English grammar worksheet focusing on using gerunds after verbs and prepositions, featuring illustrated examples and practice sentences.

You're working on a grammar exercise focused on using the gerund form (-ing) after specific verbs and prepositions.

Let’s go through each sentence and fill in the correct gerund form. I’ll explain the rule for each as we go.

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✔ Rule Reminder:

- Gerunds (verb + -ing) are used after:
- Certain verbs (e.g., *love, hate, enjoy, stop, start, decide, hope, apologize, insist, be interested in, etc.*)
- Prepositions (e.g., *for, in, about, of, on, without, etc.*)

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## 🔢 Solutions with Explanations:

1. I love (drink) _drinking_ tea and coffee.
→ *Love* is followed by a gerund.
✔️ drinking

2. I must start (buy) _buying_ more herbal teas.
→ *Start* can take either gerund or infinitive, but here it implies beginning an ongoing action → gerund preferred.
✔️ buying

3. What do you want (do) _to do_ tonight?
→ *Want* is followed by infinitive, NOT gerund.
❗ This is an exception — *want + to + verb*.
✔️ to do

4. We’ve decided (get) _to get_ married in the spring.
→ *Decide* is followed by infinitive.
✔️ to get

5. I hope (see) _to see_ you again soon.
→ *Hope* is followed by infinitive.
✔️ to see

6. I love (listen) _listening_ to live music.
→ *Love* + gerund.
✔️ listening

7. I apologized for (be) _being_ late.
→ *For* is a preposition → requires gerund.
✔️ being

8. She hates (get) _getting_ up in the morning.
→ *Hate* + gerund.
✔️ getting

9. He decided (go) _to go_ home.
→ *Decide* + infinitive.
✔️ to go

10. Kate insisted on (come) _coming_ with us.
→ *On* is a preposition → needs gerund.
✔️ coming

11. He’s interested in (play) _playing_ football.
→ *In* is a preposition → needs gerund.
✔️ playing

12. We’re excited about (go) _going_ to Tahiti.
→ *About* is a preposition → needs gerund.
✔️ going

13. We’re going (buy) _to buy_ some new clothes.
→ *Be going to* = future intention → uses infinitive.
✔️ to buy

14. They think students should stop (smoke) _smoking_ in the cafeteria.
→ *Stop* + gerund = cease an activity.
✔️ smoking

15. We need (call) _to call_ the police right now.
→ *Need* as main verb → usually takes infinitive.
✔️ to call

16. He stopped (work) _working_ when the bell rang.
→ *Stopped* + gerund = ceased the action.
✔️ working

17. I hate (do) _doing_ the dishes.
→ *Hate* + gerund.
✔️ doing

18. He is good at (swim) _swimming_.
→ *At* is a preposition → needs gerund.
✔️ swimming

19. She was proud of (have) _having_ won the match.
→ *Of* is a preposition → needs gerund. Also, “having won” is perfect gerund (past action).
✔️ having

20. He thinks he can (read) _read_ minds.
→ *Can* is modal verb → followed by base verb (infinitive without “to”).
✔️ read

21. Bob and Jim are angry with me. They won’t (talk) _talk_ to me.
→ *Won’t* = will not → followed by base verb.
✔️ talk

22. Please, stop (eat) _eating_ like that or you will have serious trouble with your tummy.
→ *Stop* + gerund = cease the action.
✔️ eating

23. John has no excuse for (be) _being_ late.
→ *For* is a preposition → needs gerund.
✔️ being

24. You must (see) _see_ a doctor this week.
→ *Must* is modal → followed by base verb.
✔️ see

25. I had no hope of (get) _getting_ a job.
→ *Of* is a preposition → needs gerund.
✔️ getting

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## 📝 Final Answer Key:

1. drinking
2. buying
3. to do
4. to get
5. to see
6. listening
7. being
8. getting
9. to go
10. coming
11. playing
12. going
13. to buy
14. smoking
15. to call
16. working
17. doing
18. swimming
19. having
20. read
21. talk
22. eating
23. being
24. see
25. getting

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## 💡 Quick Tip:
When in doubt, ask yourself:
> “Is this word a preposition (like *for, in, about, on*) or a verb that always takes gerund (*love, hate, enjoy, stop, start, mind, etc.*)?” → Then use -ing.

If it’s a verb like *want, decide, hope, need, plan, promise* → often takes to + verb (infinitive).

Modal verbs (*can, must, should, will, would*) → always take base verb.

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✔ You’ve got this! Keep practicing — gerunds are very common in everyday English.