Gerund or infinitive online worksheet - Free Printable
Educational worksheet: Gerund or infinitive online worksheet. Download and print for classroom or home learning activities.
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Step-by-step solution for: Gerund or infinitive online worksheet
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Show Answer Key & Explanations
Step-by-step solution for: Gerund or infinitive online worksheet
Let's solve this exercise step by step, using the grammar rules provided at the top of the worksheet:
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Use the gerund (-ing):
- After verbs like *like, love, hate, enjoy, etc.*
- After prepositions (*on, in, at, without, etc.*)
- As the subject or object of a sentence
Use the infinitive (to + verb):
- After verbs like *need, try, plan, want, etc.*
- After adjectives (*nice, good, important, etc.*)
- After question words (*where, what, how, etc.*)
- To say why you do something
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Now let’s go through each sentence and fill in the correct form.
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1. I need ________ (buy) some food.
→ "Need" is followed by an infinitive.
✔ to buy
2. I love ________ (read) in the evenings.
→ "Love" is followed by a gerund.
✔ reading
3. It’s nice ________ (meet) you.
→ "Nice" is an adjective → use infinitive.
✔ to meet
4. I went to the party ________ (meet) new people.
→ Purpose: "to say why" → use infinitive.
✔ to meet
5. She doesn’t know where ________ (go) or what ________ (do).
→ After question words ("where", "what") → use infinitive.
✔ to go, to do
6. I’m thinking of ________ (buy) a new car.
→ After preposition "of" → use gerund.
✔ buying
7. ________ (eat) fast food is not healthy.
→ Subject of sentence → use gerund.
✔ Eating
8. It’s not healthy ________ (eat) fast food.
→ After adjective "healthy" → use infinitive.
✔ to eat
9. I came to this school ________ (learn) English.
→ Purpose → infinitive.
✔ to learn
10. It’s important ________ (not be) late for school.
→ After adjective "important" → infinitive.
✔ not to be
11. He left without ________ (say) goodbye.
→ After preposition "without" → gerund.
✔ saying
12. Try ________ (not talk) about politics.
→ "Try" can be followed by either gerund or infinitive, but:
- *Try doing* = experiment
- *Try to do* = make an effort
Here, it means “make an effort not to talk” → infinitive.
✔ not to talk
13. ________ (talk) about politics is dangerous.
→ Subject → gerund.
✔ Talking
14. She hates ________ (get up) early at the weekends.
→ "Hate" → gerund.
✔ getting up
15. ________ (play) football is great fun.
→ Subject → gerund.
✔ Playing
16. It is great fun ________ (play) football.
→ After "fun" (adjective) → infinitive.
✔ to play
17. Happiness is ________ (not go) to work.
→ "Is" = linking verb; subject complement → infinitive (as "happiness" = state).
But note: "to not go" is awkward. Better: "not going" as a noun phrase?
Wait — actually, this is a bit tricky.
But grammatically: "Happiness is not going to work." → gerund (as subject complement).
✔ not going
18. We’ve decided ________ (not go) on holiday this year.
→ "Decide" → infinitive.
✔ not to go
19. My mum really enjoys ________ (cook).
→ "Enjoy" → gerund.
✔ cooking
20. I hope ________ (see) you again soon.
→ "Hope" → infinitive.
✔ to see
21. Peter doesn’t feel like ________ (go) to school this morning.
→ "Feel like" → gerund.
✔ going
22. Everybody loves ________ (surf) the net.
→ "Loves" → gerund.
✔ surfing
23. I don’t mind ________ (do) the ironing.
→ "Mind" → gerund.
✔ doing
24. John is really good at ________ (sing).
→ After preposition "at" → gerund.
✔ singing
25. Do you know how ________ (cook)?
→ After "how" → infinitive.
✔ to cook
26. He needs ________ (do) his homework.
→ "Needs" → infinitive.
✔ to do
27. My dog has been planning ________ (eat) my neighbour’s cat for years.
→ "Planning" → infinitive.
✔ to eat
28. The neighbour’s cat doesn’t feel like ________ (die) today.
→ "Feel like" → gerund.
✔ dying
29. It’s quite expensive ________ (eat) at a fancy restaurant.
→ After adjective "expensive" → infinitive.
✔ to eat
30. ________ (eat) at a fancy restaurant is quite expensive.
→ Subject → gerund.
✔ Eating
31. He spends hours ________ (chat) online.
→ "Spend time" → gerund.
✔ chatting
32. My father wanted ________ (know) everything about my brilliant English teacher.
→ "Wanted" → infinitive.
✔ to know
---
1. to buy
2. reading
3. to meet
4. to meet
5. to go, to do
6. buying
7. Eating
8. to eat
9. to learn
10. not to be
11. saying
12. not to talk
13. Talking
14. getting up
15. Playing
16. to play
17. not going
18. not to go
19. cooking
20. to see
21. going
22. surfing
23. doing
24. singing
25. to cook
26. to do
27. to eat
28. dying
29. to eat
30. Eating
31. chatting
32. to know
---
- Gerunds (-ing) are used after certain verbs (like, love, hate), after prepositions, and as subjects/objects.
- Infinitives (to + verb) follow verbs like *need, want, plan*, adjectives, question words, and to express purpose or reason.
