Gerunds and Infinitives
after prepositions and adjectives
Preposition + Gerund
After a preposition, we always use a noun or the -ing form of a verb - the gerund. For example:
I'm very good at speaking English.
I went home after finishing my work.
Adjective + Infinitive
After many common adjectives, we often use "to + verb" - the infinitive. For example:
It's rude to eat with your mouth open.
It's difficult to remember all this grammar.
Unfortunately, this isn't always true, but it is a useful, general rule.
Problems
Don't forget that "to" can also be a preposition, not just part of the infinitive. For example:
I'm looking forward to seeing you this weekend.
I'm used to getting up early in the morning.
I object to smoking in public.
He confessed to stealing the money.
It's difficult to know when it's a preposition - just try to learn expressions like these when you see them.
Gerunds and Infinitives practice