We are looking forward to ____ (see) you soon.
✅ seeing ❌ see
- We use a gerund after prepositions and in the expression look forward to, the word to is a preposition.
They make us ____ (wear) this ridiculous uniform.
✅ wear ❌ wearing ❌ to wear
- We say make someone + do something.
Would you mind ____ (turn) the TV down, please?
✅ turning ❌ to turn
- We say would you mind + doing something.
I think she is avoiding ____ (talk) to me.
✅ talking ❌ to talk
- We say avoid + doing something.
Do you feel like ____ (go) to the theater?
✅ going ❌ to go
- We say feel like + doing something. It means ‘have a desire to do something’.
My mum doesn't let me ____ (come) with you.
✅ come ❌ to come
- We say make/let + someone + do something (infinitive without to).
Sorry, but I can't help ____ (laugh).
✅ laughing ❌ to laugh
- Use -ing after certain expressions such as can’t help.
- If you can’t help doing something, you can’t stop doing it.
He denied ____ (break) the window.
✅ breaking ❌ to break
- Use -ing after deny and admit.
I encouraged my boss ____ (not/leave) the project.
✅ not to leave ❌ not leaving
- Use encourage + someone + to + infinitive.
- Remember that the negative infinitive is not + to + infinitive.
My mum insisted ____ (lend) me the money.
✅ on lending ❌ to lend
- Use insist on + -ing
I don't blame you ____ (want) to move to another house. I don't like this house either.
✅ for wanting ❌ that you want ❌ to want
- Use blame + someone + for + -ing verb.
I suggest you ____ (call) the police right now.
✅ call ❌ to call
- We can use suggest + -ing, or also suggest + (that) clause.
Rachel admitted ____ (break) the window.
✅ breaking ❌ break
- Use admit + -ing verb.
- Sometimes we can use the gerund (doing) or the perfect gerund (having done) with little difference in meaning. With the perfect gerund we emphasise that the action was completed in the past.
He apologized ____ (be) late.
✅ for being ❌ that he had been
- Use apologize + for + -ing verb.
Sam regretted ____ (get) married.
✅ getting ✅ having got ❌ to get
- Use regret + -ing verb.
- Sometimes we can use the gerund (doing) or the perfect gerund (having done) with little difference in meaning. With the perfect gerund we emphasise that the action was completed in the past.
I truly recommend ____ (go) to the police immediately.
✅ going ✅ (that) you go ✅ you to go ❌ you going
- We can use recommend + someone + to infinitive, or recommend + that clause (without object).
- We could also say: I truly recommend that you should go to the police immediately. / I truly recommend going to the police immediately.
I always begged ____ (them/let) me go out.
✅ them to let ❌ for them to let
- We say beg + object + to + infinitive.
The portrait is thought to ____ (paint) in 1595.
✅ have been painted ❌ be painted
- After passive reporting verbs, we use the simple or continuous infinitive to refer to the present or future, and the perfect infinitives to refer to the past. (⇒ See B1+ Grammar » The passive with reporting verbs).
- In this sentence, the infinitive refers to a past event.
She was the first woman ____ (elect) president.
✅ to be elected ❌ being elected
- We use to + infinitive after superlative adjectives or after first, second, third, etc.
- We need a passive infinitive because we are talking about an action which is done to the subject, i.e. the subject is not the ‘doer’ of the action.
The delegate refused ____ (interview).
✅ to be interviewed ❌ being interviewed
- We use to + infinitive after certain verbs such as refuse.
- In this sentence we need a passive infinitive, because are describing an action that is done to the subject, not an action that the subject does.