Lesson 12
Gerunds vs Infinitives: Meaning Changes After Stop, Remember, Try and Regret
This lesson groups five rules that students commonly confuse because they look similar on the surface. Treat the first verb or preposition as a pattern trigger. Work through the examples slowly once; speed comes after the pattern is clear.
What you will learn
- Understand and apply: 'Stop doing' differs from 'stop to do'.
- Understand and apply: 'Remember doing' differs from 'remember to do'.
- Understand and apply: 'Try doing' differs from 'try to do'.
- Understand and apply: 'Regret doing' differs from 'regret to inform'.
- Understand and apply: 'Need doing' can mean 'need to be done'.
For every rule: spot the trigger → identify the grammatical relationship → apply the form → check meaning.
Before you start
Try the warm-up without checking the rule. The purpose is to expose the instinct you currently use, not to score marks.
Which sentence follows the target grammar pattern?
A. He stopped checking his phone during study sessions.
B. He stopped to checking his phone during study sessions.
Answer: A. Stop doing means end an activity; stop to do means pause one activity in order to perform another.
Rule 1 · G056
'Stop doing' differs from 'stop to do'
Stop doing means end an activity; stop to do means pause one activity in order to perform another.
Correct example
He stopped checking his phone during study sessions.
Incorrect example
He stopped to checking his phone during study sessions.
Interpretation
Stop doing means end an activity; stop to do means pause one activity in order to perform another. In a test, do not memorise this as an isolated sentence. Treat the first verb or preposition as a pattern trigger. The correct example shows the pattern in context; compare it directly with the incorrect version and identify the exact word that must change.
Why it matters
Gerund/infinitive choices often look arbitrary unless students learn the trigger and the change in meaning.
Common exam trap
Choosing between -ing and to + verb by meaning alone when the first verb actually controls the pattern.
How to spot it
Look immediately before the second verb. A preposition or a pattern-trigger verb usually decides between -ing and to + verb.
3-step solving method
- Look at the word before the second verb.
- Recall whether that trigger takes -ing, to + verb, or changes meaning.
- Read the full sentence to confirm the intended meaning.
Why the incorrect example fails
The target structure requires this rule: Stop doing means end an activity; stop to do means pause one activity in order to perform another. In the incorrect version, the repair is to remove “to”. That is the exact edit a student should be able to justify in an error-spotting question.
Nuance and memory hook
Verb-complement patterns are partly lexical. Learn high-frequency combinations rather than trying to invent one universal rule.
Stop doing = end it; stop to do = pause for another purpose.
Quick check
Without relying on what 'sounds right', explain which part of this sentence violates the rule: “He stopped to checking his phone during study sessions.”
Reveal quick check answer
Apply 'Stop doing' differs from 'stop to do': Stop doing means end an activity; stop to do means pause one activity in order to perform another.
Practice questions
Apply the rule in context
Which sentence is the better choice in standard exam-oriented English?
Explain the error rather than guessing by sound
Why is this sentence problematic in the target rule? “He stopped to checking his phone during study sessions.”
Rule 2 · G057
'Remember doing' differs from 'remember to do'
Remember doing recalls a past action; remember to do means not forgetting a required action.
Correct example
Remember to submit the form before midnight.
Incorrect example
Remember submitting the form before midnight if you have not done it yet.
Interpretation
Remember doing recalls a past action; remember to do means not forgetting a required action. In a test, do not memorise this as an isolated sentence. Treat the first verb or preposition as a pattern trigger. The correct example shows the pattern in context; compare it directly with the incorrect version and identify the exact word that must change.
Why it matters
Gerund/infinitive choices often look arbitrary unless students learn the trigger and the change in meaning.
Common exam trap
Choosing between -ing and to + verb by meaning alone when the first verb actually controls the pattern.
How to spot it
Look immediately before the second verb. A preposition or a pattern-trigger verb usually decides between -ing and to + verb.
3-step solving method
- Look at the word before the second verb.
- Recall whether that trigger takes -ing, to + verb, or changes meaning.
- Read the full sentence to confirm the intended meaning.
Why the incorrect example fails
The target structure requires this rule: Remember doing recalls a past action; remember to do means not forgetting a required action. In the incorrect version, the repair is to replace “submitting” with “to submit”; replace “midnight if you have not done it yet.” with “midnight.”. That is the exact edit a student should be able to justify in an error-spotting question.
Nuance and memory hook
Verb-complement patterns are partly lexical. Learn high-frequency combinations rather than trying to invent one universal rule.
Remember doing = memory; remember to do = duty.
Quick check
Without relying on what 'sounds right', explain which part of this sentence violates the rule: “Remember submitting the form before midnight if you have not done it yet.”
Reveal quick check answer
Apply 'Remember doing' differs from 'remember to do': Remember doing recalls a past action; remember to do means not forgetting a required action.
Practice questions
Apply the rule in context
Which sentence is the better choice in standard exam-oriented English?
Explain the error rather than guessing by sound
Why is this sentence problematic in the target rule? “Remember submitting the form before midnight if you have not done it yet.”
Rule 3 · G058
'Try doing' differs from 'try to do'
Try doing means experiment with a method; try to do means make an effort to accomplish something.
Correct example
If the passage feels dense, try reading the first sentence of each paragraph again.
Incorrect example
If the passage feels dense, try to reading the first sentence of each paragraph again.
