Infinitive vs. Gerund
Level 1: Title
Objective
Understand when to use a gerund (verb + -ing) or an infinitive (to + base verb) after certain verbs.
فهم متى يُستخدم المصدر (to + الفعل الأساسي) أو الاسم الفعلي (الفعل + -ing) بعد أفعال معينة.
What’s the Difference?
| Form | Example |
|---|
| Gerund = verb + -ing | I enjoy reading books. |
| Infinitive = to + verb | I want to read a book. |
الاسم الفعلي: الفعل + -ing. المصدر: to + الفعل الأساسي.
Rules Review
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Verbs Followed by a Gerundالأفعال التي تتبعها أسماء فعلية
(click here ⓘ)
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Verbs Followed by an Infinitiveالأفعال التي تتبعها مصادر
(click here ⓘ)
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Verbs - Gerund or Infinitive (Different Meanings)الأفعال التي تتغير معانيها
(click here ⓘ)
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Verbs - Gerund or Infinitive (Same Meaning)الأفعال بنفس المعنى
(click here ⓘ)
Verbs Followed by a Gerund
| Verb | Example |
|---|
| enjoy | I enjoy playing football. |
| avoid | She avoids talking in class. |
| finish | They finished eating. |
| consider | He considered moving abroad. |
| suggest | She suggested going to the museum. |
| mind | Do you mind closing the window? |
| keep | He keeps forgetting his phone. |
| deny | She denied stealing the money. |
| risk | Don’t risk losing your passport. |
| give up | He gave up smoking last year. |
الأفعال التي تتبعها أسماء فعلية مثل "enjoy" و"avoid".
Verbs Followed by an Infinitive
| Verb | Example |
|---|
| want | I want to go home. |
| need | You need to study more. |
| decide | She decided to travel in June. |
| hope | We hope to visit London soon. |
| learn | They are learning to swim. |
| plan | He plans to buy a new car. |
| promise | She promised to help me. |
| agree | He agreed to come. |
| forget | Don’t forget to lock the door. |
| try | Try to focus in class. |
الأفعال التي تتبعها مصادر مثل "want" و"need".
Verbs Followed by Gerund or Infinitive (Different Meanings)
| Verb | Gerund Meaning | Infinitive Meaning |
|---|
| remember | Recall a past action | Don’t forget to do it |
| forget | Not remember something past | Not do what you planned |
| stop | Quit an activity | Pause to do something else |
| try | Experiment with a method | Attempt something hard |
| regret | Feel sorry about the past | Formal, giving bad news |
I remembered locking the door. ✔ (I did it already)
I remembered to lock the door. ✔ (I didn’t forget)
الأفعال التي تتغير معانيها حسب استخدام الاسم الفعلي أو المصدر.
Verbs Followed by Either (Same Meaning)
| Verb | Example (Gerund) | Example (Infinitive) |
|---|
| begin | She began crying. | She began to cry. |
| start | He started running. | He started to run. |
| continue | They continued working. | They continued to work. |
| like* | I like reading at night. | I like to read at night. |
| love* | She loves dancing. | She loves to dance. |
Note: With "like" and "love," both are correct, but gerund is more common for general habits.
الأفعال التي يمكن استخدامها مع كليهما بنفس المعنى، مع ملاحظة أن الاسم الفعلي أكثر شيوعًا للعادات العامة.