Gerund (V-ing) vs. Infinitive (To V) – English Grammar Exercises for B1

1 (C)

• Why it is correct (The Key): “Remember + V-ing” is used to recall a past experience. You are replaying the memory of the car ride.
• Error Analysis: (A) “To go” means remembering a task you must do in the future (Common Mistake). (B) Past tense “went” cannot follow the verb “remember” (Strong Distractor). (D) Bare infinitive is structurally incorrect (Structural Error).

2 (A)

• Why it is correct (The Key): You are recalling the action of building the sandcastle in your mind, so the gerund (V-ing) is required.
• Error Analysis: (B) “To build” implies a future obligation (Common Mistake). (C) Bare infinitive (Structural Error). (D) Past participle is incorrect here (Strong Distractor).

3 (B)

• Why it is correct (The Key): The sentence describes the memory of a past action (crying).
• Error Analysis: (A) “To cry” changes the meaning to remembering a future task (Common Mistake). (C) Bare infinitive is structurally wrong (Structural Error). (D) “Was crying” is a conjugated verb and cannot act as the object of “remember” (Strong Distractor).

4 (C)

• Why it is correct (The Key): You can use an object (Mom) before the gerund (packing) to specify who you remember doing the action.
• Error Analysis: (A) Bare infinitive (Structural Error). (B) “To packing” mixes two structures incorrectly (Strong Distractor). (D) “To pack” implies you reminded Mom to do her chore, not that you are recalling the image of her doing it (Common Mistake).

5 (A)

• Why it is correct (The Key): Recalling the continuous action of chasing birds on the beach requires the gerund.
• Error Analysis: (B) Past tense is structurally incorrect after the main verb (Strong Distractor). (C) “To chase” implies a forgotten duty (Common Mistake). (D) Bare infinitive is wrong (Structural Error).

6 (C)

• Why it is correct (The Key): The memory of discovering the starfish is an event that happened, thus requiring V-ing.
• Error Analysis: (A) “Found” is a past tense verb, which cannot serve as the object of another verb (Strong Distractor). (B) “To find” alters the meaning to a future task (Common Mistake). (D) Bare infinitive is incorrect (Structural Error).

7 (C)

• Why it is correct (The Key): Remembering a past emotion or state of being also takes the V-ing form.
• Error Analysis: (A) “To feeling” is a mixed, invalid structure (Structural Error). (B) Bare infinitive (Structural Error). (D) “To feel” implies you remembered that you needed to feel a certain way, which makes no sense contextually (Common Mistake/Meaning Trap).

8 (A)

• Why it is correct (The Key): The accident of dropping the ice cream is a specific past memory replaying in the speaker’s head.
• Error Analysis: (B) “To drop” implies you had an obligation to drop your ice cream and you remembered to do it (Common Mistake/Meaning Trap). (C) Past tense verb cannot follow “remember” (Strong Distractor). (D) Bare infinitive (Structural Error).

9 (B)

• Why it is correct (The Key): Laughing is the action being vividly recalled from the childhood trip.
• Error Analysis: (A) Bare infinitive (Structural Error). (C) “To laugh” suggests remembering a task, losing the nostalgic context (Common Mistake). (D) Past tense is grammatically invalid here (Strong Distractor).

10 (B)

• Why it is correct (The Key): The image of sleeping in the car is a recalled past experience.
• Error Analysis: (A) Bare infinitive (Structural Error). (C) Past tense verb is invalid after the main verb (Strong Distractor). (D) “To sleep” means remembering you had to go to bed, not recalling the memory of the ride (Common Mistake).

11 (A)

• Why it is correct (The Key): “Be” becomes “being” when used as a gerund to recall a past state (being scared).
• Error Analysis: (B) “To be” changes the meaning entirely to a future obligation (Common Mistake). (C) “Am” is a conjugated verb, structurally wrong (Structural Error). (D) Bare infinitive (Strong Distractor).

