TO + infinitive or

gerund: FORGET,
REMEMBER,
REGRET, GO ON,
STOP, TRY
The to + infinitive after these verbs expresses
purpose as it replaces a purpose clause, while
the gerund is the object of the verb and refers
to a completed action.

Dont forget to meet her at 10 this morning. (=

You should meet her at 10)
Ill never forget meeting her for the first time.
(= Ill never forget when I met her the first
time.)

When you were in London did you remember to

visit the British Museum? (= did you
remember that you should visit the British
Museum?)
I dont remember ever visiting this museum. (=
I dont remember if I have ever visited this
museum.)

We regret to tell you that your application has

been rejected. (= We are sorry that we have to
tell you)
I regret telling her about the party. (= I am
sorry that I have told her about the party.)

Wherever you are, go on to read the next

chapter. (= Continue with the next chapter.)
Go on reading the article. (= Continue reading
the article.)

We stopped to drink a cup of coffee. (= We

stopped in order to drink a cup of coffee.)
Why dont you stop drinking coffee? (= Why
dont you give up drinking coffee?)

I tried to give up smoking but I couldnt. (= I

made an attempt to give up smoking but I
failed.)
I tried giving up smoking but it didnt help. (= I
gave up smoking but it didnt help.)

After these verbs to + infinitive expresses

future, while the gerund refers to past, relative
to the time of the verbs.
CUANDO EL SIGNIFICADO CAMBIA
Sin embargo, con algunos verbos el significado de las oraciones se altera, si se
utilizan gerundios o infinitivos. Es interesante analizarlo:

Remember/Forget (recordar/olvidar)
Con los verbos remember (recordar) y forget (olvidar), el gerundio hace
referencia a una accin que ocurri ANTES QUE el hecho
de recordar u olvidar. Veamos...

I remember giving him the key significa...

I remember having given him the key o lo que es lo mismo...
I remember the moment in which I gave him the key.

I will never forget going water rafting in Africa significa...

I will never forget the occasion on which we went water rafting in Africa.

Sin embargo, con remember y forget, el infinitivo hace referencia a una accin
queocurri DESPUES QUE surgiera el hecho de recordar u olvidar. Veamos...

I remember to feed the cat significa...

I remember that it was my responsibility to feed the cat and I fed her.

I forgot to post that letter significa...

I did not post the letter because I forgot.

Regret (lamentar/se)
El verbo regret (lamentar/se) es similar. La estructura regret +
gerund (ing) hace referencia mientras que regret + infinitive se usa para
prsentar malas noticias (I regret to say..., I regret to tell you..., I regret to inform
you...). Por lo tanto, decimos...

I regret telling him the secret significa

I regret having told him the secret o lo que es lo mismo
I wish I hadn't told him the secret.

I regret to say that I just ran over your dog! significa

I'm very sorry but I just killed your dog with my car.

I regret to inform you that your car is missing significa

It is my sad responsibility to inform you that your car is missing.

Stop (dejar de)

La estructura stop + gerund (ing) expresa que se ha interrumpido la accin
mencionada en el gerundio. Veamos...

You must stop smoking.

Sin embargo, stop + infinitive expresa que se interrumpel la actividad que se est
realizando para llevar a cabo la actividad mencionada en el infinitivo. Observa...

The window-cleaners stopped to smoke. significa

They stopped cleaning the windows in order to have a cigarette.

Go on (seguir, continuar)
La estructura go on + gerund expresa lo mismo que continue +
gerund/infinitive:

He went on talking about himself, even though nobody was listening.

Sin embargo, go on + infinitive significa to start something new:

He went on to talk about his children significa

He was talking about one thing and then he changed the subject and started
to talk about his children.

Try (tratar, intentar)

Existe una ligera diferencia entre try + infinitive y try + gerund. La
estructura try + infinitive sugiere que la accin del infinitivo es difcil y
posiblemente la persona no llegue a realizar la accin:

Try to open the window. I can't because I'm not very strong and it has recently
been painted.
He tried to climb the cliff.

Sin embargo, try + gerund sugiere que la accin del gerundio no es compleja pero
desconocemos si la consecuenciade esa accin ser lo que buscamos o deseamos.
Se utiliza la estructura try + gerund cuando realizamos algo para descubrir cules
sern las consecuencias. Observa...

A: Phew! It's hot in here!

B: Try opening the window. Although it's probably just as hot outside!

Need (necesitar, tener necesidad de)

Con el verbo need, el infinitivo adquiere un significado activo y el gerundio uno
pasivo.

I need to talk to you significa I must talk to you.

My shoes need cleaning significa My shoes need to be cleaned.
The car needed servicing significa The car needed to be serviced.