This exercise helps reinforce when to use -ing vs to + verb based on context and grammar rules. Practice makes perfect! 🌟
---
Rules Recap:
Use the gerund (-ing):
- After verbs like *like, love, hate, enjoy, etc.*
- After prepositions (*on, in, at, without, etc.*)
- As the subject or object of a sentence
Use the infinitive (to + verb):
- After verbs like *need, try, plan, want, etc.*
- After adjectives (*nice, good, important, etc.*)
- After question words (*where, what, how, etc.*)
- To say why you do something
---
Now let’s go through each sentence and fill in the correct form.
---
1. I need ________ (buy) some food.
→ "Need" is followed by an infinitive.
✔ to buy
2. I love ________ (read) in the evenings.
→ "Love" is followed by a gerund.
✔ reading
3. It’s nice ________ (meet) you.
→ "Nice" is an adjective → use infinitive.
✔ to meet
4. I went to the party ________ (meet) new people.
→ Purpose: "to say why" → use infinitive.
✔ to meet
5. She doesn’t know where ________ (go) or what ________ (do).
→ After question words ("where", "what") → use infinitive.
✔ to go, to do
6. I’m thinking of ________ (buy) a new car.
→ After preposition "of" → use gerund.
✔ buying
7. ________ (eat) fast food is not healthy.
→ Subject of sentence → use gerund.
✔ Eating
8. It’s not healthy ________ (eat) fast food.
→ After adjective "healthy" → use infinitive.
✔ to eat
9. I came to this school ________ (learn) English.
→ Purpose → infinitive.
✔ to learn
10. It’s important ________ (not be) late for school.
→ After adjective "important" → infinitive.
✔ not to be
11. He left without ________ (say) goodbye.
→ After preposition "without" → gerund.
✔ saying
12. Try ________ (not talk) about politics.
→ "Try" can be followed by either gerund or infinitive, but:
- *Try doing* = experiment
- *Try to do* = make an effort
Here, it means “make an effort not to talk” → infinitive.
✔ not to talk
13. ________ (talk) about politics is dangerous.
→ Subject → gerund.
✔ Talking
14. She hates ________ (get up) early at the weekends.
→ "Hate" → gerund.
✔ getting up
15. ________ (play) football is great fun.
→ Subject → gerund.
✔ Playing
16. It is great fun ________ (play) football.
→ After "fun" (adjective) → infinitive.
✔ to play
17. Happiness is ________ (not go) to work.
→ "Is" = linking verb; subject complement → infinitive (as "happiness" = state).
But note: "to not go" is awkward. Better: "not going" as a noun phrase?
Wait — actually, this is a bit tricky.
But grammatically: "Happiness is not going to work." → gerund (as subject complement).
✔ not going
18. We’ve decided ________ (not go) on holiday this year.
→ "Decide" → infinitive.
✔ not to go
19. My mum really enjoys ________ (cook).
→ "Enjoy" → gerund.
✔ cooking
20. I hope ________ (see) you again soon.
→ "Hope" → infinitive.
✔ to see
21. Peter doesn’t feel like ________ (go) to school this morning.
→ "Feel like" → gerund.
✔ going
22. Everybody loves ________ (surf) the net.
→ "Loves" → gerund.
✔ surfing
23. I don’t mind ________ (do) the ironing.
→ "Mind" → gerund.
✔ doing
24. John is really good at ________ (sing).
→ After preposition "at" → gerund.
✔ singing
25. Do you know how ________ (cook)?
→ After "how" → infinitive.
✔ to cook
26. He needs ________ (do) his homework.
→ "Needs" → infinitive.
✔ to do
27. My dog has been planning ________ (eat) my neighbour’s cat for years.
→ "Planning" → infinitive.
✔ to eat
28. The neighbour’s cat doesn’t feel like ________ (die) today.
→ "Feel like" → gerund.
✔ dying
29. It’s quite expensive ________ (eat) at a fancy restaurant.
→ After adjective "expensive" → infinitive.
✔ to eat
30. ________ (eat) at a fancy restaurant is quite expensive.
→ Subject → gerund.
✔ Eating
31. He spends hours ________ (chat) online.
→ "Spend time" → gerund.
✔ chatting
32. My father wanted ________ (know) everything about my brilliant English teacher.
→ "Wanted" → infinitive.
✔ to know
---
✔ Final Answers:
1. to buy
2. reading
3. to meet
4. to meet
5. to go, to do
6. buying
7. Eating
8. to eat
9. to learn
10. not to be
11. saying
12. not to talk
13. Talking
14. getting up
15. Playing
16. to play
17. not going
18. not to go
19. cooking
20. to see
21. going
22. surfing
23. doing
24. singing
25. to cook
26. to do
27. to eat
28. dying
29. to eat
30. Eating
31. chatting
32. to know
---
🔍 Explanation Summary:
- Gerunds (-ing) are used after certain verbs (like, love, hate), after prepositions, and as subjects/objects.
- Infinitives (to + verb) follow verbs like *need, want, plan*, adjectives, question words, and to express purpose or reason.
This exercise helps reinforce when to use -ing vs to + verb based on context and grammar rules. Practice makes perfect! 🌟
Parent Tip: Review the logic above to help your child master the concept of gerunds and infinitives worksheet.
