The gerund (-ing form) and the infinitive (to + verb) can both function as nouns or complements of verbs, but their use depends on the verb they follow. 🔹 Gerund (-ing) : • Subject of a sentence: Swimming is good for health. • After prepositions: She is good at singing. / He left without saying goodbye. • After certain verbs: enjoy, avoid, finish, mind, suggest, consider, admit, deny, miss, practise, keep, imagine, risk - I enjoy reading novels. - She avoided looking at him. - He denied stealing the money. 🔹 Infinitive (to + verb) : • After certain verbs: want, need, decide, hope, plan, agree, refuse, promise, manage, expect, afford, learn, offer, seem - She wants to become a doctor. - He refused to answer. - I managed to finish on time. 🔹 Verbs that take BOTH (with different meanings) : • remember: - I remember meeting him. (= I recall the past event) - Remember to meet him. (= don't forget to do it) • stop: - He stopped smoking. (= he quit) - He stopped to smoke. (= he paused in order to smoke) • try: - Try eating less sugar. (= experiment with it) - Try to eat less sugar. (= make an effort)

📝 Gerund or Infinitive? Choose the correct form : 1. She enjoys ___ (read) in the evening. → reading 2. He decided ___ (study) abroad. → to study 3. I avoided ___ (talk) to him. → talking 4. We hope ___ (visit) Dakar next year. → to visit 5. She is good at ___ (sing). → singing 6. He promised ___ (call) me. → to call 7. I miss ___ (see) my family. → seeing 8. They refused ___ (pay) the fine. → to pay 📝 Explain the difference : 1. 'I stopped talking to her.' → I no longer talk to her (I quit). 2. 'I stopped to talk to her.' → I paused (what I was doing) in order to speak to her.