To-infinitive – English Grammar Exercises for A2
You are posting updates on Facebook and Instagram about the new skills you are learning. Read your social media posts carefully and choose the best option (A, B, or C) to complete each sentence.
1 “I am so excited! After years of using the bus, I am finally learning ______ a car!”
(A) to drive
(B) driving
(C) drive
2 “Day 1 of my Italian course! My goal this year is to learn ______ Italian fluently.”
(A) speak
(B) speaking
(C) to speak
3 “I am tired of eating fast food every day. I bought a cookbook to learn ______ my own meals.”
(A) to cook
(B) cooking
(C) cook
4 “It is never too late to try something new. I am 30 years old and I am learning ______ today!”
(A) swim
(B) to swim
(C) swimming
5 “Look at my new guitar! I can’t wait to learn ______ all my favorite pop songs.”
(A) playing
(B) to play
(C) play
6 “Week 2 of my coding bootcamp. Today, we are learning ______ a basic website.”
(A) to build
(B) building
(C) build
7 “I just bought a new sketchbook and some pencils. I want to learn ______ portraits.”
(A) draw
(B) drawing
(C) to draw
8 “Did you know I am learning ______ my own clothes? Look at this beautiful shirt I made!”
(A) to make
(B) making
(C) make
9 “I am taking fitness classes at the local gym. I want to learn ______ weights safely.”
(A) lifting
(B) lift
(C) to lift
10 “I am so proud of my grandmother! She is 75 years old and she is learning ______ a smartphone.”
(A) use
(B) to use
(C) using
11 “Tomorrow is my first lesson at the farm! I am finally going to learn ______ a horse.”
(A) to ride
(B) riding
(C) ride
12 “Baking class, day one! I hope I can learn ______ a chocolate cake without burning it.”
(A) bake
(B) to bake
(C) baking
13 “Does anyone want to learn ______ salsa with me? The dance classes start next week!”
(A) to dance
(B) dancing
(C) dance
14 “I am watching YouTube tutorials right now. I need to learn ______ the broken sink in my bathroom.”
(A) fixing
(B) fix
(C) to fix
15 “It is so much fun to learn ______ professional photos with a real camera!”
(A) to take
(B) taking
(C) take
16 “I am practicing Spanish every single day. I must learn ______ well before my trip to Madrid.”
(A) communicating
(B) communicate
(C) to communicate
17 “I joined a tennis club today! I am ready to learn ______ a new sport.”
(A) to play
(B) playing
(C) play
18 “I am taking a personal finance class. It is important to learn ______ money properly.”
(A) manage
(B) to manage
(C) managing
19 “I just signed up for a yoga retreat. I want to learn ______ and relax my mind.”
(A) to meditate
(B) meditating
(C) meditate
20 “I am so proud of myself today. I finally learned ______ a bicycle at age 25!”
(A) riding
(B) ride
(C) to ride
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (A) to drive
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: The verb learn requires a to-infinitive to express the skill you are trying to acquire.
- Why others are wrong: (B) “driving” is a gerund, which is a very common learner mistake after learn. (C) “drive” is a bare infinitive missing “to”.
2 (C) to speak
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: “Learn + to-infinitive”.
- Why others are wrong: (A) “speak” lacks “to”. (B) “speaking” is a gerund error.
3 (A) to cook
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: “Learn + to-infinitive”.
- Why others are wrong: (B) “cooking” is a gerund. (C) “cook” lacks “to”.
4 (B) to swim
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: “Learn + to-infinitive”.
- Why others are wrong: (A) “swim” lacks “to”. (C) “swimming” is a gerund error.
5 (B) to play
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: “Learn + to-infinitive”.
- Why others are wrong: (A) “playing” is a gerund. (C) “play” lacks “to”.
6 (A) to build
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: “Learn + to-infinitive” expresses the goal of the coding class.
- Why others are wrong: (B) “building” is incorrect. (C) “build” lacks “to”.
7 (C) to draw
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: “Learn + to-infinitive”.
- Why others are wrong: (A) “draw” lacks “to”. (B) “drawing” is a gerund error.
8 (A) to make
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: “Learn + to-infinitive”.
- Why others are wrong: (B) “making” is a gerund. (C) “make” lacks “to”.
9 (C) to lift
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: “Learn + to-infinitive”.
- Why others are wrong: (A) “lifting” is incorrect. (B) “lift” lacks “to”.
10 (B) to use
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: “Learn + to-infinitive”.
- Why others are wrong: (A) “use” lacks “to”. (C) “using” is a gerund error.
11 (A) to ride
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: “Learn + to-infinitive”.
- Why others are wrong: (B) “riding” is a gerund. (C) “ride” lacks “to”.
12 (B) to bake
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: “Learn + to-infinitive”.
- Why others are wrong: (A) “bake” lacks “to”. (C) “baking” is incorrect.
13 (A) to dance
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: “Learn + to-infinitive”.
- Why others are wrong: (B) “dancing” is a gerund. (C) “dance” lacks “to”.
14 (C) to fix
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: “Learn + to-infinitive”.
- Why others are wrong: (A) “fixing” is a gerund error. (B) “fix” lacks “to”.
15 (A) to take
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: “Learn + to-infinitive”.
- Why others are wrong: (B) “taking” is incorrect. (C) “take” lacks “to”.
16 (C) to communicate
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: “Learn + to-infinitive”.
- Why others are wrong: (A) “communicating” is a gerund. (B) “communicate” lacks “to”.
17 (A) to play
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: “Learn + to-infinitive”.
- Why others are wrong: (B) “playing” is a gerund error. (C) “play” lacks “to”.
18 (B) to manage
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: “Learn + to-infinitive”.
- Why others are wrong: (A) “manage” lacks “to”. (C) “managing” is incorrect.
19 (A) to meditate
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: “Learn + to-infinitive”.
- Why others are wrong: (B) “meditating” is a gerund. (C) “meditate” lacks “to”.
20 (C) to ride
Explanation: – Why it’s correct: Even when the verb is in the past tense (learned), it is still followed by the to-infinitive to describe the acquired skill.
- Why others are wrong: (A) “riding” is a gerund error. (B) “ride” lacks “to”.
GRAMMAR POINTS TO REMEMBER
- The Grammar Rule: When we talk about acquiring a new skill or knowledge, the verb learn is followed by the “to-infinitive” (to + Verb).
- Example: “I am learning to speak Spanish.”
- Why do we use it? (The Function): The to-infinitive points to a goal or purpose. When you learn, your ultimate goal is to be able to perform that action in the future.
- The Common Mistake: Many learners incorrectly use the gerund (-ing form) after the verb learn.
- Wrong: I am learning driving.
- Right: I am learning to drive.
- “Learn how to”: Note that native speakers also frequently say learn how to + Verb (e.g., “I am learning how to cook”). This means exactly the same thing and is perfectly correct at the A2 level and beyond.