Some English verbs change meaning depending on whether they're followed by a gerund (a verb ending in -ing that acts as a noun) or an infinitive (the base form of a verb, usually preceded by to).
For example:
- I forgot calling her. = I called her, but I don’t remember doing it.
- I forgot to call her. = I was supposed to call her, but I didn’t. do it.
The following verbs can be followed by either a gerund or an infinitive, but with a change in meaning.
🔹 REMEMBER
Remember + gerund = You did something and can recall doing it.
- I remember telling you about my trip to Spain.
- He remembered closing the door.
Remember + to + infinitive = You remembered that you had to do something, and then you did it.
- She remembered to text her mother when she got home.
- Mario remembered to call his client about the basement renovation after he got a bad Google review.
🔹 FORGET
Forget + gerund = You've done something but can't remember doing it.
- He forgot signing up for another art class.
- I had a doctor appointment last month, but I forgot having one.
- I'll never forget feeling astonished when I won the lottery. (Note that never forget + gerund means that the speaker will always remember a past experience.)
Forget + to + infinitive = You intend to do something but don't do it.
- I forgot to refill my prescriptions today.
- She always forgets to pay her rent by the first of the month.
🔹 TRY
Try + gerund = You try doing something as an experiment or solution.
- He tried calling the doctor's office, but no one answered the phone.
- I tried learning Japanese, but gave up after one lesson.
Try + to + infinitive = You make an effort to do something difficult, but you may or may not succeed.
- I'll try to carry the suitcase, but it looks too heavy for me.
- She tried to catch the bus, but she couldn't run fast enough.
🔹 STOP
Stop + gerund = You quit or give up a habit or activity.
- He stopped smoking 40 years ago.
- My father stopped driving when he was 92.
Stop + to + infinitive = You pause one activity in order to do another.
- During my walk, I stopped to smoke.
- She stopped to buy a souvenir.
🔹 REGRET
Regret + gerund = You feel bad about something you did.
- I regret confiding in her because she gossips a lot.
- She regrets being disrespectful to her mother.
Regret + to + infinitive = You’re about to deliver bad news, often in a formal or polite way.
- I regret to tell you that you didn’t get the job.
- We regret to inform you that we’re permanently closing our store tomorrow.
Understanding how gerunds and infinitives change meaning will help you speak and write more naturally in English. Try making your own sentences using each form. You’ll remember them better that way.
Thank you so much for sharing! I definitely need to learn about these!! I've saved your page.
I'm glad you found it helpful.
What an excellent explanation and resource! I'd like to suggest another one that's really interesting: start -ing is used to refer to the beginning of an action: I started reading War and Peace yesterday — God knows when I'll finish! You can also use an infinitive with start and say start to read, for instance, BUT in the past tense, started to [inf] can have another interpretation: you almost did something, but stopped yourself at the last minute: When my phone rang at 3am, I started to answer it but remembered I have a stalker and just let it ring.
Thank you, Uly, for your explanation of "start." I understand how using the past tense changes the interpretation. Another word I'd add to my post is "quit," since it's similar to the different meanings of "stop + gerund" and "stop + to + infinitive." Others that come to mind are "used to + infinitive" (past habit, repeated action, or state that is no longer the case) and "be/get used to + gerund" (be accustomed to/get accustomed to something). I'm sure there are others.