Gerunds and infinitives are both forms of verbs that can act as nouns in a sentence. Here are some essential rules for using gerunds and infinitives in English:

1. Gerunds (verbs ending in -ing):

– Gerunds are used as the subject of a sentence. For example: “Swimming is good exercise.”

– They can also be used as the object of a verb. For example: “I enjoy swimming.”

– Gerunds are used after certain verbs such as enjoy, avoid, finish, suggest, etc. For example: “I suggest taking a break.”

– Gerunds are used after prepositions. For example: “I am good at cooking.”

2. Infinitives (verbs with “to”):

– Infinitives are used after certain verbs such as want, like, need, plan, etc. For example: “I want to go home.”

– They can be used as the subject of a sentence. For example: “To learn a new language is challenging.”

– Infinitives are used after adjectives. For example: “It is important to study.”

3. Verb Patterns with Different Meanings:

– Some verbs can be followed by both gerunds and infinitives, but with different meanings. For example: “I remembered calling you” (I called you and then remembered it) vs. “I remembered to call you” (I remembered that I needed to call