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B1+ · Upper-intermediate15 min

Gerund vs infinitive — verb patterns

Syllabus topic 19: Gerund vs infinitive — verb patterns

Gerund vs infinitive — verb patterns. Verb complements differ: admit/deny/avoid + -ing, agree/refuse + to-infinitive, and preposition + -ing.

How it works

Verb complements differ: admit/deny/avoid + -ing, agree/refuse + to-infinitive, and preposition + -ing. Some verbs change meaning: try doing tests a method, while try to do attempts a task. Perfect infinitives refer to earlier actions.

Examples in context

Notice how each form fits its sentence. Read the context before choosing a form.

  • He denied taking the document.
  • She agreed to help us.
  • Try restarting the router. It may fix the connection.
  • I regret to inform you that the event is cancelled. (formal announcement)
  • She seems to have misunderstood the instructions.

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Question 1 of 50% complete

He denied ___ the document.

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