12 (D)

• Why it is correct (The Key): “Dad telling us” combines the object (Dad) and the gerund (telling) to recall a specific scene.
• Error Analysis: (A) “To tell” implies you remembered to ask him to tell a story (Common Mistake). (B) Bare infinitive (Structural Error). (C) Past tense is grammatically impossible here (Strong Distractor).

13 (D)

• Why it is correct (The Key): The act of collecting shells is a past event brought back to mind.
• Error Analysis: (A) Bare infinitive (Structural Error). (B) “To collect” implies it was a chore you didn’t forget to do (Common Mistake). (C) Past tense is invalid (Strong Distractor).

14 (D)

• Why it is correct (The Key): Recalling the past action of hiding from the dog.
• Error Analysis: (A) Past tense verb (Strong Distractor). (B) Bare infinitive (Structural Error). (C) “To hide” means you remembered you needed to hide as a task (Common Mistake).

15 (A)

• Why it is correct (The Key): This is a passive gerund (being + V3). The speaker recalls the memory of receiving the action (being carried by Dad).
• Error Analysis: (B) “To carry” is active and implies a future task (Common Mistake). (C) “Carrying” means the 5-year-old was carrying Dad, which is illogical (Strong Distractor/Meaning Trap). (D) “To be carried” is a passive infinitive, implying an obligation rather than a memory (Structural Error).

16 (A)

• Why it is correct (The Key): Losing the toy is a past event that is being remembered.
• Error Analysis: (B) Bare infinitive (Structural Error). (C) Past tense (Strong Distractor). (D) “To lose” means you remembered that you were supposed to lose the toy, which makes no sense (Common Mistake/Meaning Trap).

17 (B)

• Why it is correct (The Key): To make a gerund negative, simply place “not” before the V-ing (“not knowing”).
• Error Analysis: (A) “To not know” is an infinitive structure, wrong for past memories (Common Mistake). (C) “Didn’t know” is a conjugated verb phrase and cannot act as an object (Strong Distractor). (D) “Not to know” is the negative infinitive, wrong context (Structural Error).

18 (A)

• Why it is correct (The Key): “Feeling” correctly captures the memory of the physical sensation.
• Error Analysis: (B) “To feel” implies a future task (Common Mistake). (C) “Having felt” (Perfect Gerund) is grammatically acceptable but overly complex and less natural than the simple gerund for this direct sensory memory (Strong Distractor). (D) Past tense verb (Structural Error).

19 (C)

• Why it is correct (The Key): Another passive gerund. You remember the experience of receiving a scolding/instruction (“being told”).
• Error Analysis: (A) “Telling” implies the 5-year-old was giving the orders to the lifeguard (Strong Distractor/Meaning Trap). (B) Passive infinitive, implying a future duty (Common Mistake). (D) Active infinitive (Structural Error).

20 (A)

• Why it is correct (The Key): A negative gerund (“not wanting”) beautifully describes the past mental state of refusing to leave.
• Error Analysis: (B) “Not to want” is an infinitive, breaking the memory rule (Common Mistake). (C) “Didn’t want” is a conjugated verb, structurally invalid after “remember” (Strong Distractor). (D) Present tense verb phrase (Structural Error).

1. Remember + V-ing (Recalling the Past):
• Use the gerund (V-ing) when you are playing a memory in your head like a video. It means the action happened first, and now you are thinking about it.
• Example: “I remember going to the beach.” (I went to the beach, and now I have a memory of it).
2. Remember + To V (Future Tasks/Obligations):
• Use the infinitive (To V) when you must not forget to do something. The “remembering” happens first, and the action happens second.
• Example: “I remembered to lock the door.” (I didn’t forget my task; I remembered, and then I locked it).
3. Advanced Structures with V-ing:
• Negative Memories: Simply add not before the V-ing (e.g., I remember not knowing how to swim).
• Passive Memories: If the action was done to you, use being + Past Participle (V3) (e.g., I remember being carried by my Dad).