Questions tagged [infinitive-vs-gerund]

For questions about the difference in meaning or grammaticality between using a gerund or an infinitive in a particular context.

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Why in this example do we need to use "working" in the gerund form after the verb "love"?

In the example below I believe do we need to use "working" in the gerund form? You will love working here I thought that verbs following "love" can be either in the gerund form ...
2 votes
1 answer
26 views

"leave many [N] to look for…" vs. "leave many [N] looking for…"

SAT Grammar Question Others, like court interpreter Ludmila Baker, believe that technology will ultimately leave many translators and interpreters _______ for new careers. a) to look b) ...
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1 answer
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Gerund or infinitive?

The only way to find the Secret Room is solving x. Is this sentence incorrect? Can we use the gerund here? I assume we can because if we reverse it, it'll be correct (Solving x is the only way to ...
1 vote
1 answer
102 views

Infinitive and Gerund Difference: "refused to pay" or "refused paying"

She refused to pay the penalty. She refused paying the penalty What is the difference in meaning between these two sentences?
1 vote
1 answer
79 views

Personal pronoun with a gerund or infinitive?

My father never approved _____ a foreigner.   a. her to marry  b. her marrying  c. she marrying  d. she not marry Please answer the question with an explanation.
1 vote
2 answers
182 views

Difference between "on my way to be 25" and "on my way to being 25"

Set 1: China is close to be the centre of world trade. China is close to being the centre of world trade. Set 2: I am on my way to be 25. I am on my way to being 25 Which is the correct form, ...
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1 answer
25 views

"the problem is + v-ing" vs "the problem is + bare infinitives" vs "the problem is + to-infinitives"

A: What is the problem? B: The problem is making sure that everything works fine. B: The problem is to make sure that everything works fine. B: The problem is make sure that everything works fine. ...
0 votes
2 answers
47 views

What + sb + verb + [be (in the appropriate tense)] is followed by to + infinitive or a gerund?

When we have a sentence of the form: What + sb + verb + [be (in the appropriate tense)] + ... (for instance, what I like is ...), which rules do we have to apply to determine whether the sentence is ...
0 votes
1 answer
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"I'm committed to deliver results" vs. ". . . delivering results"

I'd like to describe myself in a cover letter as someone who's committed to deliver results, but: Should I use "deliver" or "delivering"? How do I choose between the two?
1 vote
2 answers
54 views

To learn / for learning

Are both versions correct? Do they convey the same meaning? I think board games are the best games to learn / for learning different subjects such as history, literature and science.
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1 answer
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What's the usual way <of/for> foreign travelers arriving at the airport <to visit/visiting> your hotel?

When inquiring about the transportation from the airport to a hotel, which is better? a. What's the usual way for foreign travelers arriving at the airport to visit your hotel? b. What's the usual ...
0 votes
1 answer
93 views

"to be invited" vs "being invited"

I try to say It's a great honor to be invited/being invited by you. Which one is correct? If both are correct, what is the difference between them?
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1 answer
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going through such an experience

a. Going through such a traumatic experience is difficult to describe. b. To go through such a traumatic experience is difficult to describe. I think (a) is grammaticak and natural and (b) is not. ...
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2 answers
112 views

gerunds or infinitive with these verbs

Could someone please tell me what it's wrong to use the infinitive instead the gerund in these examples? Why Can't I do this? To me is sounds better with the infinitive. "Thieves broke into the ...
1 vote
2 answers
227 views

Perfect gerund usage

She denied seeing him yesterday. vs She denied having seen him yesterday. What is the difference in meaning between these two sentences?
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1 answer
163 views

Present Continuous with going to

What is the difference between these? I am going to run. I am going running. Do those mean the same thing as each other? Do they mean the same thing as any or all of these next ones? I am going to ...
1 vote
1 answer
639 views

Which one to use in an enumeration, to-infinitives, bare infinitives, or gerunds?

