Welcome! When speaking or writing English, choosing between a gerund (verb + -ing) and an infinitive (to + verb) can be very confusing. For instance, tourists enjoy visiting temples, but they plan to wake up early.
In this lesson, we will learn which main verbs require a gerund and which require an infinitive, focusing on common situations in the hospitality and tourism sectors.
warning Professional Tip
There is no single logical rule for this—you simply have to memorize the pairings! Words like enjoy and avoid are always followed by a gerund. Words like plan, decide, and need are always followed by an infinitive.
Grammar Patterns in Action
Requires Gerund
Enjoy
Always follow 'enjoy' with a verb ending in -ing.
Example: Our guests enjoy visiting the temples early in the morning.
Requires Gerund
Avoid
Always follow 'avoid' with a verb ending in -ing.
Example: You should avoid drinking tap water during your trip.
Requires Gerund
Stop
Follow 'stop' with -ing to mean you quit doing an action.
Example: We will walk to the market when it stops raining.
Requires Infinitive
Plan
Always follow 'plan' with to + verb.
Example: They plan to visit the floating village next week.
Requires Infinitive
Decide
Always follow 'decide' with to + verb.
Example: The tourists decided to stay one more night at our hotel.
Requires Infinitive
Need
Always follow 'need' with to + verb.
Example: You need to book your tuk-tuk in advance for sunrise.
Knowledge Check
info Giving Tourist Advice
You are advising a guest. "You should avoid _____ tap water in the countryside."
calendar_month Hotel Booking
A guest calls the reception. "Hello, I plan _____ another night."
psychology Customer Service
Which sentence is correct when asking about a guest's experience?
workspace_premium
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Study Resources
Lesson Summary & Review
Let's review the key concepts covered in the interactive module above to ensure you are ready to construct perfect sentences.
Gerunds vs. Infinitives
- Gerunds: Verbs that act like nouns and end in -ing (e.g., swimming, reading). Verbs like enjoy, avoid, and stop require a gerund after them.
- Infinitives: The base form of a verb preceded by to (e.g., to swim, to read). Verbs like plan, decide, and need require an infinitive after them.
