Here’s a comparison of Gerunds and Infinitives showing their usage, function, and examples:

Form	Function/Usage	Used After	Example Sentence
Gerund	The -ing form of a verb, acting as a noun	After certain verbs, prepositions, and as the subject/object of a sentence	“I enjoy swimming.” / “She is good at dancing.”
Infinitive	The to + base form of a verb	After certain verbs, adjectives, or to express purpose	“I want to swim.” / “He is ready to leave.”

1. Gerunds (Verb + -ing)

Usage	Explanation	Example Sentence
As subject	The gerund can be used as the subject of a sentence	“Reading is my favorite hobby.”
As object	The gerund can be the object of a verb	“I enjoy reading books.”
After prepositions	Gerunds follow prepositions (including phrasal verbs)	“She’s interested in learning Spanish.”
After certain verbs	Verbs that require a gerund after them	“I avoid going to crowded places.”
After certain expressions	Fixed expressions that take a gerund	“It’s no use crying over spilled milk.”

Common Verbs Followed by Gerunds:

Verb	Example Sentence
Enjoy	“They enjoy playing soccer.”
Avoid	“He avoids talking about politics.”
Consider	“She is considering moving to another city.”
Finish	“He finished reading the book.”
Mind	“Do you mind helping me with this?”
Suggest	“They suggested going to the park.”

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2. Infinitives (to + base verb)

Usage	Explanation	Example Sentence
To express purpose	Infinitives show why someone does something	“I went to the library to study.”
After adjectives	Infinitives follow adjectives	“She is eager to learn new things.”
As object	Infinitives can be the object of a verb	“I want to travel the world.”
After certain verbs	Verbs that require an infinitive after them	“He decided to stay at home.”
After question words	Infinitives can follow question words (what, how, etc.)	“I don’t know how to answer that question.”

Common Verbs Followed by Infinitives:

Verb	Example Sentence
Want	“I want to visit Paris.”
Decide	“They decided to move to a new house.”
Learn	“He is learning to play the piano.”
Hope	“I hope to see you soon.”
Plan	“We plan to travel next summer.”
Need	“You need to finish your work.”

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3. Verbs that Can Take Both Gerunds and Infinitives (with Change in Meaning)

Verb	Gerund Meaning	Infinitive Meaning	Example Sentences
Stop	Stop an action	Stop to do something else	“She stopped smoking.” (quit smoking) / “She stopped to smoke.” (paused to have a cigarette)
Remember	Memory of a past action	Remember to do something in the future	“I remember meeting him.” (a memory) / “Remember to call her.” (don’t forget)
Try	Experiment/attempt something as a solution	Make an effort	“Try restarting the computer.” (an experiment) / “I will try to finish on time.” (make effort)
Forget	Forget about a past action	Forget to do something	“I forgot meeting her.” (I don’t remember) / “Don’t forget to lock the door.” (don’t forget)

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Key Differences Between Gerunds and Infinitives:

Gerunds	Infinitives
Act as nouns in sentences	Can express purpose, intention, or result
Used after specific verbs and prepositions	Used after specific verbs, adjectives, and as purpose indicators
Often express general, ongoing, or habitual actions	Often indicate future or intended actions

This comparison shows how gerunds and infinitives are used differently, and with some verbs, the meaning of the sentence changes depending on which form is used.

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