Gerund and Infinitive Exercises to Enhance Your English Skills (Free PDFs)

Mastering gerunds and infinitives is essential for clear and accurate English communication.  These verb forms, while sometimes confusing, play crucial roles in sentence structure.  This blog post focuses on practical application through targeted gerund and infinitive exercises.  We will cover various exercise types, from fill-in-the-blanks to sentence transformations, providing you with ample opportunity to solidify your understanding and improve your fluency.  An answer key with explanations is included to maximise your learning.

Find more blogs on Verbs here!

Understanding Gerunds and Infinitives

Gerunds and infinitives are verb forms that can function as nouns in a sentence. They can be tricky for English learners because they can sometimes be used interchangeably, but other times only one form is correct. Let us look at each one of them in depth for a better understanding. 

What is a Gerund?

A gerund is a verb form ending in “-ing” that functions as a noun. It can be used as the subject, object, or complement of a sentence.

Here are some examples:

• Subject: Swimming is my favourite exercise.
• Object: I enjoy reading books.
• Complement: Her hobby is painting.

What are Infinitives?

An infinitive is the base form of a verb preceded by “to”. It can also function as a noun and be used as the subject, object, or complement of a sentence.

Here are some examples:

• Subject: To err is human.
• Object: I want to travel the world.
• Complement: His goal is to learn English.

When to Use Gerunds vs Infinitives?

There are no hard and fast rules about when to use gerunds vs. infinitives. However, some general guidelines can help:

• After certain verbs: Some verbs are typically followed by gerunds, while others are typically followed by infinitives. For example, the verb “enjoy” is usually followed by a gerund (e.g., I enjoy reading), while the verb “want” is usually followed by an infinitive (e.g., I want to travel).
• After prepositions: Gerunds are often used after prepositions (e.g., I’m good at singing).
• To express purpose: Infinitives are often used to express purpose (e.g., I went to the store to buy milk).

Key Differences Between Gerunds and Infinitives

Below is a table summarising highlighting the core differences and some of the common patterns. 

Feature	Gerund (Verb + ing)	Infinitive (to + Verb)
Primary Function	Acts as a Noun	Acts as a Noun, Adjective, or Adverb
Form	Verb + -ing (e.g., swimming, eating)	to + Base Verb (e.g., to swim, to eat)
Typical Usage	After certain verbs (e.g., enjoy, avoid, mind)  After prepositions (e.g., good at, interested in)  As the subject or object of a sentence	To express purpose (e.g., I went to the store to buy milk.)   After certain verbs (e.g., want, need, decide) After adjectives (e.g., happy to help, easy to understand)  As a subject complement (e.g., My goal is to learn.)
Emphasis	Often emphasises the activity itself.	Often emphasises the purpose or intention.
Examples	I enjoy reading. She is good at singing. Swimming is fun.	I want to travel. It is important to be on time.  He went there to study.

Read more on Gerunds here!

Common Uses of Gerunds and Infinitives

Both gerunds and infinitives are derived from verbs, while they function differently in sentences. Understanding their common uses is crucial for accurate and fluent English. Let us look at the following breakdown. 

Common Uses of Gerund;

1. Subject of a Sentence: The gerund acts as the main topic of the sentence.
   

• Example: Swimming is excellent exercise. (Swimming is the activity being discussed.)

2. Object of a Verb: The gerund receives the action of the verb.
   

• Example: I enjoy reading novels. (Reading is what is enjoyed.)

3. Object of a Preposition: The gerund follows a preposition.
   

• Example: She is good at singing. (Singing follows the preposition “at”.)

4. Complement of a Subject: The gerund describes or identifies the subject.
   

• Example: His hobby is collecting stamps. (Collecting stamps defines his hobby.)

5. Part of a Gerund Phrase: The gerund can be part of a larger phrase.
   

• Example: Eating healthy food is important for well-being. (The whole phrase is the subject.)

