Verbs Followed by "to" or "-ing"? Complete Rules and List

When two verbs are close in a sentence, the first verb determines the form of the second — whether to add "to" (to-infinitive) or the suffix "-ing" (gerund). For example: 'want' always goes with 'to' (I want to improve), while 'enjoy' always goes with '-ing' (I enjoy learning).

Why this difference? In reality, there's no logical rule — this is just how English has evolved over time. The most effective way is to memorize which verb goes with which form, combined with a few supplementary rules below.

Verbs followed by "to" (to-infinitive)

Common verbs always followed by 'to' include: afford, agree, decide, forget, help, hope, learn, need, offer, plan, pretend, promise, seem, want, would like.

Examples: She can't afford to buy a new computer. / I've decided to move out of the city. / We plan to visit New York next summer.

Verbs followed by "-ing" (gerund)

Common verbs always followed by V-ing include: enjoy, finish, imagine, mind, spend (time), suggest, avoid.

Examples: I enjoy going to the cinema. / I finished studying and then went out. / I'd avoid going that way — there's a traffic jam.

Small tip: In general, the to-infinitive form is more common, so if you're unsure, choosing "to" is a safer bet.

Two easy-to-remember supplementary rules

Use V-ing after prepositions and when the verb acts as the subject. Examples: She's interested in learning more. / Learning to read can take a long time.

Use to-infinitive to express purpose and after adjectives. Examples: I'm learning English to get a better job. / It's difficult to understand why people behave that way.

How to form negative sentences

Just add "not" immediately before the infinitive or gerund: I don't mind not going to the beach today. / I learnt to not always believe what I see online.

Exceptions to note

Both forms can be used with no change in meaning: begin, start, continue, prefer, bother. Examples: I began to sing = I began singing.

Both forms can be used but with a change in meaning: remember, try, stop.

• remember to do = remember to perform an action that needs to be done (I remembered to buy milk); remember doing = recall an action done in the past (I remember going to the beach as a child).
• try to do = make an effort to do something difficult (Try to listen more in class); try doing = experiment with doing something to see the result (Try doing some exercise in the morning).
• stop to do = stop one activity to do another (I stopped to have a coffee); stop doing = cease a habit completely (I stopped smoking).

With like/love, both forms are possible but convey different nuances: I like going to the cinema (enjoy the activity) vs. I like to go once a month (a routine important to me).

Cases using the bare infinitive (without "to")

After modal verbs (should, might, must, may, can, could) and after 'let', 'make', we use the bare infinitive: You should go now. / She made me laugh. / Let me help you.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you know if a verb takes 'to' or '-ing'? There's no absolute rule; the most certain way is to learn the lists of verbs in each group and memorize them through examples when listening to or reading English.

If you're unsure, which form should you choose? Prioritize the to-infinitive, as it is the more common form in English.

What's the difference between "remember to do" and "remember doing"? "Remember to do" means remembering to perform an upcoming/immediate action; "remember doing" means recalling an action that happened in the past.

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