Common verbs that take verbal objects

Verbs used with Gerunds: admit, avoid, deny, enjoy, finish, justify, quit, recommend, suggest,

understand.

Verbs used with infinitives: agree, allow, arrange, attempt, cause, choose, decide, enable, hope, instruct, know (how), learn (how), permit, persuade, require, seem, teach (how), tell, use, warn.

Infinitives are used with have, and bare infinitives are used with let and make: I have to do my research paper by next Monday. The professor won’t let us waste time on this experiment. Necessity makes you look for options.

Gerunds, by their meaning,are verbal nouns and, as such, are generally used as subjects or objects of verbs or as objects of prepositions. Infinitives can also be subjects and objects.

Playing (to play) cards is enjoyable, (gerund as subject of a verb).

He enjoys going to good restaurants, (gerund as object of a verb).

He avoids eating junk food, (gerund as object of a verb).

He passes the time by playing cards, (gerund as object of a preposition).

You can solve this problem by using a computer, (gerund as object of a preposition).

Note: All two- and three-word verb phrases that can be followed by verbals are used with gerunds, not infinitives. This is true even when theverb phrase ends with the word to.

I am looking forward to visiting with you next summer.

I cannot agree to going to New Orleans.

My partner is opposed to our participating in this deal.