Verbs + ING and + TO – difference in meaning Practice Tests with A2 Grammar Rules & Examples

Verbs + ING and + TO – Difference in Meaning

Some English verbs can be followed by another verb. When this happens, the second verb is often in the -ing form or the to + infinitive form. Sometimes, the verb you choose changes the meaning of the sentence completely.

Look at these two sentences:

I stopped eating chocolate.
I stopped to eat chocolate.

Both sentences use the word stopped, but they mean very different things! In this lesson, you will learn the most important verbs that work like this and understand exactly what each sentence means.

What Are -ING Forms and TO + Infinitive?

Before we look at the rules, let us quickly understand the two forms:

The -ing form means we add -ing to the base verb.
Example: eat → eating, run → running, play → playing

The to + infinitive means we use to + the base form of the verb.
Example: to eat, to run, to play

Both forms come after the main verb in a sentence. The tricky part is that a small group of verbs can take both forms – but the meaning changes depending on which one you use.

The Key Verbs – STOP, REMEMBER, FORGET, TRY, GO ON

There are five very common verbs in English that change their meaning depending on whether you use -ing or to + infinitive after them. Let us look at each one.

1. STOP

stop + -ing = you were doing something and you finished doing it. You do not do it any more.

She stopped eating meat.
(She was eating meat before. Now she does not eat it any more.)

stop + to + infinitive = you stopped what you were doing in order to do something else. You paused for a reason.

She stopped to eat lunch.
(She was doing something – maybe working or walking. She paused so that she could eat lunch.)

2. REMEMBER

remember + -ing = you have a memory of something that happened in the past. The action happened first, then you remember it now.

I remember meeting her at the party.
(I met her at the party. I have that memory now.)

remember + to + infinitive = you do not forget to do something. The action is in the future or present. You need to remember so you can do it.

Please remember to call me tonight.
(Do not forget – call me later!)

3. FORGET

forget + -ing = you have no memory of something that happened in the past. It happened but you cannot remember it.

I will never forget visiting Paris.
(I visited Paris. I will always remember that visit.)

forget + to + infinitive = you did not do something because you did not remember. The action needed to happen but you forgot before doing it.

He forgot to buy milk.
(He needed to buy milk. He did not remember, so he did not buy it.)

4. TRY

try + -ing = you experiment with something. You do it to see if it helps or works. It is a suggestion or an experiment.

My head hurts. Try drinking some water.
(Maybe drinking water will help. Experiment with it.)

try + to + infinitive = you make an effort to do something. It might be difficult. You attempt it.

I tried to open the window, but it was stuck.
(I made an effort to open it, but I could not.)

5. GO ON

go on + -ing = you continue doing the same thing. You do not stop.

He went on talking for an hour.
(He talked and talked. He did not stop.)

go on + to + infinitive = you finish one thing and then start a different thing next.

She finished school and went on to study medicine.
(First she finished school. Then she started studying medicine.)

Summary Table – Verbs + ING and + TO: Difference in Meaning

Simple Stories to Help You Remember

Story 1 – STOP

Tom is walking to school. He sees a beautiful garden. He stops to look at the flowers. He stands there for two minutes and then continues walking.
(He paused his walking. The reason was to look at the flowers.)

Tom used to eat a lot of fast food. Last year, he stopped eating fast food. Now he eats healthy food every day.
(He was eating fast food. He finished that habit completely.)

Story 2 – REMEMBER and FORGET

Anna is at work. Her boss says: "Please remember to send the report by 3 o'clock."
(The report is in the future. Do not forget to do it.)

Later, Anna thinks about her holiday last summer. She says: "I remember swimming in the sea every day. It was wonderful!"
(She swam in the sea. She has that happy memory.)

But then she says: "Oh no! I forgot to send the report!"
(She needed to send it. She did not remember, so she did not send it.)

Story 3 – TRY

Marco cannot sleep at night. His friend says: "Try drinking warm milk before bed."
(This is an experiment. Maybe it will help.)

Marco tries it. He also tries to read a boring book. He makes an effort to read it, hoping sleep will come.
(He is making an effort to do something.)

Important Differences and Special Cases

REMEMBER + -ing is always about the past

When you use remember + -ing, the action in the -ing form always happened before the moment of remembering. Think of it as looking backwards at a memory.

I remember living in a small flat when I was young.
(I lived there. Now I remember that time.)

REMEMBER + to is always about the present or future

When you use remember + to, the action has not happened yet. You are reminding yourself or someone else to do it. Think of it as looking forwards at something to do.

Remember to take your umbrella!
(You have not taken it yet. Do not forget!)

FORGET + -ing is usually used in positive sentences

We often use forget + -ing in sentences with never or always, talking about strong memories.

I will never forget seeing the mountains for the first time.
I will always remember winning that competition.

TRY + -ing is gentler than TRY + to

Try + -ing is like a calm suggestion: "Why not experiment with this?"
Try + to shows effort, often against difficulty: "I am making a big effort."

Try adding more salt to the soup. (a gentle suggestion)
I tried to finish the race, but my leg hurt too much. (a difficult effort)

Common Mistakes

❌ I stopped to smoke ten years ago.
✅ I stopped smoking ten years ago.
(You finished the habit of smoking. Use -ing to show the activity that ended.)

❌ Remember eating breakfast before you go to school.
✅ Remember to eat breakfast before you go to school.
(The action is in the future. Use to + infinitive.)

❌ She forgot meeting her friend, so she went shopping instead.
✅ She forgot to meet her friend, so she went shopping instead.
(She did not do the action because she forgot. Use to + infinitive.)

❌ I tried to drink more water, and I think it helped my headache.
✅ I tried drinking more water, and I think it helped my headache.
(This is an experiment to see if it works. Use -ing.)

❌ He went on to talk for an hour without stopping.
✅ He went on talking for an hour without stopping.
(He continued the same activity. Use -ing to show continuation.)

❌ She finished school and went on studying medicine at university.
✅ She finished school and went on to study medicine at university.
(She finished one thing and started a new, different thing. Use to + infinitive.)

A Quick Way to Check Yourself

When you are not sure which form to use, ask yourself these simple questions:

• STOP: Did the activity end completely or for a long time? → Use -ing. Did you pause for a reason? → Use to.
• REMEMBER / FORGET: Is the action in the past (a memory)? → Use -ing. Is the action in the present or future (a task to do)? → Use to.
• TRY: Is it an experiment or suggestion? → Use -ing. Is it a difficult effort? → Use to.
• GO ON: Is it the same activity continuing? → Use -ing. Is it a new and different activity? → Use to.

Verbs + ING and + TO: Quick Summary

Here are the key things to remember about the difference in meaning between verbs + -ing and verbs + to:

• stop + -ing = an activity ends. stop + to = you pause to do something new.
• remember + -ing = a past memory. remember + to = a future task to do.
• forget + -ing = no memory of a past action. forget + to = you did not do something because you forgot.
• try + -ing = an experiment to see if something works. try + to = an effort to do something difficult.
• go on + -ing = continue the same activity. go on + to = finish one thing and start something new.

The most important thing is to think about time and meaning. Ask yourself: Is the action in the past or future? Is it continuing or ending? Is it an experiment or a difficult effort?

Now practise verbs + -ing and + to in the exercises below.