6. After Certain Verbs: Some verbs are typically followed by gerunds (these need to be memorised as there isn’t a strict rule). Common examples include:

• enjoy, avoid, mind, finish, keep, consider, suggest, recommend, practice, admit, deny, appreciate, imagine, involve, postpone, quit, risk, tolerate, understand.
• Example: I avoid eating fast food.

Common Uses of Infinitives:

1. To Express Purpose: The infinitive explains why something is done.
   

• Example: I went to the library to study. (The purpose of going was to study.)

2. After Certain Verbs: Similar to gerunds, some verbs are typically followed by infinitives. Common examples include:

• want, need, decide, agree, refuse, hope, plan, learn, promise, seem, tend, afford, appear, arrange, ask, attempt, choose, claim, expect, fail, manage, offer, pretend, prove, remind, struggle, threaten.
• Example: She wants to travel the world.

3. After Adjectives: The infinitive often follows an adjective and explains why someone has that feeling.
   

• Example: I am happy to help. (The reason for being happy is to help.)

4. After Certain Nouns: The infinitive can modify a noun.
   

• Example: He made a decision to quit his job. (The decision was to quit.)

5. As a Subject: Less common, but possible.
   

• Example: To err is human.

6. As an Object: Also less common, but possible.
   

• Example: I learned to swim at a young age.

7. In “Too” and “Enough” Constructions:
   

• Example: It’s too hot to go outside. He’s old enough to drive.

Must Read: Types of Verbs

Gerund and Infinitive Exercises to Practice (Free PDFs)

After you have gained enough understanding of gerunds and infinitives. It is time to test your knowledge on this topic which will be quite helpful for you. You can easily save and download these worksheets for future reference. All answers to these gerund and infinitive exercises at mentioned at the end. 

Check Answers:

1. Reading
2. To go
3. Eating
4. Playing
5. To be
6. To travel
7. Learning
8. To help
9. Going
10. Flying
11. Forgetting
12. To buy
13. To visit
14. Seeing
15. Stealing
16. To learn
17. Smoking
18. To buy
19. Opening
20. Moving

Find Subject Verb Agreement Worksheets

Subject Verb Agreement Worksheet for Class 4

Subject Verb Agreement Worksheet for Class 5

Bonus Gerund and Infinitive Exercises

Following are some of the bonus gerund and infinitive exercises which will help you to further test your knowledge. You can find answers to all these questions at the end.

Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks

Instructions: Complete either the gerund or infinitive form to complete the sentences:

1. She enjoys ______ (dance) at parties.
2. He decided ______ (take) a break from work.
3. They suggested ______ (go) to the movies.
4. I forgot ______ (send) the email.

Answers:

1. Dancing
2. To take
3. Going
4. To send

Exercise 2: Multiple Choice Questions

Instructions: Select the correct form (gerund or infinitive):

1. She can’t stand ______ (wait / waiting) in long lines.
2. He promised ______ (help / helping) me with my project.
3. They discussed ______ (move/moving) to a new city.
4. I hope ______ (see / seeing) you soon.

Check Answers:

1. Waiting
2. To Help
3. Moving
4. To See

Tips for Mastering Gerunds and Infinitives

Mastering gerunds and infinitives can feel like navigating a maze, but with the right approach, you can conquer these tricky verb forms. Let us take a look at the following tips to master gerunds and infinitives. 

1. Practice Regularly: The more you practice, the more comfortable you will become with using gerunds and infinitives correctly. So, it is essential to practice gerund and infinitive exercises questions.
2. Create Flashcards: Write down common verbs that take gerunds or infinitives on flashcards for quick reference.
3. Engage with Native Speakers: Practice speaking with native speakers or through language exchange platforms to reinforce your learning.

Find related worksheets on verbs here:

Verb Worksheet for Class 1	Verb Worksheet for Class 2 Students
Verb Worksheet for Class 3	Verb Worksheet for Class 4
Verb Worksheet for Class 5	Verb Worksheet for Class 6
Verb Worksheet for Class 7	Auxiliary Verb Worksheet for Students
Action Verb Worksheets	Linking Verbs Worksheet for Classes 1-12

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