B1 · Intermediário Capítulo 5

Connecting Ideas with -ing and To

5 Regras totais
60 exemplos
5 min
Regras neste capítulo Prática rápida

Chapter in 30 Seconds

Master the art of connecting your thoughts smoothly using gerunds and infinitives in everyday conversation.

  • Describe feelings and experiences using adjectives and infinitives.
  • Connect actions after prepositions using gerunds.
  • Express plans and causal relationships with confidence.
Connect your world with confidence and flow.

O que você vai aprender

Ready to make your English flow better? This chapter helps you effortlessly describe feelings (like 'easy to learn') and exciting plans, so you can sound more natural and confident when you speak. Get ready to connect your thoughts with ease!

Learning Objectives

By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:

  1. 1
    By the end you will be able to: Describe your daily routine and future plans using varied verb patterns.

Guia do capítulo

Overview

Mastering how to connect your thoughts smoothly is a huge step in sounding more natural and confident in English. At the B1 level, you're moving beyond basic sentences and really starting to express more complex ideas, feelings, and plans. This guide will show you how to effortlessly link verbs, adjectives, and prepositions using -ing forms (gerunds) and to-infinitives.
This isn't just about passing a grammar test; it's about making your everyday conversations richer and more authentic, whether you're describing how easy it is to learn something new or sharing what you're excited about doing.
Many B1 English grammar learners find that using gerunds and infinitives can feel a bit tricky at first, especially knowing when to use -ing and when to use to. That's why we're breaking down key patterns like Adjective + To-Infinitive, understanding Gerunds After Prepositions, and correctly using phrases like look forward to or verbs like make and let. By the end of this chapter, you'll have a clear understanding of these essential structures, enhancing your ability to connect ideas with -ing and to more effectively and improving your overall fluency.
Get ready to elevate your English communication!

How This Grammar Works

Let's dive into how these structures help you link your ideas seamlessly. First, we often use an Adjective + To-Infinitive to express opinions, feelings, or qualities about an action. For example, "It's easy to learn English or I'm happy to help you." The adjective (easy, happy) describes the *quality* or *feeling* connected to the action (to learn, to help).
This pattern allows you to clearly state how something is perceived.
Next, prepositions are little words that pack a big punch. When a verb follows a preposition, that verb must always take its -ing form, known as a gerund. This is because the gerund acts like a noun.
Think of "I'm good at speaking English or Thanks for coming." Here, 'at' and 'for' are prepositions, so 'speak' becomes speaking and 'come' becomes coming. This rule is crucial for correct sentence structure after words like for, in, about, of, and with.
Building on the gerund, certain common phrases involve go + gerund for leisure activities. If you like sports or hobbies, you often
go swimming,
go shopping,
or
go fishing.
It's a natural way to talk about activities that involve movement and are done for enjoyment. Then there's the special case of look forward to.
Many learners mistakenly use an infinitive here, but the 'to' in 'look forward to' is actually a preposition. Therefore, it must be followed by a gerund: "I'm really looking forward to seeing you or She's looking forward to starting her new job." The 'to' here is part of a fixed expression, not an infinitive marker.
Finally, we have make and let, two powerful verbs that describe influencing others. When you use make (meaning to force or cause) or let (meaning to allow), the verb that follows them is always the base form (without to). For instance,
My boss made me work overtime
(forced me) or
My parents let me go to the party
(allowed me).
Understanding these patterns will significantly improve your accuracy in connecting actions and intentions.

Common Mistakes

  1. 1✗ It's difficult for understand this.
✓ It's difficult to understand this.
*Explanation: After an adjective expressing difficulty, we use the to-infinitive.*
  1. 1✗ I'm interested in to learn new languages.
✓ I'm interested in learning new languages.
*Explanation: A verb following a preposition (like 'in') must always be in the -ing form (gerund).*
  1. 1✗ We are looking forward to meet you.
✓ We are looking forward to meeting you.
*Explanation: The 'to' in 'look forward to' is a preposition, so it must be followed by a gerund.*

Real Conversations

A

A

"I'm so happy to be here in London!"
B

B

"Me too! It's an exciting city to explore. Are you looking forward to visiting the museums tomorrow?"
A

A

"Absolutely! I'm really good at finding the best exhibits."
A

A

My sister made me clean her room today.
B

B

"Oh, that's rough! My parents usually let me choose my own chores. Are you still planning on going shopping later?"
A

A

"Yes, I need some new shoes. I'm thinking about going to Oxford Street."

Quick FAQ

Q

When should I use -ing after 'to'?

You use -ing after 'to' when 'to' is part of a phrasal verb or a fixed expression where 'to' acts as a preposition, such as 'look forward to', 'be used to', or 'object to'. Otherwise, 'to' is usually followed by the base form of the verb (infinitive).