Interpretation
Try doing means experiment with a method; try to do means make an effort to accomplish something. In a test, do not memorise this as an isolated sentence. Treat the first verb or preposition as a pattern trigger. The correct example shows the pattern in context; compare it directly with the incorrect version and identify the exact word that must change.
Why it matters
Gerund/infinitive choices often look arbitrary unless students learn the trigger and the change in meaning.
Common exam trap
Choosing between -ing and to + verb by meaning alone when the first verb actually controls the pattern.
How to spot it
Look immediately before the second verb. A preposition or a pattern-trigger verb usually decides between -ing and to + verb.
3-step solving method
- Look at the word before the second verb.
- Recall whether that trigger takes -ing, to + verb, or changes meaning.
- Read the full sentence to confirm the intended meaning.
Why the incorrect example fails
The target structure requires this rule: Try doing means experiment with a method; try to do means make an effort to accomplish something. In the incorrect version, the repair is to remove “to”. That is the exact edit a student should be able to justify in an error-spotting question.
Nuance and memory hook
Verb-complement patterns are partly lexical. Learn high-frequency combinations rather than trying to invent one universal rule.
Try doing = experiment; try to do = effort.
Quick check
Without relying on what 'sounds right', explain which part of this sentence violates the rule: “If the passage feels dense, try to reading the first sentence of each paragraph again.”
Reveal quick check answer
Apply 'Try doing' differs from 'try to do': Try doing means experiment with a method; try to do means make an effort to accomplish something.
Practice questions
Apply the rule in context
Which sentence is the better choice in standard exam-oriented English?
Explain the error rather than guessing by sound
Why is this sentence problematic in the target rule? “If the passage feels dense, try to reading the first sentence of each paragraph again.”
Rule 4 · G059
'Regret doing' differs from 'regret to inform'
Regret doing looks back unhappily on an action; regret to say/inform is a formal way to introduce bad news.
Correct example
I regret wasting so much time on one question.
Incorrect example
I regret to wasting so much time on one question.
Interpretation
Regret doing looks back unhappily on an action; regret to say/inform is a formal way to introduce bad news. In a test, do not memorise this as an isolated sentence. Treat the first verb or preposition as a pattern trigger. The correct example shows the pattern in context; compare it directly with the incorrect version and identify the exact word that must change.
Why it matters
Gerund/infinitive choices often look arbitrary unless students learn the trigger and the change in meaning.
Common exam trap
Choosing between -ing and to + verb by meaning alone when the first verb actually controls the pattern.
How to spot it
Look immediately before the second verb. A preposition or a pattern-trigger verb usually decides between -ing and to + verb.
3-step solving method
- Look at the word before the second verb.
- Recall whether that trigger takes -ing, to + verb, or changes meaning.
- Read the full sentence to confirm the intended meaning.
Why the incorrect example fails
The target structure requires this rule: Regret doing looks back unhappily on an action; regret to say/inform is a formal way to introduce bad news. In the incorrect version, the repair is to remove “to”. That is the exact edit a student should be able to justify in an error-spotting question.
Nuance and memory hook
Verb-complement patterns are partly lexical. Learn high-frequency combinations rather than trying to invent one universal rule.
Regret doing looks back unhappily on an action; regret to say/inform is a formal way to introduce bad news.
Quick check
Without relying on what 'sounds right', explain which part of this sentence violates the rule: “I regret to wasting so much time on one question.”
Reveal quick check answer
Apply 'Regret doing' differs from 'regret to inform': Regret doing looks back unhappily on an action; regret to say/inform is a formal way to introduce bad news.
Practice questions
Apply the rule in context
Which sentence is the better choice in standard exam-oriented English?
Explain the error rather than guessing by sound
Why is this sentence problematic in the target rule? “I regret to wasting so much time on one question.”
Rule 5 · G060
'Need doing' can mean 'need to be done'
In British and some other varieties of English, need + gerund can have a passive meaning.
Correct example
This paragraph needs rewriting.
Incorrect example
This paragraph needs rewrite.
Interpretation
In British and some other varieties of English, need + gerund can have a passive meaning. In a test, do not memorise this as an isolated sentence. Treat the first verb or preposition as a pattern trigger. The correct example shows the pattern in context; compare it directly with the incorrect version and identify the exact word that must change.
Why it matters
Gerund/infinitive choices often look arbitrary unless students learn the trigger and the change in meaning.
Common exam trap
Choosing between -ing and to + verb by meaning alone when the first verb actually controls the pattern.
How to spot it
Look immediately before the second verb. A preposition or a pattern-trigger verb usually decides between -ing and to + verb.
3-step solving method
- Look at the word before the second verb.
- Recall whether that trigger takes -ing, to + verb, or changes meaning.
- Read the full sentence to confirm the intended meaning.
Why the incorrect example fails
The target structure requires this rule: In British and some other varieties of English, need + gerund can have a passive meaning. In the incorrect version, the repair is to replace “rewrite.” with “rewriting.”. That is the exact edit a student should be able to justify in an error-spotting question.
Nuance and memory hook
Verb-complement patterns are partly lexical. Learn high-frequency combinations rather than trying to invent one universal rule.
In British and some other varieties of English, need + gerund can have a passive meaning.
Quick check
Without relying on what 'sounds right', explain which part of this sentence violates the rule: “This paragraph needs rewrite.”
Reveal quick check answer
Apply 'Need doing' can mean 'need to be done': In British and some other varieties of English, need + gerund can have a passive meaning.
Practice questions
Apply the rule in context
Which sentence is the better choice in standard exam-oriented English?
Explain the error rather than guessing by sound