forgot taking out the cat. (He did it, but he didn't remember sometime later.)

• Jack remembers to take out the cat. (He regularly remembers.) Jack remembers taking out the cat. (He did it, and he remembers now.)

• Jack remembered to take out the cat. (He did it.) Jack remembered taking out the cat. (He did it, and he remembered sometime later.)

In the second of each pair of example sentences above, the Past Progressive Gerund form having taken can be used in place of taking to avoid any possible confusion.

• Jack forgets having taken out the cat.

The Verbs to regret and to try

Regret + infinitive = regret to say, to tell someone, to inform someone of some bad news: I regret to tell you that you failed the test. Regret + gerund = regret something that that happened in the past: I regret lending him some money. He never paid me back.

Try + infinitive = make an effort. I'm trying to learn English Try + gerund = experiment with a new or different approach to see if it works.

• The room was hot. I tried opening the window, but that didn't help. So I tried turning on the fan, but I was still hot. Finally, I turned on the air conditioner.

The Verb to stop

Stop can also be followed immediately by the Gerund or by the Infinitive of purpose (in order to). Still, the meaning is different:

Stop + gerund = to discontinue, to leave off When the professor entered the room, the students stopped talking. (The room became quiet.)

Stop + infinitive of purpose While I was walking down the street, I ran into an old friend. I stopped to talk to him. (I stopped walking in order to talk him.)

 

Some verbs may take either the Gerund or the Infinitive with no particular difference in meaning. These are: like – hate - love – begin - start – continue – prefer - can't stand - can't bear.

It began to rain. / It began raining. I started to work. / I started working.

Note. There is no difference between began to rain and began raining. Still, if the main verb is progressive, the Infinitive (not the Gerund) is usually used.