Gerund or infinitive: English ESL worksheets pdf & doc - Free Printable

Let's solve this exercise on gerunds vs. infinitives. The goal is to fill in the blanks with either the -ing form (gerund) or the to + base verb (infinitive), depending on the grammar rule for each sentence.

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🔹 Key Rules:

1. After verbs like *like, love, hate, prefer, enjoy, mind*, use a gerund.
- e.g., I like eating out.

2. After verbs like *want, need, decide, promise, agree, hope*, use an infinitive.
- e.g., I want to stay at home.

3. After *would rather*, use the base verb (no "to").
- e.g., I’d rather go somewhere else.

4. After *forget, remember, regret, stop*, both gerund and infinitive can be used, but with different meanings:
- *I forgot to buy* → didn’t do it.
- *I forgot buying* → don’t remember doing it.

5. "It’s no point" + gerund → It’s useless to do something.
- e.g., There’s no point crying.

6. "Be used to" + gerund → accustomed to something.
- e.g., I’m used to getting up early.

7. "Can’t help" + gerund → can’t stop oneself from doing something.
- e.g., I couldn’t help laughing.

8. "Feel like" + gerund → desire to do something.
- e.g., I feel like drinking coffee.

9. "Encourage someone to do" → infinitive
- e.g., My parents encourage me to study.

10. "Used to" + infinitive → past habit.
- e.g., He used to listen to hip hop.

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Now let's go through each sentence:

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1. Fancy ________ tonight? (eat out)
→ "Fancy" is followed by a gerund.
✔ eating out

2. Do you want ________ at home tonight? (stay)
→ "Want" + infinitive
✔ to stay

3. I'd like ________ a few things with you. (discuss)
→ "Like" + gerund
✔ to discuss *(Wait — actually, "I'd like" takes infinitive)*
✔ to discuss

4. I'd rather ________ somewhere else. (go)
→ "Would rather" + base verb
✔ go

5. You'd better ________ so much junk food. (not eat)
→ "You'd better" + base verb (negative)
✔ not eat

6. I'll never forget ________ the competition. (win)
→ "Forget" here means not to forget that you won → gerund
✔ winning

7. I promised ________ her. (help)
→ "Promise" + infinitive
✔ to help

8. I advised them ________ the car. (buy)
→ "Advise" + infinitive
✔ to buy

9. Have you ever considered ________ plastic surgery? (have)
→ "Consider" + gerund
✔ having

10. Keep ________! (work)
→ "Keep" + gerund
✔ working

11. How about ________ to town tonight? (go)
→ "How about" + gerund
✔ going

12. My parents allowed me ________ my birthday party at home. (throw)
→ "Allow" + infinitive
✔ to throw

13. Imagine ________ around the world. (travel)
→ "Imagine" + gerund
✔ travelling (or traveling, depending on dialect)

14. Try ________ something. I know you aren't hungry but it will do you good. (eat)
→ "Try" + gerund = experiment with doing something
✔ eating

15. Oh gosh! I forgot ________ the flowers for grandma. It's her birthday today. (buy)
→ "Forgot to buy" → didn’t do it (it’s late)
✔ to buy

16. He regretted ________ to her. Now their relationship is over. (not apologise)
→ "Regret" + gerund when referring to past actions (feeling sorry about doing something)
→ "He regretted not apologizing" → he feels bad about not doing it
✔ not apologising

17. There's no point ________. (cry)
→ "There’s no point" + gerund
✔ crying

18. I'm not used to ________ up at 5 a.m. (get)
→ "Be used to" + gerund
✔ getting

19. I'm fed up with ________. (wait)
→ "Fed up with" + gerund
✔ waiting

20. She prefers ________ strong tea. (drink)
→ "Prefer" + gerund
✔ drinking

21. I couldn't resist ________ all the cookies. (eat)
→ "Resist" + gerund
✔ eating

22. I couldn't help ________ when I saw her strange dress. (laugh)
→ "Couldn’t help" + gerund
✔ laughing

23. He refused ________ the police. (call)
→ "Refuse" + infinitive
✔ to call

24. I feel like ________ cappuccino. Anyone else? (drink)
→ "Feel like" + gerund
✔ drinking

25. They must ________ a rest now. (have)
→ "Must" + infinitive
✔ have

26. I like ________ my room every weekend. (clean)
→ "Like" + gerund
✔ cleaning

27. Do you remember ________ in the ocean last summer? (surf)
→ "Remember" + gerund = recall having done it
✔ surfing

28. My parents encourage me ________ medicine. (study)
→ "Encourage" + infinitive
✔ to study

29. My bro used to ________ to hip hop when he was a teen. (listen)
→ "Used to" + infinitive (past habit)
✔ listen

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✔ Final Answers:

1. eating out
2. to stay
3. to discuss
4. go
5. not eat
6. winning
7. to help
8. to buy
9. having
10. working
11. going
12. to throw
13. travelling
14. eating
15. to buy
16. not apologising
17. crying
18. getting
19. waiting
20. drinking
21. eating
22. laughing
23. to call
24. drinking
25. have
26. cleaning
27. surfing
28. to study
29. listen

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Let me know if you'd like this as a printable worksheet or explained further!