Gerunds vs. Infinitives — Enjoy Doing, Want To Do

Hook

“I enjoy traveling” and “I want to travel” both talk about travel — but one uses -ing and the other uses “to.” How do you know which to use?

Notice

“I enjoy traveling to new places.” “She wants to visit Japan.” “They decided to book the trip.” “He avoids flying if possible.”

Rule

Some verbs are always followed by a gerund (verb + -ing): enjoy, avoid, finish, suggest, imagine. Some verbs are always followed by an infinitive (to + base verb): want, decide, plan, hope, need, would like. There’s no shortcut rule — each verb’s pattern needs to be learned individually, but these are the most common ones at A2.

Practice

  1. I enjoy ______ (travel) to new countries. Answer: traveling
  2. She wants ______ (visit) her family this summer. Answer: to visit
  3. We decided ______ (book) the hotel online. Answer: to book
  4. He avoids ______ (fly) at night. Answer: flying
  5. I would like ______ (change) my reservation. Answer: to change

Connect

Practice choosing the right form with our Grammar Quiz.

Try our Grammar Quiz →

This lesson supports: I can handle simple, routine transactions such as booking travel and accommodation.

Azizul Hakim
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