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In this episode I break down one of the trickiest parts of English grammar: verbs that take gerunds vs infinitives. We cover common patterns, mental-process verbs (think, imagine, recall), verbs of intention (intend, plan), and verbs that accept both forms with little change in meaning. Expect real-life examples, practical chunks you can use in conversation, and teaching tips for ESL learners (B2–C1). Whether you’re preparing for interviews, improving fluency, or teaching English, this episode gives bite-sized rules and plenty of practice ideas to make gerunds and infinitives stick.

Key takeaways

• Some verbs require gerunds (e.g., enjoy, avoid) — often for likes/dislikes or ongoing actions.

• Some verbs require infinitives (e.g., intend, decide) — often for intentions/decisions.

• A small group of verbs can take both gerund and infinitive with little or no change in meaning (e.g., start, begin, continue).

• Context and meaning decide which form to use — practise with categorised lists and speaking drills.

• Use real-life examples and mixing activities to make the forms feel natural.

Practice suggestions

• Make a 2-minute recording using 5 gerund phrases (I enjoy…, I’m used to…, I avoid…).

• Role-play intentions: use infinitives for decisions (I intend to…, I plan to…, I decided to…).

• Sorting activity: create two columns (gerund / infinitive) and sort verbs from the episode.

• Conversation prompt: “What’s something you pretend to do? What’s something you intend to start?”