Listen to these pairs. Don't think too long — just notice the difference:
Do these mean the same thing, or is something different?
🎙 Speak: Tell me: do "stopped smoking" and "stopped to smoke" mean the same thing?
Here's the thing: the grammar changes the meaning. "I stopped smoking" means you quit cigarettes. "I stopped to smoke" means you paused what you were doing so you could have a cigarette. Completely different!
Your boss asks "Have you remembered to call the client?" vs. "Do you remember calling them last week?" Two different questions. Two different meanings. If you mix them up, you send the wrong message.
That's what we're fixing today: understanding when the form changes what you mean.
Think about these verbs: enjoy, want, try, like, forget, remember, stop, regret. Have you noticed that some of them take -ing and some take "to"?
🎙 Speak: What have you noticed? Do you use -ing or "to" with these? Think of one example.
A gerund is a verb in -ing form that acts like a noun. It's the action itself, treated as a thing.
Gerund = -ing form used as a noun
The feeling: Gerunds feel like you're talking about the experience or the action in general. "I enjoy swimming" = swimming as an activity, something you experience.
In each sentence, find the gerund and say: what action does it describe?
Gerund: waiting. It describes the action of waiting — as something she hates experiencing.
Gerund: Cooking (the subject). It's a noun here — the action as a thing. Not a specific cooking event, but cooking as an activity.
Gerund: getting lost. It's the action they successfully avoided.
🎙 Speak: Did you notice? The gerund feels like the activity itself, not a specific moment.
Complete these about your own life. Use a gerund (-ing form):
1. "I enjoy..."
Example: "I enjoy cooking meals for friends."
2. "I stopped..."
Example: "I stopped drinking coffee last month."
3. "I imagine..."
Example: "I imagine living in another country one day."
🎙 Speak: Tell me your three sentences. Say them naturally.
An infinitive is to + base verb. It often shows purpose ("in order to") or intention (what you want or plan to do).
Infinitive = to + base verb
The feeling: Infinitives point toward a goal or something not yet done. "I want to swim" = you haven't swum yet, it's your intention.
Read each sentence and say: what's the PURPOSE or INTENTION?
Infinitive: to pass. This is the PURPOSE of the studying. Why are you studying? In order to pass.
Infinitive: to call. I had a plan to call her, but I didn't do it. It's something I needed/intended to do.
Infinitive: to succeed. It's a GOAL. What do you need dedication for? For success.
🎙 Speak: Notice: infinitives point to goals, intentions, or future plans.
Complete each sentence with your own infinitive (to + verb):
1. "I want to..."
Example: "I want to visit Japan next year."
2. "I'm trying to..."
Example: "I'm trying to exercise more regularly."
3. "I promised to..."
Example: "I promised to help my friend move house."
🎙 Speak: Now tell me your sentences. What are your goals and plans?
Here's where it gets important: some verbs change meaning depending on whether you use -ing or to.
| Gerund (-ing) | Infinitive (to) |
|---|---|
| "Stop smoking" Quit the habit. Don't do it anymore. |
"Stop to smoke" Pause what you're doing, then smoke. |
| "I remember seeing her" Recall a past memory. Did it happen. |
"I remember to call her" Don't forget your plan to call. |
| "I forgot meeting him" I have no memory of it. |
"I forgot to meet him" I had a plan, but didn't do it. |
| "I regret telling her" It happened. I wish it hadn't. |
"I regret to tell you" Formal: I have something bad to say (now). |
| "Try cooking this" Experiment with it. Have a go. |
"Try to cook this" Attempt it. Make an effort to do it. |
🎙 Speak: Look at one pair. Explain to me: what's the difference in meaning?
Situation 1: Your friend quit drinking coffee six months ago.
A) "She stopped drinking coffee."
B) "She stopped to drink coffee."
A — "She stopped drinking coffee." She quit the habit. She no longer does it.
Situation 2: During a work meeting, your manager paused and said something difficult.
A) "He regretted telling us the truth."
B) "He regretted to inform us of the budget cuts."
B — "He regretted to inform us..." This is formal, used when you need to deliver bad news right now. A would mean he regrets it happened in the past.
Situation 3: You have a memory of meeting someone at a party.
A) "I remember meeting her at Sofia's party."
B) "I remember to meet her at Sofia's party."
A — "I remember meeting her..." You're talking about a past memory. B would mean you've made a plan to meet her.
Situation 4: A recipe says to add spices. Try a little to see if you like it.
A) "Try adding some chilli."
B) "Try to add some chilli."
A — "Try adding some chilli." You're suggesting an experiment. B sounds like you're struggling to add it.
🎙 Speak: Pick one situation. Tell me why you chose that form.
Choose one of these topics. Speak about it for about one minute, using both gerunds (-ing) and infinitives (to) naturally.
Pick one card. Speak about it for at least one minute. Aim for:
🎙 Speak: Go. Tell me your story. Don't worry about being perfect.
Two more patterns that show gerunds and infinitives at work.
After adjectives describing difficulty or possibility, we use the infinitive:
🎙 Speak: Now make a sentence. Use "It's [adjective] to [verb]" about yourself.
After prepositions (words like before, after, instead of, without, by), we use the gerund, not the infinitive:
NOT: "Instead of to watch TV" — WRONG
🎙 Speak: Complete one: "Before [gerund], I always..."
It's hard to learn new languages. Adjective + infinitive.
After stopping smoking, he felt better. Preposition + gerund.
Instead of watching videos, I prefer reading. Preposition + gerund.
🎙 Speak: Now create your own sentence using either pattern.
...use gerunds and infinitives correctly, especially with verbs where the form changes the meaning, and use adjectives with infinitives and prepositions with gerunds.
No looking back. Answer from memory. Speak your answers.
1. What's the difference between "I stopped smoking" and "I stopped to smoke"?
"I stopped smoking" = I quit the habit. "I stopped to smoke" = I paused and then smoked. Different meanings, different forms.
2. What comes after prepositions like "before", "after", "instead of"?
Gerunds (-ing). "Before going" / "After finishing" / "Instead of watching"
3. Give me an example: "I remember..." using the gerund. Then use the infinitive.
"I remember seeing her" (past memory). "I remember to call her" (a plan). Two different sentences, two different meanings.
Which activity made the meaning difference clearest to you?
🎙 Speak: Pick one. Tell me why it helped. What will you remember next time you write or speak?
🎙 Speak: Think of a time today you did something. Tell me about it using both a gerund and an infinitive. Real moment. Real English.