Gerund vs Infinitive

Some verbs can be followed by:

• a gerund (-ing form)
• an infinitive (to + base verb)

It is important to understand that the meaning can change depending on the form you use. This lesson focuses on:

• stop + -ing / to
• remember + -ing / to
• try + -ing / to

For these verbs, the form often changes the meaning: -ing often talks about an activity you experienced (a memory) or an activity you stop/try. to + verb often talks about purpose or a later action (what you decide/remember/stop in order to do).

This is a clue for stop/remember/try only; other verbs follow different patterns, so always learn the meaning with the verb.

1. What Is a Gerund?

A gerund is the -ing form of a verb used like a noun.

Structure: verb + gerund (-ing)

Examples:

• “Swimming is fun.”
• “I enjoy reading.”

2. What Is an Infinitive?

An infinitive is the base form of a verb. The most common infinitive is to + base verb (to study, to leave).

Structure (after some verbs): verb + to-infinitive

Examples:

• “I want to leave.”
• “She decided to study.”

3. Stop + -ing vs Stop + Infinitive

3.1 Stop + -ing

Meaning: stop + -ing: stop doing an activity (at that moment) / quit a habit

Structure: stop + gerund

Examples:

• “He stopped smoking.”
• “She stopped eating sugar.”
• “They stopped talking.”

Why: The activity ended completely.

3.2 Stop + to + verb

Meaning: pause one activity in order to do another activity

First you were doing something else.

Structure: stop + infinitive

Examples:

• “We stopped to eat.”
• “She was working, but she stopped to answer the phone.”
• “On the way home, I stopped to buy some water.”

Why: The person pauses one action to do something else.

3.3 Compare

• “I stopped smoking.” → I quit smoking completely.
• “I stopped to smoke.” → I paused another activity so I could smoke.

4. Remember + -ing vs Remember + Infinitive

4.1 Remember + -ing

Meaning: remember a past action

Structure: remember + gerund

Examples:

• “I remember meeting her.”
• “She remembers visiting Paris.”
• “We remember watching that movie.”

Why: The memory is about something that already happened.

4.2 Remember + to + verb

Meaning: not forget to do something

First you remember, then you do the action.

Structure: remember + infinitive

Examples:

• “Remember to lock the door.”
• “I remembered to call my mother.”
• “She remembered to bring her passport.”

Why: The action happens after the remembering.

4.3 Compare

• “I remember visiting him.” → I have a memory of it.
• “I remembered to visit him.” → I did not forget to visit him.

5. Try + -ing vs Try + Infinitive

5.1 Try + to + verb

Meaning: attempt / make an effort to do something (you may or may not succeed)

Structure: try + infinitive

Examples:

• “I tried to open the door.”
• “She tried to understand the lesson.”
• “They’re trying to fix the problem.”

Why: The action may be difficult.

5.2 Try + -ing

Meaning: try + -ing: do it to see if it helps / test an idea

Structure: try + gerund

Examples:

• “Try restarting the computer.”
• “I tried restarting the computer, and it worked.”
• “He tried taking some medicine.”
• “Try speaking more slowly.”

Why: The action is a suggestion or experiment.

5.3 Compare

• “I tried to open the window.” → I made an effort.
• “Try opening the window.” → Maybe this solution will help.

6. Summary Table

Verb	+ Gerund (-ing)	+ Infinitive (to)
stop	quit an activity	pause another activity to do something
remember	memory from the past	not forget
try	experiment/suggestion	make an effort

7. Easy Way to Remember

• stop + -ing = quit; stop + to = pause in order to do
• remember + -ing = memory; remember + to = don’t forget
• try + -ing = experiment; try + to = attempt/effort

These are helpful clues for these three verbs (stop/remember/try), but other verbs can follow different patterns, so always learn the meaning with the verb.

Some verbs change meaning depending on whether they are followed by a gerund or an infinitive, so always check the meaning carefully.