Where to use Greunds and where to use İnfinitive?

Question

Hi eveyone.Please can anybody explain me in which cases do we use Gerunds and Infinitives?Thanx you helping:)

Whl626 · Accepted Answer

Gerund and infinitive are interchangeable in most cases.

eg I like to swim ( swimming )

But not in this case, eg ' I want to go to the market ' because ' to go ' gives a sense of taking an action in a direction.

eg This shirt is worth buying ( gerund ). Just a statement, it doesn't mean you are going to buy

Pemmican · Answer

There are some better rules though:

1) After these verbs, only the Gerund can be used:
- can't help, enjoy, suggest, don't mind, finish

e.g.: I can't help falling in love with you./ I enjoy playing chess./ I don't mind watching this film.

2) Also after a verb/noun/adjective + preposition, only the Gerund can be used:
- look forward to, be accustomed to, succeed in, be fond of, talk of, be tired of, rely on, be used to, think of, have difficulty in, be interested in

e.g.: I look forward to seeing you./ I'm tired of walking around./ I'm used to getting up early.

3) After these verbs, only the infinitive is possible:
- can afford, fail, hope, manage, refuse, arrange, offer, seem, choose, learn, plan, want, promise, wish

e.g.: They can't afford to go on holiday./ She arranged to meet her friend at 6./ He plans to go out tonight.

4) After these verbs, both infinitive or gerund are possible:
- start, hate, like, continue, begin, intend, love

e.g.: He started working in the car industry OR: He started to work in the car industry.

Sometimes, you can use either a construction of preposition+gerund or an infinitive without preposition:
- be afraid of doing/ be afraid to do, be proud of doing/ be proud to do, agree to do/ agree on doing

e.g.: The old lady is afraid to go out alone, she is afraid of being attacked.

Where to use Greunds and where to use İnfinitive?

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