The following verbs can be used in either of the following verb patterns: Verb + To + Infinitive or Verb + Gerund

  • Start
  • Begin
  • Continue
  • Like
  • Love
  • Hate
  • Prefer

With the above verbs, there is generally no difference in meaning in either verb pattern.

  • I love helping patients with diabetes.
  • I love to help patients with diabetes.

 

  • We prefer volunteering in countries of great poverty.
  • We prefer to volunteer in countries of great poverty..

 

  • We started studying medical terms at 8:30 am.
  • We started to study medical terms at 8:30 am.

The following verbs can be used in either verb pattern, but the meaning changes.

  • Stop
  • Try
  • Remember / Forget

Stop

Stop + infinitive = Explains the reason for stopping an action.

  • We stopped to get some medication.
  • We should stop to take a break.

Stop + gerund = Explains the action that stops.

  • Okay everybody, please stop talking!
  • We should stop eating so much fatty food.
  • When are you going to stop smoking?

Try

Try + infinitive = Means to make an effort to do something. Maybe this thing is difficult or even impossible.

  • The doctor tried to call me last night, but I was in the shower.
  • You should really try to come to get tested for diabetes.
  • You will not remember new vocabulary if you don't try to use the words everyday.

Try + gerund = This pattern is used either to explain doing something to get experience (doing something for the first time) or experimenting with something to solve a problem.

  • We tried suturing a patient last weekend. (Doing something for the first time)
  • I have never tried performing surgery. (Doing something for the first time)
  • If you can't sleep, you should try talking with a sleep specialist. (Experimenting with something to solve a problem)
  • I just can't find the medication in any pharmacies in this city. I think I'm going to try looking in the next town. (Experimenting with something to solve a problem)

Remember / Forget

Remember / Forget + infinitive = When we use this pattern, the infinitive action happens at the same time or after remember or forget. This is usually used to explain that something was or wasn't done.

  • I remembered to do my med homework last night. (First, I thought about it, then I did it.)
  • The nurse forgot to call me last night. (He didn't call me because he didn't think about it.)
  • Please don't forget to take the medication. (Think about it, and then do it.)
  • He didn't remember to bandage the wound. (He didn't think about it, so he didn't do it.)

Remember / Forget + gerund = When we use this verb pattern, the gerund action happened earlier.  This is usually used to discuss memory.

  • Wow, I don't remember helping that patient. (I don't remember now that I did that earlier.)
  • The dentist forgot meeting me. (She didn't remember that she had met me before.)
  • I will never forget coming to this medical school. (I will never forget in the future that I came here earlier.)
  • Do you remember giving the diagnosis? (Do you remember now that you said that earlier?)

Verbs with Meaning Change

VerbInfinitive PhraseMeaningGerundMeaning
stop I stopped to take medication. I took a break to take my medication. I stopped taking medication. I quit taking the medicine.
try He tried to take medication. Action took effort. (the medicine was difficult to take) He tried taking the medication. First experience. (a drug the patient has never taken)
remember I remembered to take the medication. I followed the prescribed schedule. I remember taking the medication. I have the memory of taking the medication.
forget I forgot to take the medication. My doctor is sad because I am not following the directions. I forgot taking the medication. I took the medication and I don’t have the memory of doing it. (I risk taking double the dose)

The same verbs presented a different way:

VerbInfinitive PhraseMeaningGerundMeaning
stop stop + to + inf. reason why stop + gerund quit an action
try try + to + inf. effort try + gerund new experience / experimentation
remember remember + to + inf. action done because of memory remember + gerund action done and I HAVE the memory
forget forget + to + inf. action NOT done because of no memory forget + gerund action done and I DON’T have the memory

Exercise

Using what you have learned, complete the activity.

Exercise

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