To-infinitive – English Grammar Exercises for A2
Your friend complains that he is always tired and is gaining a lot of weight. You are giving him strong, practical advice. Read the sentences carefully and choose the best option (A, B, or C) to complete your solutions.
1 “You are always tired because you don’t drink enough water. You need ______ at least two liters a day.”
(A) drinking
(B) to drink
(C) drink
2 “If you really want to lose weight, you need ______ more fresh vegetables and fruits.”
(A) to eat
(B) eat
(C) eating
3 “You look exhausted every morning. You need ______ for eight hours every night.”
(A) sleep
(B) sleeping
(C) to sleep
4 “Sitting at a desk all day is bad for your body. You need ______ three times a week.”
(A) to exercise
(B) exercise
(C) exercising
5 “Fast food is making you gain weight. You need ______ buying burgers for lunch.”
(A) stopping
(B) to stop
(C) stop
6 “Your health is very important. You need ______ a doctor if you feel tired all the time.”
(A) seeing
(B) see
(C) to see
7 “You drive everywhere! To burn calories, you need ______ to work sometimes.”
(A) to walk
(B) walking
(C) walk
8 “You always rush in the morning and skip breakfast. You need ______ up earlier.”
(A) wake
(B) to wake
(C) waking
9 “Sugar makes you feel tired later in the day. You need ______ less sugar in your coffee.”
(A) to put
(B) putting
(C) put
10 “You are working too hard without a rest. You need ______ a long holiday.”
(A) taking
(B) take
(C) to take
11 “If you want to build muscle and burn fat, you need ______ a local gym.”
(A) to join
(B) join
(C) joining
12 “Stress can also make you gain weight. You need ______ on the weekends.”
(A) relaxing
(B) to relax
(C) relax
13 “Stop eating chocolate at your desk! You need ______ healthier snacks like nuts or apples.”
(A) to buy
(B) buying
(C) buy
14 “Restaurant food has too much oil. You need ______ cooking your own meals at home.”
(A) to start
(B) starting
(C) start
15 “Looking at your phone at night is bad for your sleep. You need ______ less TV before bed.”
(A) watch
(B) watching
(C) to watch
16 “Running is not the only exercise. You need ______ a sport that you actually enjoy playing.”
(A) to find
(B) find
(C) finding
17 “Soda contains a lot of empty calories. You need ______ more green tea instead.”
(A) drinking
(B) to drink
(C) drink
18 “Don’t just sit on the sofa after you eat. You need ______ for a short walk after dinner.”
(A) to go
(B) going
(C) go
19 “I am telling you this because I care about you. You need ______ your bad habits right now.”
(A) change
(B) changing
(C) to change
20 “Getting healthy takes time. You need ______ positive and patient with your body.”
(A) staying
(B) to stay
(C) stay
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (B) to drink
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: When using “need” as a main verb to express a necessary action for a person, it must be followed by a to-infinitive (to + verb).
- Why others are wrong: (A) “drinking” is a gerund, which is incorrect here. (C) “drink” is a bare infinitive.
2 (A) to eat
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: “You need + to-infinitive” expresses a strong requirement.
- Why others are wrong: (B) “eat” lacks “to”. (C) “eating” is the -ing form.
3 (C) to sleep
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: Explains the necessary action to fix the exhaustion.
- Why others are wrong: (A) “sleep” lacks “to”. (B) “sleeping” is a gerund error.
4 (A) to exercise
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: “Need” requires a to-infinitive.
- Why others are wrong: (B) “exercise” lacks “to”. (C) “exercising” is incorrect.
5 (B) to stop
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: “Need to stop” shows the required action. (Note: “stop” can then be followed by an -ing verb like “buying”, but “need” strictly takes “to stop”).
- Why others are wrong: (A) “stopping” is a gerund. (C) “stop” lacks “to”.
6 (C) to see
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: Gives strong, urgent medical advice.
- Why others are wrong: (A) “seeing” is a gerund. (B) “see” lacks “to”.
7 (A) to walk
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: “Need” requires a to-infinitive.
- Why others are wrong: (B) “walking” is a gerund. (C) “walk” lacks “to”.
8 (B) to wake
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: “Need” requires a to-infinitive.
- Why others are wrong: (A) “wake” lacks “to”. (C) “waking” is a gerund error.
9 (A) to put
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: Explains a necessary dietary change.
- Why others are wrong: (B) “putting” is incorrect. (C) “put” lacks “to”.
10 (C) to take
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: “Need” requires a to-infinitive.
- Why others are wrong: (A) “taking” is a gerund. (B) “take” lacks “to”.
11 (A) to join
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: “Need” requires a to-infinitive.
- Why others are wrong: (B) “join” lacks “to”. (C) “joining” is incorrect.
12 (B) to relax
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: Gives a necessary solution for stress.
- Why others are wrong: (A) “relaxing” is a gerund. (C) “relax” lacks “to”.
13 (A) to buy
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: “Need” requires a to-infinitive.
- Why others are wrong: (B) “buying” is incorrect. (C) “buy” lacks “to”.
14 (A) to start
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: “Need” requires a to-infinitive.
- Why others are wrong: (B) “starting” is a gerund. (C) “start” lacks “to”.
15 (C) to watch
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: Explains a necessary habit change.
- Why others are wrong: (A) “watch” lacks “to”. (B) “watching” is a gerund.
16 (A) to find
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: “Need” requires a to-infinitive.
- Why others are wrong: (B) “find” lacks “to”. (C) “finding” is incorrect.
17 (B) to drink
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: “Need” requires a to-infinitive.
- Why others are wrong: (A) “drinking” is a gerund. (C) “drink” lacks “to”.
18 (A) to go
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: Suggests a necessary physical activity.
- Why others are wrong: (B) “going” is incorrect. (C) “go” lacks “to”.
19 (C) to change
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: “Need” requires a to-infinitive.
- Why others are wrong: (A) “change” lacks “to”. (B) “changing” is a gerund error.
20 (B) to stay
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: “Need” requires a to-infinitive.
- Why others are wrong: (A) “staying” is a gerund. (C) “stay” lacks “to”.
GRAMMAR POINTS TO REMEMBER
- The Grammar Rule: When we use “need” as a main verb to say what a person must do, it is always followed by “to + Verb” (to-infinitive).
- Example: “You need to drink water.”
- Should vs. Need to (The Function): – We use “should + verb” to give general, soft advice. (You should sleep more. = It’s a good idea).
- We use “need to + verb” to give strong, urgent, or highly necessary solutions to a problem. (You need to sleep more. = It is absolutely necessary to fix your exhaustion).
- The Common Mistake: – Do not treat “need” like a modal verb (like should or must). Modal verbs take a bare verb (You must go), but need requires “to” (You need to go).
- Never use the -ing form after “need” when talking about a person’s active responsibility (You need drinking is strictly incorrect).