Some verbs take infinitives (verb + to do). The following verbs are usually followed by infinitives.

afford	beg	happen	plan	threaten	hesitate
agree	prepare	tend	choose	hope	volunteer
appear	dare	learn	promise	aim	(can’t) wait
arrange	decide	long	refuse	wish	attempt
ask	expect	manage	seem	fail	offer

Some verbs take an object and an infinitive e.g.

The committee considers her to be the best applicant for the job.

Other verbs like this include:

allow	cause	enable	entitle	invite	persuade	teach
believe	command	encourage	force	order	show	tell

Some verbs take an object and a bare infinitive. (verb + object + do)

e.g. I heard an intruder enter the building last night.

see	hear	notice	watch	make
would rather	would sooner	feel	listen to	look at
have	let	had better

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Some verbs take gerunds (verb + doing)

e.g. She prefers teaching adults.

admit	avoid	consider	detest	risk
dread	enjoy	deny	(can’t) help	fancy
finish	miss	imagine	involve	postpone
loathe	mind	mean	suggest	practise
delay	propose	recall	recollect	resist

Verbs taking both infinitives and gerunds

1. The verbs continue, begin, start and cease can be followed by either an infinitive or a gerund with little difference in meaning.
   For example:
   It has started to rain/raining.
   The professor began to talk/talking.
   
   
2. The verbs like, love, prefer and hate can take either an infinitive or a gerund with a slight difference of meaning.
   For example:
   Do you like swimming? (as a hobby)
   I like to swim before breakfast. (a habit)
   
   
3. The verbs remember, regret, forget, try and stop take either an infinitive or a gerund, but this gives a different meaning.
   I remember taking the tablet this morning. (I know I took it.)
   Remember to lock the door when you go out! (Don’t forget to do it, in the future.)
   
   I regret selling the house (I am sorry I did it, in the past.)
   I regret to tell you that you have failed the test. (I am sorry now.)
   
   Try doing more exercise to lose weight. (Test out something to see if it helps.)
   He tried to reach the net, but was too short. (He attempted it.)
   
   He stopped to offer me a seat. (He stopped what he was doing to offer me a seat)
   The children stopped talking when the teacher entered. (The children were silent when the teacher entered.)

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