Verbs That Change Meaning with the Infinitive or Gerund

Hello English learners! In today’s lesson, we will learn about verbs that change meaning with infinitive or gerund.

One of the trickiest areas of English grammar is knowing whether to use the infinitive (to do) or the gerund (doing) after a verb.

Sometimes, the choice is quite simple. Some verbs are followed by the infinitive, while others are followed by the gerund. However, there is also a small but very important group of verbs that can be followed by both forms — and the meaning changes depending on which one you use.

That is exactly what we are going to look at in this lesson.

By the end of this post, you will understand how these verbs work and how to use them more naturally in speaking and writing.

We will look at these eight verbs:

remember, forget, regret, go on, need, try, stop, and mean

Let’s go step by step.

1. Remember

Remember to do

We use remember to do when we talk about something we must not forget before we do it.

It is about an action that is still in the future.

Examples:

• Remember to lock the door before you leave.
• Did you remember to send the email?
• I must remember to buy some milk on the way home.

Remember doing

We use remember doing when we talk about a memory of something from the past.

It is about something that already happened, and you have a memory of it.

Examples:

• I remember meeting her for the first time.
• He remembers playing in this park as a child.
• I remember my grandmother telling us stories before bed.

Compare:

• Remember to call Sarah.
  (= Don’t forget; the action is still to come.)
• I remember calling Sarah.
  (= I have a memory of that past action.)

2. Forget

Forget to do

We use forget to do when we intended to do something, but we did not do it because it slipped our mind.

Examples:

• I forgot to turn off the lights.
• She forgot to bring her passport.
• Don’t forget to water the plants.

Forget doing

We use forget doing when we have no memory of something we did in the past.

This structure is less common than forget to do, but it is still important.

Examples:

• I’ll never forget meeting my favourite author.
• He had forgotten telling me the same story the day before.
• She forgot putting the keys in her bag and started looking everywhere for them.

Compare:

• I forgot to post the letter.
  (= I didn’t do it.)
• I forgot posting the letter.
  (= I did post it, but I had no memory of doing it.)

That second structure sounds a little less common in everyday English, but it is correct.

3. Regret

Regret to do

We use regret to do mostly in formal English, especially when giving bad news.

It sounds polite, formal, and slightly distant.

Examples:

• We regret to inform you that your application was unsuccessful.
• I regret to say that the event has been cancelled.
• They regret to announce that the shop will be closing.

Regret doing

We use regret doing when we feel sorry about something we did in the past.

Examples:

• I regret leaving school so early.
• She regrets speaking to him so rudely.
• He regrets not taking the job.

Compare:

• We regret to inform you…
  (= formal announcement)
• I regret telling her the truth.
  (= I am sorry that I did it)

A handy little rule: regret to do often looks forward to the information you are about to give, while regret doing looks back at something already done.

4. Go on

Go on to do

We use go on to do when one action happens, and then another follows.

It usually describes a change or a new stage.

Examples:

• She studied law and went on to become a judge.
• After winning the local competition, he went on to represent his country.
• He started as a teacher and went on to write several textbooks.

Go on doing

We use go on doing when an action continues.

Examples:

• She went on talking even though nobody was listening.
• They went on working despite the noise outside.
• Please go on reading. I’m listening.

Compare:

• He went on to study medicine.
  (= this happened next)
• He went on studying until midnight.
  (= he continued studying)

5. Need

Need to do

We use need to do when the subject must perform the action.

Examples:

• I need to clean the kitchen.
• She needs to call her doctor.
• We need to leave early tomorrow.

Need doing

We use need doing when something needs to be done to the subject.

This structure has a passive meaning.

Examples:

• The kitchen needs cleaning.
• Your shirt needs ironing.
• The car needs washing.

These sentences mean:

• The kitchen needs to be cleaned.
• Your shirt needs to be ironed.
• The car needs to be washed.

This structure is very natural in English and very useful.

Compare:

• I need to wash the car.
  (= I will do it.)
• The car needs washing.
  (= someone needs to wash it.)

