Confused About When to Use Gerunds After Verbs Like 'Enjoy' and 'Start' in Sentences
I'm having trouble figuring out when I should use a gerund after certain verbs in English. For example, I see sentences like "I enjoy swimming" and "She started singing," but I'm not sure if that's always the right choice. Sometimes I want to say things like "I started to swim" or "I enjoy to swim," and I'm not sure which is correct.
Are there certain rules about which verbs are followed by gerunds? How do I know when to use "-ing" after a verb? I'm studying for a grammar test, and I keep getting confused by examples like "He admitted making a mistake" versus "He decided to make a mistake." Any advice or explanations would really help!
Context:
Studying for intermediate ESL exam; British English preferred.
What to Know
| Question You Likely Still Have | Direct Answer | How To Apply It |
|---|---|---|
| What is the core rule for confused gerunds after verbs? | E.g., 'He admitted ____ (make) a mistake.' Self-Check Tip: When unsure, check if the verb is commonly followed by '-ing' (like 'enjoy') or by 'to' (like 'decide'). | 'enjoy' always requires a gerund: 'I enjoy swimming.' ('I enjoy to swim' is incorrect.) 'start' can take either a gerund or an infinitive (with little difference in meaning): 'She… |
| How do I apply confused gerunds after verbs in a sentence like mine? | 'enjoy' always requires a gerund: 'I enjoy swimming.' ('I enjoy to swim' is incorrect.) 'start' can take either a gerund or an infinitive (with little difference in meaning): 'She… | For instance: 'I avoid making noise.' (correct: 'avoid' + gerund; incorrect: 'avoid to make') 'I hope to travel soon.' (correct: 'hope' + infinitive; incorrect: 'hope traveling')… |
| What mistakes should I avoid with confused gerunds after verbs? | For instance: 'I avoid making noise.' (correct: 'avoid' + gerund; incorrect: 'avoid to make') 'I hope to travel soon.' (correct: 'hope' + infinitive; incorrect: 'hope traveling')… | In English, certain verbs have fixed patterns for what follows them. |
3 Answers
In English, certain verbs have fixed patterns for what follows them. Some verbs must be followed by a gerund (the '-ing' form), while others take the infinitive ('to' + base verb). For example:
- 'enjoy' always requires a gerund: 'I enjoy swimming.' ('I enjoy to swim' is incorrect.)
- 'start' can take either a gerund or an infinitive (with little difference in meaning): 'She started singing.' or 'She started to sing.' Both are acceptable.
Guided Practice:
- Try converting these: 'admit', 'decide', 'avoid'. E.g., 'He admitted ____ (make) a mistake.'
Self-Check Tip: When unsure, check if the verb is commonly followed by '-ing' (like 'enjoy') or by 'to' (like 'decide'). Make a list as you study.
You're noticing a common pattern in English grammar. When you wrote, 'I enjoy to swim,' the error is with 'enjoy': it always takes the '-ing' form, so 'I enjoy swimming' is right. Conversely, verbs like 'decide' require the infinitive: 'She decided to leave.' 'Start' is flexible: both 'He started laughing' and 'He started to laugh' are correct.
Try this quick practice:
- Write two sentences: one with 'miss' and one with 'plan,' using verbs after these. Then check: 'miss' should use a gerund, while 'plan' uses the infinitive.
Correction Tip: If your sentence doesn’t sound natural or you can’t find similar examples, look up the verb pattern. Making a verb list with correct forms is very helpful for exams.
Let’s clarify with a comparison approach. Some verbs are always paired with gerunds, others with infinitives. For instance:
- 'I avoid making noise.' (correct: 'avoid' + gerund; incorrect: 'avoid to make')
- 'I hope to travel soon.' (correct: 'hope' + infinitive; incorrect: 'hope traveling')
If you confuse them, remember: verbs like 'admit', 'enjoy', 'avoid' prefer gerunds; verbs like 'hope', 'want', 'decide' prefer 'to' + verb. Some verbs (like 'start', 'begin') can go with both.
Practice: Take three verbs from your textbook and make sentences using both gerund and infinitive patterns where possible. Check which sound natural and match rules.
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