5 Gerund & Infinitive Patterns in TOEFL ITP Structure: When to Use V-ing vs To + Verb
Gerund and infinitive in TOEFL ITP: 5 patterns for when to use V-ing or to + verb in Structure and Written Expression, like enjoy reading, with a quiz.
“I look forward to meet you.” You see this in emails all the time, but it’s wrong. The correct version is “I look forward to meeting you.”
Why? Because in this phrase, to isn’t part of an infinitive. It’s a preposition, and after a preposition, a verb must take the V-ing form.
“Gerund (V-ing) or infinitive (to + base verb)?” is one of the most frequently tested questions in TOEFL® ITP Structure & Written Expression. Here are the 5 patterns you need to know. (The slides below are in Indonesian, with English example sentences.)
What Are Gerunds and Infinitives?
- Gerund = verb + -ing used as a noun: reading, swimming, saying.
- Infinitive = to + base verb: to read, to leave, to study.
Both turn a verb into something that behaves like a noun. Which one you use depends on the word before it. There’s no single logical rule covering every verb, so the most efficient approach is to memorize the groups.
Pattern 1: Enjoy, Avoid, Finish + V-ing
Pattern: enjoy / avoid / finish / suggest + V-ing
She enjoys reading novels.
❌ She enjoys to read novels.
✅ She enjoys reading novels.
Verbs that always take V-ing: enjoy, avoid, finish, mind, suggest, consider, admit, deny, keep, practice, postpone, risk.
The doctor suggested taking a short break.
Would you mind closing the window?
Pattern 2: Want, Decide, Plan + To + Base Verb
Pattern: want / decide / plan / hope + to + base verb
They decided to leave early.
❌ They decided leaving early.
✅ They decided to leave early.
Verbs about wishes, plans, or future decisions usually take to + base verb: want, plan, hope, decide, agree, refuse, promise, expect, need, intend.
Memory tip: infinitives often “point forward” to something that hasn’t happened yet, while gerunds often talk about the activity itself.
Pattern 3: Preposition + V-ing
Pattern: in / of / about / before / after / without + V-ing
He is interested in learning Japanese.
❌ He left without say goodbye.
✅ He left without saying goodbye.
This rule applies to every preposition, no exceptions. Preposition followed by a verb? Go straight to the V-ing option.
She is good at solving puzzles.
After finishing the test, he went home.
Pattern 4: Look Forward To + V-ing
This is the trickiest pattern, because it contains to but still takes V-ing.
I look forward to meeting you.
❌ I look forward to meet you.
✅ I look forward to meeting you.
Here to is a preposition, not an infinitive marker. Other expressions with prepositional to: be used to, get used to, object to, be committed to, be accustomed to.
Be careful with these two look-alikes:
| Pattern | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| used to + base verb | past habit (not anymore) | I used to live in Bandung. |
| be used to + V-ing | be accustomed to | I am used to living alone. |
Quick test: replace the verb with a noun. I look forward to the trip works, so to is a preposition and the verb must be V-ing.
Pattern 5: V-ing as the Subject
Pattern: V-ing + singular verb
Swimming is good for your health.
❌ Swim is good for your health.
✅ Swimming is good for your health.
A bare base verb can’t be a subject. To make an activity the subject, use the gerund.
A gerund subject is singular, even if its object is plural:
❌ Reading novels are relaxing.
✅ Reading novels is relaxing.
The subject is the activity reading, not novels. So use is/has, not are/have.
Summary
| Pattern | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| enjoy, avoid, finish, suggest, mind, consider | + V-ing | enjoy reading |
| want, decide, plan, hope, agree, refuse | + to + base verb | decided to leave |
| Prepositions (in, of, without, before, after) | + V-ing | without saying |
| look forward to, be used to, object to | + V-ing | look forward to meeting |
| Sentence subject | V-ing + singular verb | Swimming is good |
Quick Quiz
Choose the correct form:
- The students finished ___ the report at midnight. (to write / writing)
- She hopes ___ abroad next year. (to study / studying)
- He is accustomed to ___ up early. (wake / waking)
- ___ a second language takes time. (Learn / Learning)
Answers:
- writing (finish + V-ing).
- to study (hope + to + base verb).
- waking (accustomed to: to is a preposition).
- Learning (gerund subject, followed by the singular verb takes).
Drill the Patterns Daily
Gerunds and infinitives come down to knowing verb groups, so the more questions you see, the faster your instincts get.
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