Gerund vs Infinitive Sort

Students classify verbs into four categories based on what follows them: + -ing, + to infinitive, + either (same meaning), + either (different meaning). Turns the arbitrary-seeming rules into a pattern grid.

The Four Groups

Group	Pattern	Examples
+ -ing only	After this verb, only gerund	enjoy, avoid, finish, suggest, admit, deny, imagine, consider, mind, risk
+ to infinitive only	After this verb, only to-infinitive	want, decide, hope, plan, promise, refuse, agree, manage, offer, expect
+ either, same meaning	Either form, meaning unchanged	begin, start, continue, hate, like, love
+ either, different meaning	Either form, meaning shifts	stop, remember, forget, try, regret, mean

Procedure

1. Give pairs a list of 20 verbs on cards.
2. Pairs sort into the four groups. 10 minutes.
3. Check against reference. Discuss disputes.
4. For group 4 (different meanings), students write a sentence pair showing the difference:
   • I stopped smoking (quit the habit)
   • I stopped to smoke (paused in order to smoke)
5. Produce: each student writes 2 sentences per group using verbs from the cards.

Key Meaning Contrasts (Group 4)

stop

• stop + -ing = quit the activity: I stopped drinking coffee.
• stop + to inf. = pause to do something else: I stopped to drink coffee.

remember

• remember + -ing = memory of past event: I remember meeting her in 2010.
• remember + to inf. = not forget to do: Remember to meet her at 5 PM.

forget

• forget + -ing = no memory: I'll never forget seeing the Alps.
• forget + to inf. = didn't do: I forgot to call my mother.

try

• try + -ing = experiment: Try adding salt. (see if it helps)
• try + to inf. = attempt: I tried to open the door. (but couldn't)

regret

• regret + -ing = sorry for past: I regret telling her.
• regret + to inf. = sorry to announce: We regret to inform you that...

Why It Works

• Pattern-visible: the seemingly-chaotic list becomes a 4-category system.
• Group 4 especially valuable: the meaning contrasts are exam-critical and often poorly taught.
• Production evidence: sentence-writing checks understanding.
• Corpus-verifiable: students can check uncertain verbs via Corpus Pattern Hunt.

Variations

• New-verb prediction: give students an unfamiliar verb (anticipate); they guess the group. Check.
• Sentence repair: give sentences with the wrong form; students fix.
• Speed sort: race against the clock. Fastest correct pair wins.
• Student-generated cards: pairs add 5 more verbs per group from the week's reading.

Tips

• Don't claim the lists are complete. They're high-frequency verbs; hundreds more exist.
• Group 4 deserves extra time — it's where real learning lives.
• For exam prep, drill Group 4 contrasts until they're automatic. IELTS, TOEFL, and Cambridge all test these.
• Persistent review: the lists don't stick on one exposure. Revisit monthly.

Source

Swan, M. (2016) Practical English Usage (4th ed.). OUP — verb patterns sections. Biber et al. (1999) Longman Grammar of Spoken and Written English.