Q

Can I say go to swim instead of go swimming?

While go to swim isn't grammatically incorrect, it sounds less natural for a leisure activity.

Go swimming
is the standard and much more common way to talk about the activity. Go to swim might imply going *to a place* for the purpose of swimming, rather than the activity itself.

Q

What's the difference between make and let in terms of grammar?

Both make and let are followed by the base form of the verb (without 'to'). The difference is in meaning: make means to force or cause someone to do something (e.g.,

She made me laugh
), while let means to permit or allow someone to do something (e.g.,
He let me borrow his car
).

Cultural Context

Native English speakers use these patterns constantly in everyday conversation. The choice between -ing and to-infinitive often comes down to ingrained habits rather than conscious rule application. For instance, looking forward to is extremely common when discussing future plans, conveying enthusiasm.
While formal writing adheres strictly to these rules, casual speech might occasionally have slight deviations, but understanding the standard forms will always make you sound more natural and avoid miscommunication.

Exemplos-chave (8)

1

It's `easy to make` friends in this city.

É fácil fazer amigos nesta cidade.

Adjetivo + Infinitivo (É fácil aprender)
2

The new app was `simple to use` even for beginners.

O novo aplicativo era simples de usar até para iniciantes.

Adjetivo + Infinitivo (É fácil aprender)
3

Thank you `for helping` me with my homework.

Obrigado(a) por me ajudar com minha tarefa de casa.

Gerúndios após Preposições (Por que usamos -ing depois de 'For', 'In', 'About')
4

She is really good `at solving` puzzles.

Ela é muito boa em resolver quebra-cabeças.

Gerúndios após Preposições (Por que usamos -ing depois de 'For', 'In', 'About')
5

My friends and I `go camping` every summer.

Meus amigos e eu vamos acampar todo verão.

Atividades com 'Go': Nadar, Comprar, etc. (Go + Gerúndio)
6

She `is going shopping` for a new dress this afternoon.

Ela vai fazer compras para um vestido novo hoje à tarde.

Atividades com 'Go': Nadar, Comprar, etc. (Go + Gerúndio)
7

I'm really `looking forward to starting` my new course next week.

Estou muito ansioso para começar meu novo curso na próxima semana.

Ansiar por + Gerúndio (Animado com o Futuro)
8

Are you `looking forward to visiting` your grandparents this summer?

Você está ansioso para visitar seus avós neste verão?

Ansiar por + Gerúndio (Animado com o Futuro)

Dicas e truques (4)

💡

Tipos de Adjetivos Para Isso!

Foque em adjetivos que mostram opinião, emoção ou característica (tipo: good, bad, easy, hard, happy, sad, important, possible). Eles são seus melhores amigos para essa estrutura!
These are your go-to words for this structure.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Adjetivo + Infinitivo (É fácil aprender)
💡

Preposições são Exigentes!

Lembre-se que preposições são como seguranças de uma festa — elas só deixam certas formas entrarem. Para verbos, é sempre a forma -ing (o gerúndio). Tenha essa regra em mente, e você evitará muitos erros comuns!
She is interested in learning.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Gerúndios após Preposições (Por que usamos -ing depois de 'For', 'In', 'About')
💡

Pense 'Atividade Primeiro'

Quando você está tentando decidir se usa 'go' + verbo com '-ing', pense se a palavra com '-ing' descreve a *atividade principal* que você vai fazer. Se for um esporte, hobby ou tipo específico de compras, você provavelmente está no caminho certo.
I go shopping every Saturday.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Atividades com 'Go': Nadar, Comprar, etc. (Go + Gerúndio)
💡

Pense como 'Preposição + Substantivo'

Lembre-se que o 'to' em 'look forward to' funciona como uma preposição. Assim como você diz to the store (com um substantivo), você diz to working (com o gerúndio agindo como substantivo). Esse truque te ajuda a fixar a regra!
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Ansiar por + Gerúndio (Animado com o Futuro)

Vocabulário-chave (5)

Excited very happy/enthusiastic Permission allowing someone to do something Recreational related to hobbies/fun Fluent speaking easily Interested in wanting to learn more

Real-World Preview

coffee

Planning the Weekend

Review Summary

  • It + be + Adj + to + verb
  • Prep + verb-ing
  • Go + verb-ing
  • Look forward to + verb-ing
  • Make/Let + object + base verb

Erros comuns

'Look forward to' uses 'to' as a preposition, so you must follow it with a gerund.

Wrong: I look forward to see you.
Correto: I look forward to seeing you.

Adjectives need the 'to' particle to connect to the infinitive verb.

Wrong: It is easy learn English.
Correto: It is easy to learn English.

After 'make' or 'let', we use the base form of the verb without 'to'.