6. Try

Try to do

We use try to do when we make an effort to do something, especially if it is difficult.

Examples:

• I tried to open the window, but it was stuck.
• She is trying to learn Japanese.
• We tried to finish on time, but the traffic was terrible.

Try doing

We use try doing when we do something as an experiment to see what happens.

It is often used when giving advice or suggesting a solution.

Examples:

• If you can’t sleep, try drinking warm milk.
• Try pressing this button.
• He tried adding some salt, but the soup was still bland.

Compare:

• Try to open the door.
  (= make an effort)
• Try opening the door.
  (= test this method and see if it helps)

That tiny change in grammar creates a big change in meaning. English can be cheeky like that.

7. Stop

Stop to do

We use stop to do when we interrupt one action in order to do another.

Examples:

• We stopped to have a coffee.
• She stopped to tie her shoelaces.
• On the way home, I stopped to buy some bread.

Stop doing

We use stop doing when we end an activity completely.

Examples:

• He stopped smoking last year.
• They stopped talking when the teacher came in.
• I need to stop eating so much sugar.

Compare:

• I stopped to smoke.
  (= I paused another activity in order to smoke.)
• I stopped smoking.
  (= I gave it up completely.)

That is a very important difference.

8. Mean

Mean to do

We use mean to do when we intend to do something.

Examples:

• I meant to call you earlier, but I got busy.
• She meant to tell him the truth.
• We didn’t mean to upset you.

Mean doing

We use mean doing when one thing involves or results in another.

In other words, if you do one thing, it will involve something else.

Examples:

• Being a teacher means working hard every day.
• Taking this job will mean travelling a lot.
• If we miss the last bus, it will mean walking home.

Compare:

• I meant to text you.
  (= I intended to do it.)
• Being a parent means making sacrifices.
  (= it involves that)

Common Learner Tip

A good way to remember this topic is to think about time and meaning.

Very often:

• infinitive looks forward or shows purpose, intention, or effort
• gerund looks back, shows experience, continuation, or general activity

This is not a magic rule for every verb in English, but it helps a lot with these verbs.

Quick Summary on Verbs That Change Meaning with Infinitive or Gerund

Here is the main idea in a simple form:

• remember to do = not forget something in the future
• remember doing = have a memory of the past
• forget to do = fail to do something
• forget doing = have no memory of a past action
• regret to do = say something unpleasant in a formal way
• regret doing = feel sorry about a past action
• go on to do = do something next
• go on doing = continue doing the same thing
• need to do = the subject must do it
• need doing = it needs to be done by someone
• try to do = make an effort
• try doing = do something as an experiment
• stop to do = pause one action in order to do another
• stop doing = end an activity completely
• mean to do = intend to do something
• mean doing = involve or result in something

Final Thoughts

Learning vrbs that change meaning with infinitive or gerund may seems confusing at first, but once you see the patterns, it starts to make much more sense.

The best way to remember these verbs is not by memorising dry rules, but by learning them in context and noticing the difference in meaning.

Read the examples again, make your own sentences, and try to use these verbs in real life. Little by little, they will begin to feel natural.

Verbs That Change Meaning with the Infinitive or Gerund – Practice Worksheet in PDF

FAQ 

What is the difference between remember to do and remember doing?
Remember to do means not forgetting something before you do it. Remember doing means having a memory of a past action.

What is the difference between stop doing and stop to do?
Stop doing means to give up an activity. Stop to do means to pause one activity in order to do another.

Why do some verbs change meaning with the gerund or infinitive?
Because the structure shows a different idea, such as memory, intention, effort, continuation, or result.

Is this grammar point important for Cambridge exams?
Yes, it is very useful for B2 First and C1 Advanced because it helps you write and speak more accurately.

Related posts:

Gerunds and Infinitives

Verbs Followed by -ING

Verbs Followed by To-Infinitive

Modal Verbs Should, Could, Would

First Conditional

Common Mistakes with Phrasal Verbs

Hypothetical Language in English

Visit our bookshop for more