Infinitives and Gerunds: Verb Patterns (Want to Go / Enjoy Going)
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Some verbs require an infinitive (to + verb), while others require a gerund (-ing) to complete their meaning.
- Use 'to' + verb after verbs like 'want' or 'decide': I want to go.
- Use '-ing' after verbs like 'enjoy' or 'finish': I enjoy swimming.
- Some verbs take both with little meaning change: I like to eat / I like eating.
Overview
- want: I want to eat.
- need: She needs to study.
- decide: They decided to leave.
- hope: I hope to see you soon.
- would like: I'd like to order a coffee.
- plan: We plan to travel next summer.
- forget / remember: Don't forget to call!
- try: Try to be on time.
- enjoy: I enjoy swimming.
- love / like / hate (+ing or to): She loves reading.
- finish: Have you finished eating?
- stop: He stopped smoking.
- suggest: She suggested going out.
- mind: Do you mind waiting?
- keep: Keep trying!
- She left without saying goodbye.
- I'm good at cooking.
- Thanks for helping me.
Verb Pattern Formation
| Pattern | Main Verb | Complement | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Infinitive
|
Want
|
to + V
|
I want to go
|
|
Infinitive
|
Decide
|
to + V
|
I decide to stay
|
|
Infinitive
|
Hope
|
to + V
|
I hope to win
|
|
Gerund
|
Enjoy
|
V-ing
|
I enjoy reading
|
|
Gerund
|
Finish
|
V-ing
|
I finish working
|
|
Gerund
|
Avoid
|
V-ing
|
I avoid running
|
Common Contractions
| Full Form | Contraction |
|---|---|
|
I want to
|
I wanna (informal)
|
|
Going to
|
Gonna (informal)
|
Meanings
This grammar rule dictates which form a second verb must take when following a main verb in a sentence.
Infinitive Complement
Used after verbs expressing intent, desire, or future plans.
“I want to sleep.”
“He hopes to win.”
Gerund Complement
Used after verbs expressing preference, completion, or ongoing states.
“I enjoy reading.”
“She finished working.”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
S + V + to + V
|
I want to eat
|
|
Affirmative
|
S + V + V-ing
|
I enjoy eating
|
|
Negative
|
S + don't + V + to + V
|
I don't want to go
|
|
Negative
|
S + don't + V + V-ing
|
I don't enjoy swimming
|
|
Question
|
Do + S + V + to + V?
|
Do you want to leave?
|
|
Question
|
Do + S + V + V-ing?
|
Do you enjoy dancing?
|
|
Short Answer
|
Yes, I do / No, I don't
|
Yes, I do
|
Formalitätsspektrum
I wish to depart. (Leaving a party)
I want to go home. (Leaving a party)
I wanna head out. (Leaving a party)
I'm bouncing. (Leaving a party)
Verb Pattern Map
To-Infinitive
- Want Querer
- Decide Decidir
Gerund
- Enjoy Disfrutar
- Finish Terminar
Beispiele nach Niveau
I want to eat.
Quiero comer.
I like to run.
Me gusta correr.
I enjoy swimming.
Disfruto nadar.
I need to go.
Necesito ir.
She decided to stay.
Ella decidió quedarse.
He finished working.
Él terminó de trabajar.
Do you want to play?
¿Quieres jugar?
I avoid eating sugar.
Evito comer azúcar.
I hope to see you soon.
Espero verte pronto.
They suggested going home.
Sugirieron ir a casa.
I remember locking the door.
Recuerdo haber cerrado la puerta.
I stopped to buy coffee.
Paré para comprar café.
He claims to have finished.
Él afirma haber terminado.
She regrets not studying.
Ella se arrepiente de no haber estudiado.
They intend to move abroad.
Tienen la intención de mudarse al extranjero.
I appreciate your helping me.
Agradezco tu ayuda.
The project requires being careful.
El proyecto requiere ser cuidadoso.
He appears to be struggling.
Parece estar luchando.
She managed to complete it.
