Gerunds and infinitives trip up more IELTS test-takers than almost any other grammar pattern. You'll see them everywhere in the exam, but most students learn them in isolation and then panic under pressure.
The real problem? English verbs are picky. Get this wrong, and you'll lose marks in Grammatical Range & Accuracy—which counts for 25% of your Writing score.
By the end of this post, you'll know exactly which verbs take gerunds, which take infinitives, and which accept both. You'll have real IELTS examples. And you'll spot your own mistakes before the examiner does.
A gerund is a verb ending in -ing that works like a noun. An infinitive is the base form of a verb, usually with "to" in front. In IELTS writing, the distinction matters because using the wrong form counts as a grammatical error.
But here's what matters in practice:
In real IELTS speaking, you might say: "I enjoy studying English grammar." In writing, you might argue: "The government needs to implement new policies." Both are correct—but only because the verbs match the right forms.
Correct: "She appreciates receiving feedback on her writing."
Wrong: "She appreciates to receive feedback on her writing."
These verbs demand a gerund. No flexibility. If you use an infinitive, you've made an error that examiners will catch.
The most common ones:
Here's how this plays out in an IELTS Task 2 essay:
Correct: "Teenagers often spend hours scrolling through social media rather than engaging in physical activities."
Wrong: "Teenagers often spend hours to scroll through social media rather than to engage in physical activities."
The correct version works because it uses parallel structure—both gerunds in a row. This is the kind of thing that boosts your Grammatical Range & Accuracy band.
Another common IELTS writing scenario:
Correct: "Many people avoid using public transport because they consider driving more convenient."
Wrong: "Many people avoid to use public transport because they consider to drive more convenient."
These go the opposite direction. They need an infinitive, not a gerund.
Learn these cold:
In IELTS speaking:
Correct: "I'm hoping to travel to Japan next year because I want to experience their culture firsthand."
Wrong: "I'm hoping travelling to Japan next year because I want experiencing their culture firsthand."
For a Task 2 argument essay, you'd write something like:
Correct: "The government should attempt to reduce carbon emissions by investing in renewable energy sources."
Some verbs work with both forms. The difference is meaning, and you need to pick the right one for what you're actually trying to say.
Here are the big ones:
Real IELTS examples:
Correct (habitual): "Many people enjoy watching television in the evening because it helps them relax."
Correct (one-time future): "I would like to visit the museum during my holiday."
Here's a high-value example you could use in writing:
Correct: "I remembered to submit my application before the deadline, even though I forgot checking my email earlier."
See what happens when you swap the forms? The meaning changes completely. That's what Band 7+ control looks like in verb patterns.
Quick Mental Trick: When you're unsure, think about time. Is it something already done (gerund)? Or something you want to do in the future (infinitive)? This works 80% of the time.
Some verbs take an object plus an infinitive. It's less common, but IELTS examiners test it, especially in Task 1 letters.
The pattern: verb + object + infinitive
Common verbs: tell, ask, encourage, persuade, convince, allow, force, enable, teach, remind, require
Correct: "The school encouraged students to participate in extracurricular activities."
Wrong: "The school encouraged students participating in extracurricular activities."
This structure shows up a lot in Task 1 letters and Task 2 arguments. You might write: "I'm writing to ask you to consider my application" or "The email persuaded customers to upgrade their subscriptions."
Knowing the rules is one thing. Using them under exam pressure is another. Here's what you actually do:
In the real exam, you have about 40 minutes for Task 2. Spend 2-3 minutes on this check at the end. You'll catch 4-5 errors that would otherwise cost you band points.
If you're also trying to avoid repetition in your writing, this gerund and infinitive control becomes even more valuable. You can reword sentences while keeping them grammatically tight. Better yet, use a free IELTS writing checker to flag verb pattern errors automatically before you submit.
After thousands of students, the same errors repeat. These are the ones that hurt your Grammatical Range & Accuracy score:
Mistake 1: "I suggest to take a break" → Should be "I suggest taking a break"
Mistake 2: "He stopped to smoke" (meaning he quit smoking) → Should be "He stopped smoking"
Mistake 3: "The company is considering to relocate" → Should be "considering relocating"
Mistake 4: "I want you helping me" → Should be "I want you to help me"
Each error sends a signal to the examiner. Band 6.5 students make these once or twice. Band 7+ students don't make them at all.
Nailing gerunds and infinitives works alongside other grammar skills. When you're starting a body paragraph, you'll often use infinitives to express your controlling idea: "To illustrate this point..." When you're using hedging language, you'll use verbs like "tend to" (infinitive) and "avoid" (gerund). The more you control these patterns, the more sophisticated your IELTS essay becomes.
The best way to lock in these patterns is to check your essays with an IELTS essay checker that flags verb pattern errors. You'll see exactly where you used the wrong form, and that repetition sticks faster than any rule list.
Our IELTS writing checker catches grammar errors like incorrect verb patterns before you submit. Get a band score estimate and line-by-line feedback in seconds.
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