THE GERUND (-ING FORM)
FORM
Affirmative
- -ing form of the verb - Example: Singing is my favorite hobby.
Negative
not + -ing form of the verb - Example: I enjoy not eating meat.
USE
- With the function of a subject or an object - Example: Swimming is a great way to stay fit.
- After a preposition following a verb / adjective (be interested … , be good at, … of insist on) - Example: She is good at playing the piano.
- After other prepositions (instead of, without, after, before , besides, etc.) - Example: I succeeded without cheating.
- After certain verbs (like, love , enjoy, hate , mind, appreciate , can't stand) - Example: She loves reading books.
- After certain expressions (there's no point in, look forward to, be used to) - Example: I look forward to seeing you.
- To replace relative / time clauses when they have the same subject as the main clause - Example: Eating dinner, she watched TV.
THE INFINITIVE (WITH TO)
FORM
Affirmative
- to + base form of the verb - Example: I want to travel the world.
Negative
- not + to + base form of the verb - Example: I decided not to go to the party.
USE
- To express purpose or say why we do something - Example: We use energy efficiently to spend less on bills.
- After certain adjectives and past participles - Example: She was happy to receive the award.
- After too and enough - Example: The box is too heavy to lift.
- After certain verbs (choose, decide, need, offer, learn, want , plan, would like, agree, promise, refuse, teach) - Example: I want to learn how to play the guitar.
- After how, what, when , where, whether in subordinate clauses - Example: She asked how to solve the problem.