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 navigating with a map.
  • I love to navigate with a map.
  • We prefer staying in luxury hotels.
  • We prefer to stay in luxury hotels.
  • We started studying at 8:30am.
  • We started to study at 8:30am.

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 gas.
  • 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.

  • She tried to call me last night, but I was in the shower.
  • You should really try to come to class on time.
  • 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 bungee jumping last weekend. (Doing something for the first time)
  • I have never tried doing that. (Doing something for the first time)
  • If you can't sleep, you should try counting sheep. (Experimenting with something to solve a problem)
  • I just can't find the product in any stores in this city. I think I'm going to try looking on the Internet. (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 homework last night. (First, I thought about it, then I did it.)
  • She forgot to call me last night. (She didn't call me because she didn't think about it.)
  • Please don't forget to buy milk. (Think about it, and then do it.)
  • He didn't remember to wake up earlier than normal. (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 doing that at all. (I don't remember now that I did that earlier.)
  • She forgot meeting me. (She didn't remember that she had met me before.)
  • I will never forget coming here. (I will never forget in the future that I came here earlier.)
  • Do you remember saying that? (Do you remember now that you said that earlier?)

Exercise

Please open the exercise to continue.

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