Gerund (V-ing) vs. Infinitive (To V) – English Grammar Exercises for B1
Leaving sticky notes on the fridge or sending text messages to remind your roommate/family members of their duties before leaving the house. Choose the best option (A, B, C, or D) to complete each sentence. Read the context carefully. Keep in mind that you are assigning a task or reminding someone of an obligation that they must do in the near future.
1 Please remember ________ the front door before you leave for work today.
(A) to lock
(B) locking
(C) lock
(D) locked
2 Don’t forget ________ the air conditioner; electricity is very expensive right now!
(A) turning off
(B) turn off
(C) to turning off
(D) to turn off
3 Remember ________ the cat before you go. His food is on the top shelf.
(A) feed
(B) feeding
(C) fed
(D) to feed
4 Hey, please remember ________ out the trash. The garbage truck comes this morning.
(A) taking
(B) take
(C) to take
(D) took
5 Don’t forget ________ some milk on your way home. We are completely out.
(A) buy
(B) buying
(C) to buy
(D) bought
6 It looks like it might rain this afternoon, so remember ________ all the windows.
(A) close
(B) to close
(C) closing
(D) to closing
7 Don’t forget ________ the plants on the balcony. They need water every morning.
(A) to water
(B) watering
(C) water
(D) watered
8 Remember ________ the alarm before you go to bed tonight. You have an early meeting.
(A) to setting
(B) set
(C) setting
(D) to set
9 Safety first! Please remember ________ the iron immediately after you finish your shirts.
(A) unplugging
(B) to unplug
(C) unplug
(D) unplugged
10 I will be home late, so don’t forget ________ the spare key under the welcome mat.
(A) to leave
(B) leaving
(C) leave
(D) left
11 On your way back from the gym, remember ________ the mailbox. We are expecting a package.
(A) checking
(B) check
(C) to check
(D) checked
12 Don’t forget ________ me a quick message when you safely arrive at the office.
(A) send
(B) sending
(C) to send
(D) sent
13 I left $50 on the kitchen counter. Remember ________ the cleaner when she finishes.
(A) paying
(B) pay
(C) to paying
(D) to pay
14 The weather forecast predicts heavy snow later, so don’t forget ________ your winter coat.
(A) bringing
(B) to bring
(C) bring
(D) brought
15 If you are the last person to leave the apartment, remember ________ off the main electricity switch.
(A) turning
(B) turn
(C) to turn
(D) to turning
16 The landlord is coming for an inspection today, so remember ________ your dirty dishes in the sink.
(A) not leaving
(B) not to leave
(C) don’t leave
(D) to not leaving
17 Before you leave for your weekend trip, don’t forget ________ the fridge so the food doesn’t spoil.
(A) empty
(B) to emptying
(C) emptying
(D) to empty
18 Remember ________ the garage door as soon as you pull your car out.
(A) shut
(B) shutting
(C) to shut
(D) shutted
19 The neighbor’s cat is outside, so remember ________ the dog out without his leash.
(A) not letting
(B) don’t let
(C) didn’t let
(D) not to let
20 I am writing this sticky note so you won’t forget ________ the landlord about the broken pipe today.
(A) to call
(B) calling
(C) call
(D) to calling
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (A)
- Why it is correct (The Key): “Remember + To V” is used to remind someone of a task they need to do in the future.
- Error Analysis: (B) “Locking” implies they already locked it in the past and you want them to recall that memory, which makes no sense here (Strong Distractor/Meaning Trap). (C) Bare infinitive is a grammatical error (Common Mistake). (D) Past tense verb (Structural Error).
2 (D)
- Why it is correct (The Key): “Forget + To V” (usually in the negative “Don’t forget to”) is a command or reminder to perform a future duty.
- Error Analysis: (A) “Turning off” means forgetting a past memory of doing it (Strong Distractor/Meaning Trap). (B) Bare infinitive (Common Mistake). (C) Mixing “to” with a gerund (Structural Error).
3 (D)
- Why it is correct (The Key): Reminding the roommate to fulfill their responsibility of feeding the cat.
- Error Analysis: (A) Bare infinitive (Common Mistake). (B) “Feeding” means you want them to recall the memory of feeding the cat in the past (Strong Distractor/Meaning Trap). (C) Past tense verb (Structural Error).
4 (C)
- Why it is correct (The Key): Taking out the trash is a future obligation.
- Error Analysis: (A) Gerund used incorrectly for a future task (Strong Distractor/Meaning Trap). (B) Bare infinitive (Common Mistake). (D) Past tense (Structural Error).
5 (C)
- Why it is correct (The Key): “Don’t forget to buy” sets a goal for the roommate to complete on their way home.
- Error Analysis: (A) Bare infinitive (Common Mistake). (B) “Buying” would mean they bought it but forgot that they did it, which contradicts “We are completely out” (Strong Distractor/Meaning Trap). (D) Past tense (Structural Error).
6 (B)
- Why it is correct (The Key): Closing the windows is a required action before leaving.
- Error Analysis: (A) Bare infinitive (Common Mistake). (C) Gerund used for past memory, not future duty (Strong Distractor/Meaning Trap). (D) Invalid structure combining “to” and “-ing” (Structural Error).