I am writing a summary paper about a report I read with this sentence in it: This report follows two steps: determine the population density increase and analyze the productivity growth influenced ...
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2 answers
186 views

How do I know when to use V+to+present simple, v+ gerund, or v+to+gerund?

How do I know when to use V+to+present simple, v+ gerund, or v+to+gerund? I look forward seeing you. I look forward to see you. I look forward to hearing from you. I look forward to hear from you. ...
4 votes
3 answers
27k views

Why is it v-ing after looking forward to?

I took an English grammar test and one question was: Chen's looking forward ... his new job next week. There were four choices: to starting / to start / starting / in starting. My answer was "to ...
1 vote
0 answers
59 views

Gerund or Infinitive? (an example sentence)

Which sentence is right? I think there is a hidden agenda in the proposal to reduce the staff in order to make the company more efficient. I think there is a hidden agenda in the proposal reducing ...
0 votes
1 answer
244 views

like somebody TO do something VS like somebody doING something

I’m studying Complex Object with the verbs of desire. “Like” is one of them. And it seems to me that this structure isn’t widely used at least in American English today. e.g I like her to sing I feel ...
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1 answer
43 views

Is there a difference in a degree of effort between "try to" and "try ing"? [duplicate]

according to a grammar site 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. And Try + to + infinitive means ...
1 vote
0 answers
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It is to be selfish or pro-social

“We found that time pressure tends to magnify the predisposition that people already have, whether it is to be selfish or pro-social,” Krajbich said. Source What's the reason why "being" ...
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3 answers
547 views

Difference between "Past Tense " and "Present Tense"

He began to move to leave the bus. He begins moving to leave the bus. I am on the bus now I try to make a sentence to describe someone want to leave the bus. SO, Should I use present or past? ...
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1 answer
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necessary or extremely useful to manage / for managing

Are the following both okay? Is there any difference? A life skill is one that is necessary or extremely useful to manage well in daily life. A life skill is one that is necessary or extremely ...
0 votes
2 answers
18 views

try to make/making your meal plans exciting [duplicate]

I was told that "to try to V" means "to make an effort to V," while "to try Ving" means "to give the specified action a try." Suppose I am giving advice on ...
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1 answer
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Use of transitive verbs and present continuous

I would like to use the transitive verb "implicate". My search on Google lead solely to the result, that it should be followed by a noun (David, downfall, herself, ...). However, can I use this ...
0 votes
2 answers
54 views

which of these phrases/sentences are valid English?

the context: I want to write a sentence/phrase in which I convey the idea that when one make a choice in life one have give up on something else. So the options are: 1 - each choice means forgo. 2 - ...
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2 answers
126 views

Swear followed by the infinitive and gerund

I swear to do it tomorrow! is standard. What about the prefect infinitive and gerunds? 1 I swear to have done it yesterday! - CORRECT? 2 I swear doing it yesterday! - CORRECT? 3 I swear having done it ...
2 votes
2 answers
41 views

Why is it 'doing something' rather than 'to do something' here?

In the page of 'memory lane' in theFreeDictionary, there's such a sentence as follows. It was lovely finding our old photo albums and taking a trip down memory lane. We should use 'to do', rather ...
2 votes
2 answers
146 views

Get to followed by a gerund or an infinitive?

I got to poking around and I found this oyster. He gets to feeling ashamed of the showing he is making. The new neighbours got to know each other. I'd really like to see you again and get to know you ...
12 votes
4 answers
41k views

What's the difference between "I love singing" and "I love to sing"?

