Verbs used with either gerunds or to-infinitives: Practice Questions

Choose the correct form of the verb to complete the sentence:

I regret ______ you that your application has been unsuccessful.

Identify the sentence where go on is followed by a to-infinitive to show a change to a new, different activity.

Analyze the verb dread. Which sentence correctly uses the gerund to express a general fear or extreme dislike of a future event?

Select the sentence where the verb try is followed by a gerund to suggest experimenting with a new method to see if it works.

Compare the use of mean in the following sentences. Which sentence uses the to-infinitive to express an intention or plan?

Consider the following sentence:
"I forgot ______ (buy) the milk, so we have none for breakfast now."
Does the context require the gerund or the to-infinitive? Briefly explain the meaning of the chosen form.

Analyze the verb 'try' in the following contexts and provide the correct forms:
a) "I tried ______ (open) the window but it was jammed shut." (effort made)
b) "If you can't sleep, try ______ (drink) some warm milk." (experimenting with a solution)

Fill in the blank with the correct form (gerund or to-infinitive) for the verb 'complete':
After the brainstorming session, the students continued _______ their project outlines.

Read the following short story excerpt about a difficult decision and complete the tasks that follow.

Sarah had always hated speaking in front of large crowds, but today was the finals of the inter-school debate. She remembered to pack her note cards, but as she walked onto the stage, she remembered seeing her rival's confident smile from last year. She tried to take a deep breath to calm her nerves. Her coach had suggested trying to visualize a successful speech. Sarah stopped to look at her teammates for support. Finally, she stopped shaking and began her opening statement.

(a) Contrast the meanings of 'remembered to pack' and 'remembered seeing' as used in the passage. How does the choice of the to-infinitive versus the gerund reflect Sarah's actions and memories?

(b) In the sentence 'She tried to take a deep breath', explain the meaning of the verb try. How would the meaning change if the author had written 'She tried taking a deep breath'?

(c) Explain the difference in meaning between 'stopped to look' and 'stopped shaking'. Which one describes the cessation of an action, and which one describes a pause for a purpose?

(d) Identify the phrase using 'try' that suggests an experiment or a suggested technique to solve a problem.

Read the following reflective journal entry written by a student and answer the tasks that follow.

"I will never forget winning the inter-school science competition last month. After that success, I mean to study even harder this semester because I want to become a doctor. However, I regret spending too much time on video games lately, which has meant getting less sleep than I need. I must stop playing them late at night. Tomorrow, I will try to wake up at 6:00 a.m. to review my biology notes, though I might also try drinking some strong coffee if I still feel tired."

(a) Contrast the meanings of 'forget winning' and 'mean to study' based on their grammatical structures. How does the choice of a gerund vs. a to-infinitive change the meaning of these specific verbs?

(b) Compare the two uses of the verb 'mean' in the passage. Explain why one is followed by a to-infinitive while the other is followed by a gerund.

(c) Analyze the sentence 'Tomorrow, I will try to wake up... though I might also try drinking...'. Explain the difference in the student's intention expressed by 'try' in these two different structures.

(d) If the student had written 'I regret to tell you that I spent too much time on games', how would the meaning of 'regret' differ from the original 'regret spending' used in the text?