PE-64: Gerunds and Infinitives: The Basics
When to say 'I enjoy reading' and when to say 'I want to read' — the two ways a verb follows another verb, and the preposition rule that never fails.
PE-64: Gerunds and Infinitives: The Basics
Two verbs meet in one sentence, and English must decide what to do with the second one. "I enjoy reading." "I want to read." Both are correct; swap them and both become wrong. This is the gerund / infinitive choice — and while part of it must be memorised, one big part of it follows a rule that never fails.
In this lesson you will learn
- What a gerund (-ing) and an infinitive (to + verb) are
- The rule that always works: after a preposition, always -ing
- Which verbs take which — the two lists worth memorising
- The pattern verb + person + to
1. The gerund is a verb acting as a noun
Add -ing and a verb can do everything a noun does — be the subject, be the object, follow a preposition.
Swimming is good for you. — I love swimming. — He's afraid of swimming.
Suzish foydali. — Suzishni yaxshi koʻraman. — U suzishdan qoʻrqadi.
Subject, object, and after a preposition — all with the same -ing form.
2. The rule that never fails: after a preposition, -ing
If a verb comes straight after in, on, at, of, for, about, after, before, without, by — it takes -ing. No exceptions.
She's good at drawing. — Thank you for helping me. — He left without saying goodbye. — Before going out, close the window.
U rasm chizishda zoʻr. — Yordam berganingiz uchun rahmat. — U xayrlashmasdan ketdi. — Chiqishdan oldin derazani yoping.
3. Verbs that take -ing
1Feelings about activities
enjoy, like, love, hate, don't mind, can't stand
2Starting and stopping
start, begin, finish, stop, keep, give up, carry on
3Avoiding and suggesting
avoid, suggest, imagine, practise, consider
4Also
spend time, waste time, it's worth, it's no use
I enjoy cooking, but I avoid washing up. Afsona practises speaking English every day.
Ovqat pishirishni yoqtiraman, lekin idish yuvishdan qochaman. Afsona har kuni ingliz tilida gapirishni mashq qiladi.
4. Verbs that take to + verb
verb + to + verb
- want, need, hope, plan, decide
- promise, agree, refuse, offer
- learn, try, manage, forget, seem
- would like, would love
verb + person + to + verb
- tell, ask, want, allow
- advise, remind, warn, teach
- He asked me to wait.
- She taught us to swim.
I decided to study harder, and my teacher advised me to start with grammar.
Qattiqroq oʻqishga qaror qildim va oʻqituvchim grammatikadan boshlashimni maslahat berdi.
And remember from PE-42: after a modal, the verb takes no to at all — I can swim, you should go.
5. Both possible, no real difference
With start, begin, continue and the feeling verbs like, love, hate, both forms are correct and mean the same thing:
It started raining. = It started to rain. — I like swimming. = I like to swim.
Yomgʻir yogʻa boshladi. — Suzishni yoqtiraman.
Do not lose marks worrying about these — either answer is accepted.
6. Common mistakes
I enjoy to read books.
I enjoy reading books.
I want going home.
I want to go home.
She's good at to cook.
She's good at cooking.
I look forward to meet you.
I look forward to meeting you.
He suggested to take a taxi.
He suggested taking a taxi.
Practice
1 Choose: I've finished ? (write) my essay, so I've decided ? (watch) a film.
Show answer
writing … to watch. Finish takes -ing; decide takes to + verb.
2 Complete: Thank you for ? (invite) me.
Show answer
inviting — for is a preposition, and after a preposition it is always -ing.
3 Correct it: My mother told me to don't be late.
Show answer
My mother told me not to be late.
The negative of to + verb is not to + verb.
4 Why is "I'm looking forward to see you" wrong?
Show answer
Because that "to" is a preposition, not an infinitive marker. So: looking forward to seeing you.
5 Write two sentences about yourself: one with enjoy, one with want.
Show answer
Model: I enjoy playing football with my friends, and I want to learn Korean next year.
Key words — Kalit soʻzlar
- Gerund-ing shakli (harakat nomi)
- Infinitiveinfinitiv (to + feʼl)
- Prepositionpredlog
- To avoidqochmoq
- To practisemashq qilmoq
- To give uptashlab qoʻymoq
- Can't standtoqat qilolmaslik
- To look forward tointiqlik bilan kutmoq
- To allowruxsat bermoq
- It's wortharziydi
🎯 Remember this
- After a preposition, always -ing — the one rule with no exceptions.
- -ing verbs: enjoy, finish, avoid, suggest, keep, practise, don't mind.
- to + verb: want, need, hope, decide, promise, learn, refuse.
- verb + person + to: tell, ask, advise, remind, allow.
- Learn each verb with its pattern, never alone.