Wrong: She made me to go.
Correto: She made me go.

Next Steps

You've done an incredible job today. Keep practicing, and you'll be speaking like a native in no time!

Write a diary entry for tomorrow using all 5 rules.

Continue to: Advanced Verb Patterns and Meaning Changes

Prática rápida (10)

Encontre e corrija o erro na frase.

Find and fix the mistake:

The book was difficult understanding.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: The book was difficult to understand.
O adjetivo 'difficult' exige um 'to-infinitivo' ('to understand') para segui-lo, não um gerúndio ('understanding').

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Adjetivo + Infinitivo (É fácil aprender)

Qual frase usa 'make' ou 'let' corretamente?

Escolha a frase correta:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: My friend let me borrow his book.
A estrutura correta é 'let + objeto + verbo base'. O 'to' não deve ser usado.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Make vs Let: Forçar vs Permitir (Verbo Base)

Escolha a forma correta para completar a frase.

It's so important ___ your friends.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: to support
Depois de 'important' (adjetivo), usamos o 'to-infinitivo' para descrever a ação. 'To support' é a forma correta.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Adjetivo + Infinitivo (É fácil aprender)

Escolha a forma correta para completar a frase.

My parents always let me ___ my own decisions.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: make
Depois de 'let + objeto', o verbo deve estar na sua forma base sem 'to'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Make vs Let: Forçar vs Permitir (Verbo Base)

Qual frase usa corretamente um gerúndio depois de uma preposição?

Escolha a frase correta:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: I'm thinking about buying a new car.
A preposição 'about' exige um gerúndio (forma '-ing') para segui-la.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Gerúndios após Preposições (Por que usamos -ing depois de 'For', 'In', 'About')

Encontre e corrija o erro na frase.

Find and fix the mistake:

He is very good at to cook Italian food.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: He is very good at cooking Italian food.
Depois da preposição 'at', devemos usar a forma gerundial do verbo. 'Cooking' é o gerúndio correto.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Gerúndios após Preposições (Por que usamos -ing depois de 'For', 'In', 'About')

Escolha a forma correta para completar a frase.

She apologized `for ___` late to the meeting.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: being
A preposição 'for' deve ser seguida por um gerúndio (forma '-ing'). 'Being' é o gerúndio de 'to be'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Gerúndios após Preposições (Por que usamos -ing depois de 'For', 'In', 'About')

Encontre e corrija o erro na frase.

Find and fix the mistake:

They went to shopping at the new mall yesterday.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: They went shopping at the new mall yesterday.
Não usamos 'to' entre 'go' (ou 'went') e a forma '-ing' da atividade. O correto é 'went shopping'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Atividades com 'Go': Nadar, Comprar, etc. (Go + Gerúndio)

Qual frase usa corretamente a estrutura Adjetivo + To-Infinitivo?

Choose the correct sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: It's necessary to remember details.
O padrão correto é 'It's + adjetivo + to-infinitivo'. 'To remember' é a forma infinitiva correta.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Adjetivo + Infinitivo (É fácil aprender)

Escolha a forma correta para completar a frase.

My sister is really looking forward to ___ her new puppy home.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: bringing
A frase 'look forward to' deve ser seguida por um gerúndio (verbo terminado em -ing) ou um substantivo, pois 'to' aqui é uma preposição.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Ansiar por + Gerúndio (Animado com o Futuro)

Score: /10

Perguntas comuns (6)

É uma forma de ligar um adjetivo que descreve uma qualidade ou sentimento diretamente a uma ação, contando como essa ação é percebida. Pense em "It's easy to learn ou It's important to study".
Com certeza! Frases como "It's hard to understand e It's good to see you" são super comuns e soam bem naturais em conversas em inglês.
Um gerúndio é a forma -ing de um verbo que funciona como um substantivo. Por exemplo, em Swimming is fun (Nadar é divertido), swimming é um gerúndio que age como o sujeito da frase.
As preposições são sempre seguidas por substantivos ou pronomes. Como um gerúndio é um verbo agindo como um substantivo, ele cumpre esse requisito gramatical quando você quer usar uma ação depois de uma preposição.
A regra básica é usar 'go' (em qualquer tempo verbal) imediatamente seguido pela forma '-ing' de um verbo para descrever o envolvimento em uma atividade, especialmente as recreativas. Por exemplo, I go swimming ou They went shopping.
A forma '-ing' age como um gerúndio, funcionando como um substantivo. Então, quando você diz go fishing, você está essencialmente dizendo 'ir para a atividade de pescar', tornando a atividade o objeto direto do seu movimento. É como dizer 'ir à pesca'.
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Introduction to Gerunds and Infinitives
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Advanced Verb Patterns and Meaning Changes
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