Gerund vs Infinitive

B2 · Upper IntermediateGerunds & Infinitives

With most verbs, gerund or infinitive is just a fixed rule. But with remember, forget, stop, try, and regret, the choice changes what the sentence means.

What you'll learn

Remember/forget + gerund = a memory of something that already happened
Remember/forget + infinitive = a duty or reminder about something not yet done
Stop + gerund = quitting a habit; stop + infinitive = pausing to do something else
Try + gerund = an experiment; try + infinitive = a difficult effort

When the choice itself carries meaning

For most verbs, whether they take a gerund or an infinitive is just a fact to memorize (see Verb Patterns). But a small group of verbs allow BOTH forms — and switching between them changes the sentence's actual meaning, not just its style.

"I remember locking the door."

"Remember to lock the door."

Remember and forget: past memory vs. future duty

Remember/forget + gerund looks BACK at something that already happened — a memory (or lack of one). Remember/forget + infinitive looks FORWARD to something that needs to be done.

"I remember meeting her at a conference years ago."

"Please remember to send that email before noon."

Stop: quitting a habit vs. pausing for something else

Stop + gerund means ending a habit or activity entirely. Stop + infinitive means pausing one activity in order to do something else — the infinitive shows the PURPOSE of stopping.

"I stopped smoking."

"I stopped to smoke."

Try: an experiment vs. a difficult effort

Try + gerund suggests an experiment — doing something to see if it solves a problem. Try + infinitive suggests making an effort at something genuinely difficult.

"Try restarting the computer."

"Try to open the jar — it's really stuck."

Regret: sorry about the past vs. sorry about now

Regret + gerund expresses sorrow about something already done. Regret + infinitive is a formal way to introduce bad news you're about to give.

"I regret telling him the secret."

"I regret to inform you that your application was unsuccessful."

Real English

"He forgot to lock the door."

"He forgot locking the door — he'd already done it twice that day."

"He stopped to answer his phone."

"He stopped answering his phone — he was avoiding her calls."

Watch out

✗I remember to meet her at a conference years ago. (meaning a real memory)

✓I remember meeting her at a conference years ago.

A memory of something that already happened needs the gerund, not the infinitive.

✗I stopped to smoke. (intending to mean 'I quit')

✓I stopped smoking.

'Stopped to smoke' actually means you paused something else in order to smoke — the opposite of quitting.

✗Try to restart the computer, it might just be a simple fix.

✓Try restarting the computer, it might just be a simple fix.

For a quick experiment to solve a problem, use try + gerund, not try + infinitive.

Real life — Troubleshooting together

"The Wi-Fi still isn't working."

"Did you try restarting the router? Sometimes that fixes it."

"Yeah, I tried unplugging it for a minute. Still nothing."

"Okay, let's try calling support then."

Practice

Exercise 1 · Choose the correct meaning

'I remember locking the door' means:

Exercise 2 · Choose the correct meaning

'Remember to lock the door' means:

Exercise 3 · Choose the correct meaning

'I stopped smoking' means:

Exercise 4 · Choose the correct meaning

'I stopped to smoke' means:

Exercise 5 · Choose the correct meaning

'Try restarting the computer' means:

Exercise 6 · Choose the correct meaning

'Try to open the jar' (it's stuck) means:

Exercise 7 · Choose the correct meaning

'I regret to inform you...' means:

Exercise 8 · Choose the correct meaning

'I regret telling him the secret' means:

Exercise 9 · Complete the sentence

Complete (memory of a past action): 'I remember ___ (meet) her at a conference years ago.'

Exercise 10 · Complete the sentence

Complete (future duty/reminder): 'Please remember ___ (send) that email before noon.'

Exercise 11 · Sort into groups

I forgot to call her.

I forgot calling her — I did it twice!

He stopped to answer his phone.

He stopped answering his phone.

0 / 4 sorted

Quick challenge

Five quick questions to check what stuck.

Question 1 / 5

Score: 0/0

'He forgot to lock the door' means:

You learned

Remember/forget + gerund = a memory of the past; + infinitive = a duty not yet done.
Stop + gerund = quitting a habit; + infinitive = pausing to do something else.
Try + gerund = an experiment; + infinitive = a difficult effort.
Regret + gerund = sorry about the past; + infinitive = introducing bad news formally.

IntermediateGerunds & Infinitives

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Verb + Object + Infinitive

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Learn the three groups of English verbs — gerund only, infinitive only, and verbs that allow both — and how to tell them apart.

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