Verbs Followed by Gerunds OR

Infinitives (Different Meaning)
begin She began She is beginning
singing. to sing.
She began to WHEN "BEGIN" IS
sing. USED IN
WHEN "BEGIN" IS CONTINUOUS
USED IN NON- TENSES, AN
CONTINUOUS INFINITIVE IS USED.
TENSES, YOU CAN
EITHER USE A
GERUND OR AN
INFINITIVE.

dread She dreaded He dreaded to

taking the test. think of the
USUALLY
consequences of
"DREAD" IS his actions.
FOLLOWED BY A "DREAD" IS
GERUND. SOMETIMES USED
WITH INFINITIVES
SUCH AS "THINK"
OR "CONSIDER." IN
THE SENTENCE
ABOVE, "DREADED
TO THINK" MEANS
"DID NOT WANT TO
THINK."
forget She forgot She forgot to
reading the pay the rent this
book when month.
she was a kid. WHEN FORGET IS
WHEN "FORGET" USED WITH AN
IS USED WITH A INFINITIVE, IT
GERUND, IT MEANS "TO FORGET
MEANS "TO THAT YOU NEED TO
FORGET THAT DO SOMETHING."
YOU HAVE DONE THE SENTENCE
SOMETHING." ABOVE MEANS THAT
THE SENTENCE SHE FORGOT THAT
ABOVE MEANS SHE NEEDED TO PAY
THAT SHE READ THE RENT.
THE BOOK WHEN
SHE WAS A KID,
AND THAT SHE
HAS FORGOTTEN
THAT FACT.

keep She kept The attackers

talking. kept hostages to
"KEEP" IS
prevent the
NORMALLY USED police from
WITH A GERUND entering.
TO MEAN THAT
"KEEP" CAN ALSO
YOU CONTINUE
 DOING AN BE USED WITH AN
ACTION. OBJECT FOLLOWED
BY AN INFINITIVE,
BUT THEN THE
INFINITIVE TAKES
ON THE MEANING
OF "IN ORDER TO...
." IN THE SENTENCE
ABOVE, THE
ATTACKERS KEPT
HOSTAGES IN ORDER
TO PREVENT THE
POLICE FROM
ENTERING.

need The house He needs to call

needs his boss.
cleaning. He needs him to
WHEN "NEED" IS
call his boss.
USED WITH A "NEED" IS USUALLY
GERUND, IT USED WITH AN
TAKES ON A INFINITIVE OR AN
PASSIVE OBJECT + AN
MEANING. THE INFINITIVE.
SENTENCE ABOVE
MEANS "THE
HOUSE NEEDS TO
BE CLEANED."
regret I regretted We regret to
being late to inform you that
the interview. your position at
"REGRET" IS
the company is
NORMALLY USED being
WITH A GERUND. eliminated.

"REGRET" IS
SOMETIMES USED
WITH INFINITIVES
SUCH AS "TO
INFORM." IN THE
SENTENCE ABOVE,
"WE REGRET TO
INFORM YOU"
MEANS "WE WISH
WE DID NOT HAVE
TO TELL YOU (BAD
NEWS)."

remember I remember He remembered

mentioning to turn off the
the meeting lights before he
yesterday. left.
WHEN WHEN "REMEMBER"
"REMEMBER" IS IS USED WITH AN
USED WITH A INFINITIVE, IT
 GERUND, IT MEANS "TO
MEANS "TO REMEMBER THAT
REMEMBER THAT YOU NEED TO DO
YOU HAVE DONE SOMETHING." THE
SOMETHING." SENTENCE ABOVE
THE SENTENCE MEANS THAT HE
ABOVE MEANS REMEMBERED THAT
THAT I HE NEEDED TO
MENTIONED THE TURN THE LIGHTS
MEETING, AND OFF.
THAT I
REMEMBER THE
FACT THAT I DID
THAT.

start Marge started Marge is starting

talking really to talk really
fast. fast.
Marge started WHEN "START" IS
to talk really USED IN
fast. CONTINUOUS
TENSES, AN
WHEN "START" IS
INFINITIVE IS USED.
USED IN NON-
CONTINUOUS I started to learn
TENSES, YOU CAN
Russian, but it
EITHER USE A
GERUND OR AN
was so much
work that I
 INFINITIVE. finally quit the
class.
IN OTHER
SITUATIONS, AN
INFINITIVE MEANS
THAT YOU DID NOT
COMPLETE OR
CONTINUE AN
ACTION.

stop He stopped He stopped to

smoking for rest for a few
health minutes.
reasons. WHEN "STOP" IS
"STOP" IS USED WITH AN
NORMALLY USED INFINITIVE, THE
WITH A GERUND. INFINITIVE TAKES
ON THE MEANING
OF "IN ORDER TO."
IN THE SENTENCE
ABOVE, HE STOPPED
IN ORDER TO REST
FOR A FEW
MINUTES.

try She can't find She tried to

a job. She climb the tree,
tried looking but she couldn't
in the paper, even get off the
but there was ground.
nothing. She WHEN YOU "TRY TO
tried asking DO" SOMETHING,
friends and YOU WANT TO DO IT,
family, but BUT YOU DO NOT
nobody knew SUCCEED IN
of anything. ACTUALLY DOING IT.
She also tried IN THE SENTENCE
ABOVE, AN
going shop to INFINITIVE IS USED
shop, but BECAUSE SHE
nobody was CANNOT
hiring. SUCCESSFULLY
CLIMB THE TREE.
"TRY + GERUND"
MEANS TO TRY OR Try not to wake
TO EXPERIMENT the baby when
WITH DIFFERENT
you get up
METHODS TO SEE
IF SOMETHING
tomorrow at 5
WORKS. AM.

She tried AN INFINITIVE IS

ALSO USED IF YOU
eating the ARE ASKING
snake soup, SOMEONE TO TRY
but she didn't SOMETHING THEY
like it. MAY OR MAY NOT BE
ABLE TO
"TRY + GERUND" ACCOMPLISH.
IS OFTEN USED
WHEN YOU
EXPERIMENT
WITH
SOMETHING, BUT
YOU DO NOT
REALLY LIKE IT
OR WANT TO DO
IT AGAIN.