7 (A)
- Why it is correct (The Key): A direct reminder to perform the chore of watering the plants.
- Error Analysis: (B) “Watering” means they already watered the plants but forgot the experience (Strong Distractor/Meaning Trap). (C) Bare infinitive (Common Mistake). (D) Past tense (Structural Error).
8 (D)
- Why it is correct (The Key): Setting the alarm is a task that must be completed before going to sleep.
- Error Analysis: (A) Mixing “to” and gerund (Structural Error). (B) Bare verb (Common Mistake). (C) “Setting” changes the meaning to a past memory (Strong Distractor/Meaning Trap).
9 (B)
- Why it is correct (The Key): A safety instruction requiring future action.
- Error Analysis: (A) “Unplugging” means recalling the past action of unplugging it (Strong Distractor/Meaning Trap). (C) Bare verb (Common Mistake). (D) Past tense (Structural Error).
10 (A)
- Why it is correct (The Key): The speaker is telling the roommate to do this action in the future.
- Error Analysis: (B) “Leaving” implies a forgotten past memory (Strong Distractor/Meaning Trap). (C) Bare infinitive (Common Mistake). (D) Past tense (Structural Error).
11 (C)
- Why it is correct (The Key): Checking the mail is an assigned task.
- Error Analysis: (A) Gerund used for a future obligation (Strong Distractor/Meaning Trap). (B) Bare verb (Common Mistake). (D) Past tense (Structural Error).
12 (C)
- Why it is correct (The Key): A reminder to complete the action of sending a text upon arrival.
- Error Analysis: (A) Bare infinitive (Common Mistake). (B) “Sending” means forgetting that you already sent it (Strong Distractor/Meaning Trap). (D) Past tense (Structural Error).
13 (D)
- Why it is correct (The Key): Paying the cleaner is the goal to be accomplished.
- Error Analysis: (A) “Paying” means the roommate already paid her but needs to remember doing it (Strong Distractor/Meaning Trap). (B) Bare infinitive (Common Mistake). (C) Invalid combination of “to” and V-ing (Structural Error).
14 (B)
- Why it is correct (The Key): “To bring” establishes the necessary action to take before stepping outside.
- Error Analysis: (A) “Bringing” refers to a past memory (Strong Distractor/Meaning Trap). (C) Bare verb (Common Mistake). (D) Past tense (Structural Error).
15 (C)
- Why it is correct (The Key): Turning off the switch is a conditional future duty.
- Error Analysis: (A) Gerund implies a past event (Strong Distractor/Meaning Trap). (B) Bare verb (Common Mistake). (D) Invalid grammar (Structural Error).
16 (B)
- Why it is correct (The Key): To make an infinitive negative, we put “not” directly before “to” (“not to leave”). It is a reminder to avoid doing something.
- Error Analysis: (A) “Not leaving” is a negative gerund, used for past memories (Strong Distractor/Meaning Trap). (C) “Don’t leave” acts as an imperative verb, which cannot follow “remember” (Structural Error). (D) “To not leaving” is grammatically broken (Structural Error).
17 (D)
- Why it is correct (The Key): Emptying the fridge is an obligatory chore before the trip.
- Error Analysis: (A) Bare verb (Common Mistake). (B) Invalid grammar (Structural Error). (C) “Emptying” means the fridge was already emptied in the past (Strong Distractor/Meaning Trap).
18 (C)
- Why it is correct (The Key): Shutting the door is an instruction to be followed later.
- Error Analysis: (A) Bare verb (Common Mistake). (B) Gerund implies a past memory (Strong Distractor/Meaning Trap). (D) “Shut” is an irregular verb, so “shutted” does not exist (Structural Error).
19 (D)
- Why it is correct (The Key): “Not to let” is the correct negative infinitive. It reminds the person of a rule they must follow.
- Error Analysis: (A) “Not letting” is a negative gerund for past memories (Strong Distractor/Meaning Trap). (B) “Don’t let” is a conjugated imperative, invalid here (Structural Error). (C) Past tense negative (Structural Error).
20 (A)
- Why it is correct (The Key): The sticky note’s purpose is to ensure the future action (calling the landlord) gets done.
- Error Analysis: (B) “Calling” means the roommate already called the landlord but forgot about it (Strong Distractor/Meaning Trap). (C) Bare verb (Common Mistake). (D) Broken structure (Structural Error).
GRAMMAR POINTS TO REMEMBER
- Remember / Don’t forget + To V (Future Tasks & Obligations):
- Use this structure when you want someone to perform an action. The “remembering” happens first, and the action happens second.
- Think of it like a To-Do list.
- Example: “Remember to lock the door.” (Don’t leave without locking it!)
- The Meaning Trap (Remember + V-ing):
- If you accidentally use the V-ing form, you completely change the meaning. “Remember + V-ing” means you are looking back at a memory of something that already happened in the past.
- Example: If you say, “Remember locking the door,” you are asking your roommate, “Hey, do you have a memory in your brain of locking the door yesterday?”
- Negative Reminders (Not To V):
- When you want to remind someone not to do something, place the word not immediately before the infinitive.
- Example: “Remember not to leave the lights on.” (Please turn them off). Do not use “don’t” after the word “remember.”