English Grammar Level 4 - Traditional Grammar Spine - Lesson 20 - Advanced Gerunds and Infinitives
English Grammar Level 4 - Traditional Grammar Spine · preview lesson
Welcome back. In this lesson, you will study advanced gerund and infinitive patterns, including verbs that change meaning depending on which form follows them, and verbs followed by an object plus a bare infinitive or -ing form.
Learning objective
By the end of this lesson, you will correctly choose between gerunds and infinitives after verbs where the choice changes meaning, and use object + bare infinitive/-ing patterns accurately, with at least 80% accuracy.
1. Verbs that change meaning: remember, forget, stop, try, regret
Some verbs have a different meaning depending on whether they are followed by a gerund (-ing) or an infinitive (to + base verb).
| Verb | + gerund (past action) | + infinitive (future action/purpose) |
|---|---|---|
| remember | I remember locking the door. (memory of a past action) | I remembered to lock the door. (didn't forget to do it) |
| forget | I'll never forget meeting her. (memory of a past event) | Don't forget to call me. (don't fail to do it) |
| stop | He stopped smoking. (quit the habit) | He stopped to smoke. (paused another activity in order to smoke) |
| try | I tried exercising to reduce stress. (experimented with) | I tried to open the door. (attempted, possibly failed) |
| regret | I regret telling her the truth. (regret a past action) | I regret to inform you that... (formal, regret about the current announcement) |
Complete: "I remember ___ (lock) the door, so I'm sure it's locked." (memory of a past action)
Remember + gerund refers to a memory of a past action: I remember locking the door.
2. Verb + object + bare infinitive or -ing: perception and causative verbs
Verbs of perception (see, hear, watch, notice, feel) and causative verbs (make, let, help) are followed by an object and a bare infinitive (no "to") for a completed action, or an -ing form for an action in progress.
- I saw him leave the building. (I saw the complete action.)
- I saw him leaving the building. (I saw part of the action, in progress.)
- She made him apologize. (causative: forced)
- They let us go home early. (causative: permitted)
Complete: "I heard the phone ___ (ring) several times before someone answered it." (in progress)
A perception verb + object + -ing describes an action seen or heard in progress: heard the phone ringing.
3. Fixed expressions: preposition + gerund
After a preposition, always use the gerund, never the infinitive.
- She is interested in learning Japanese.
- He insisted on paying for dinner.
- I'm looking forward to seeing you.
- This tool is capable of solving complex problems.
Complete: "I'm looking forward to ___ (see) you next week."
After a preposition (to, in "look forward to"), always use the gerund: looking forward to seeing you.
4. Vocabulary for this lesson
| Word | Type | Meaning in this lesson |
|---|---|---|
| perception | noun | the ability to see, hear, or become aware of something |
| causative | adjective | showing that someone causes something to happen |
| fixed expression | noun phrase | a set phrase that does not usually change form |
| attempt | verb / noun | to try to do something |
| announcement | noun | a public statement giving information |
| capable | adjective | having the ability to do something |
5. Guided speaking practice
Complete these sentences with the correct gerund or infinitive form.
- I'll never forget... (a memorable past event)
- Don't forget... (a reminder for the future)
- I'm looking forward to...
- She insisted on...
6. Guided listening practice
Listen or read aloud. Decide whether each sentence describes a completed action or an action in progress.
- I saw her cross the street.
- We watched the sun setting over the mountains.
- He heard someone knock on the door.
- They noticed him leaving early.
7. Controlled practice
Complete each sentence with the gerund or infinitive form of the verb in brackets.
- I regret ___ (not / study) harder when I was younger.
- She stopped ___ (check) her phone during the meeting to focus.
- He is capable ___ (solve) very difficult problems.
- We saw the plane ___ (take off) from the runway.
Answer key: 1. not studying 2. checking 3. of solving 4. take off
8. Independent practice
Write six sentences using advanced gerund/infinitive patterns from this lesson, including at least one example each with remember/forget, stop, and a perception verb + object.
Quick summary
- Remember, forget, stop, try, and regret change meaning depending on gerund vs. infinitive.
- Perception and causative verbs take object + bare infinitive (completed action) or object + -ing (action in progress).
- Always use the gerund after a preposition, including in fixed expressions like "look forward to."
Assessment check
Open Practice this lesson and complete all 15 questions. A score of 12 out of 15 meets the 80% lesson target.
Exit ticket
Write one true sentence using "remember" or "forget" followed by the correct gerund or infinitive form.
Homework
- Write eight sentences using the verbs and patterns covered in this lesson.
- Write two sentences with "stop," one meaning "quit a habit" and one meaning "pause to do something else," and explain the difference.
- Explain why "I look forward to see you" is incorrect, and correct it.
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Lesson 20 Teacher Notes: Conversation Skill Sharpening
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