Logró completarlo.
They considered moving house.
Consideraron mudarse.
He tends to overthink things.
Tiende a pensar demasiado las cosas.
I recall having met him.
Recuerdo haberlo conocido.
She is accustomed to working late.
Está acostumbrada a trabajar tarde.
They strive to achieve excellence.
Se esfuerzan por alcanzar la excelencia.
Leicht verwechselbar
Learners think they are the same.
Learners confuse the time frame.
Learners confuse effort vs. experiment.
Häufige Fehler
I want eating.
I want to eat.
I enjoy to swim.
I enjoy swimming.
I want to eats.
I want to eat.
I finish to work.
I finish working.
She decide to go.
She decided to go.
They avoid to talk.
They avoid talking.
Do you enjoy to read?
Do you enjoy reading?
I stopped to smoke.
I stopped smoking.
I suggest to go.
I suggest going.
I look forward to hear.
I look forward to hearing.
He is used to work.
He is used to working.
I regret to tell you.
I regret telling you.
They consider to move.
They consider moving.
He managed to finishing.
He managed to finish.
Satzmuster
I want to ___.
I enjoy ___.
I decided to ___.
I finished ___.
Real World Usage
Wanna hang out?
I hope to contribute to your team.
I enjoy traveling.
I would like to order a pizza.
I plan to visit the museum.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Memorize in pairs
Don't conjugate
Use flashcards
Listen to music
Smart Tips
Check if the first verb is a 'to' or '-ing' verb.
Use 'I look forward to' + gerund.
Use 'enjoy' + gerund.
Use 'plan' + infinitive.
Aussprache
Wanna
In casual speech, 'want to' becomes 'wanna'.
Statement
I want to ↗go.
Neutral statement of intent.
Einprägen
Eselsbrücke
To is for the future, -ing is for the habit.
Visuelle Assoziation
Imagine a 'To' arrow pointing forward to a goal, and an '-ing' circle showing a continuous loop of a hobby.
Rhyme
If you want to go, use 'to' you know. If you enjoy playing, use '-ing' for saying.
Story
Sarah wanted to travel. She decided to pack. She enjoyed planning her trip. She finished packing her bags.
Word Web
Herausforderung
Write 5 sentences about your day using one 'to' verb and one '-ing' verb.
Kulturelle Hinweise
Very common to use 'wanna' and 'gonna' in casual settings.
More formal in writing, less use of 'wanna'.
Often uses 'reckon' followed by gerunds.
Infinitives come from Old English, while gerunds evolved from verbal nouns.
Gesprächseinstiege
What do you want to do this weekend?
Do you enjoy cooking?
Have you finished reading any good books lately?
What do you plan to achieve this year?
Tagebuch-Impulse
Häufige Fehler
Test Yourself
I want ___ (go) home.
I enjoy ___ (read).
Find and fix the mistake:
I finish to work.
I want to go.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
I / enjoy / swim
Which takes 'to'?
She ___ (want) to go.
Score: /8
Ubungsaufgaben
8 exercisesI want ___ (go) home.
I enjoy ___ (read).
Find and fix the mistake:
I finish to work.
I want to go.
Match: Want, Enjoy
I / enjoy / swim
Which takes 'to'?
She ___ (want) to go.
Score: /8
FAQ (8)
It marks the infinitive form.
Some verbs take both, like 'like'.
It's informal, avoid in formal writing.
No, it stays in the base or gerund form.
It sounds unnatural to native speakers.
Yes, some verbs change meaning.
Use flashcards and speak daily.
Yes, very common in emails.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Querer + infinitive
Spanish rarely uses gerunds as direct objects.
Vouloir + infinitive
French uses infinitives where English uses gerunds.
zu + infinitive
German relies almost exclusively on infinitives.
Verb-stem + tai
Japanese uses agglutination instead of auxiliary particles.
Masdar (verbal noun)
Arabic grammar is root-based.
Verb + Verb
Chinese has no verb conjugation or complement markers.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
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