I would like to know what the difference is between "I love doing something" and "I love to do something". For example: “I love singing.” and, “I love to sing.” When I was young, ...
0 votes
2 answers
111 views

Gerund vs infinitive while asking question

Which one should I use gerund or infinitive while asking a questin like below? Which one costs more, to repair it or to buy a new one? Which one costs more, repairing it or buying a new one?
0 votes
3 answers
56 views

Grammar with gerund or Infinitive

He tried ________ (work) in a newspaper firm but he still wasn't satisfied. These variants are wrong: working / to work / work / having worked What is the correct form of (work)?
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1 answer
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to meet or meeting: when talking about an activity

I enjoy to meet my friends and grab lunch together. I know that the phrase above is incorrect, that it should be: I enjoy meeting my friends and grab lunch together. But I don't understand why we ...
1 vote
2 answers
579 views

"look forward to keep working" or "keeping working"?

It seems to me that the construction "look forward to" requires the accompanying verb to be in the gerund. But what should one do if there is more than one accompanying verb? Ludwig found ...
1 vote
4 answers
2k views

See him leave/leaving

I have a question about the difference between the following two sentences: He might be punished if he is seen leaving the campus. He might be punished if he is seen to leave the campus. Do ...
0 votes
2 answers
29 views

Writing or to write?

"Peter is very good at ( ) stories" . I chose 'to write' to fill ()but correct answer was 'writing'. Can anyone explain why 'to write' was wrong and 'writing' is correct?
0 votes
3 answers
457 views

"Get around to" + infinitive/gerund?

I came across these sentences; I barely got around to listen to all of them lately. I didn't get around to posting on instagram. The second sentence is correct since Get around to takes the ...
0 votes
1 answer
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Verbs of perception + object + gerund (verb patterns)

According to my information verbs of perception follow this verb pattern: Verb of perception + object + gerund But in an English book, I've found this example which does not really follow this pattern....
0 votes
2 answers
81 views

To have + past tense vs Gerund

I still remember to have met you in shimla last year Vs I still remember meeting you in shimla last year what is the difference in meaning of these two sentences
1 vote
3 answers
252 views

Standing vs To stand

Do these have the same meaning? Giving a 20-minute speech standing up for the most hated man in the world in a second language is really brave. Giving a 20-minute speech to stand up for the most ...
2 votes
1 answer
24 views

Expressions like "All I am doing lately is" should be fallowed by "listening to music" or "listen to music"?

I have read the following links and have a question similar to them: All we seem to do is argue or is arguing “All you have to do is read” vs. “All you have to do is to read” "What I have to do ...
1 vote
1 answer
77 views

"to resolve" or "to resolving"?

What is the difference between these two sentences: I have a good reason to resolving my question. I have a good reason to resolve my question.
16 votes
3 answers
56k views

Why is 'enjoy to [verb]' incorrect?

I can say: I love to read. I hate to read. But it must be: I enjoy to read. I enjoy reading. What is enjoy so different?
0 votes
2 answers
3k views

To get vs in getting

Which one is correct- He did not succeed to get the job though he tried his level best. He did not succeed in getting the job though he tried his level best. Book says second one is correct.
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2 answers
1k views

"I wouldn't bother writing this email if I {didn't / don't} treasure our friendship"

I wouldn't bother writing (or to write) this email if I didn't (or don't) treasure our friendship and by all means want to mend it. I'd like to know if you'd use didn't or don't, and why; bother ...
1 vote
1 answer
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Working / To work at Google taught me how to work efficiently. - which one?

Scenerio: I used to work at Google. When I was an employee at Google, I learned how to work efficiently. Now I am not a Google employee. Example 1 Working at Google taught me how to work efficiently. ...
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1 answer
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The research he devoted himself to [blank] the farmers have a better harvest is very important

My question is which answer is correct to fill in the blank? The research he devoted himself to [ ] the farmers have a better harvest is very important. A.helping B.to help I think an easier way to ...
0 votes
1 answer
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Is 'What I prefer is to spending time with you' correct grammatically? [duplicate]

I have seen a promotional video for Beyond the Future in Mr Love: Queen's Choice, I copied its lines and want to rewrite them to practice my expression and grammar. Here is the one confused me of the ...

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