Gerund (V-ing) vs. Infinitive (To V) – English Grammar Exercises for B1
Explaining to your boss why the final report is slightly delayed due to unexpected workplace interruptions. Choose the best option (A, B, C, or D) to complete each sentence. Read the context carefully. Keep in mind that you are explaining that you had to pause your main work in order to deal with an urgent priority.
1 I was working on the budget report, but I had to stop ________ an urgent call from our biggest client.
(A) answering
(B) to answer
(C) answer
(D) for answering
2 On my way to your office with the documents, I stopped ________ Sarah fix the jammed printer.
(A) to help
(B) helping
(C) help
(D) for help
3 The accounting system suddenly crashed, so we all stopped ________ our computers.
(A) restart
(B) restarting
(C) for restarting
(D) to restart
4 While I was typing the executive summary, I stopped ________ the financial figures on page three.
(A) to double-check
(B) double-checking
(C) double-check
(D) double-checked
5 I am sorry for the slight delay. I had to stop ________ for a delivery package that arrived at the front desk.
(A) signing
(B) sign
(C) to sign
(D) signed
6 We were discussing the project timeline when I suddenly stopped ________ a quick note.
(A) for taking
(B) to take
(C) taking
(D) take
7 I was organizing the quarterly files, but I stopped ________ a confused customer in the lobby.
(A) assist
(B) assisting
(C) for assisting
(D) to assist
8 Halfway through editing the document, I stopped ________ to the CEO’s urgent email.
(A) replying
(B) reply
(C) to reply
(D) replied
9 The fire alarm went off while I was writing, so I stopped ________ the building safely.
(A) to evacuate
(B) evacuating
(C) evacuate
(D) for evacuating
10 I was compiling the sales data when I stopped ________ the missing folder in the archive.
(A) find
(B) to find
(C) finding
(D) found
11 While drafting the conclusion, I stopped ________ the IT department about a network error.
(A) asking
(B) ask
(C) asked
(D) to ask
12 I was printing the final drafts, but I had to stop ________ the empty ink cartridge.
(A) replacing
(B) to replace
(C) replace
(D) replaced
13 As I was reading the long contract, I stopped ________ a cup of coffee to stay awake.
(A) to grab
(B) grab
(C) grabbing
(D) for grabbing
14 I was analyzing the marketing budget, but I stopped ________ the mandatory 10 AM safety briefing.
(A) attend
(B) attending
(C) to attend
(D) for attending
15 While calculating the monthly profits, I stopped ________ the new tax policy you sent.
(A) to review
(B) reviewing
(C) review
(D) reviewed
16 I was writing the introduction, but I stopped ________ the regional director who walked in.
(A) greeting
(B) greet
(C) to greet
(D) for greeting
17 While updating the spreadsheet, I stopped ________ my screen when the power flickered.
(A) to lock
(B) locking
(C) lock
(D) locked
18 I was proofreading the final page when I stopped ________ the coffee I accidentally spilled on my desk.
(A) cleaning
(B) to clean
(C) clean
(D) cleaned
19 I was finalizing the presentation slides, but I had to stop ________ an important document from reception.
(A) to pick up
(B) picking up
(C) pick up
(D) picked up
20 The construction noise outside was so loud that I stopped ________ the office window.
(A) closing
(B) close
(C) closed
(D) to close
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (B)
- Why it is correct (The Key): “Stop + To V” means to pause an ongoing activity in order to do a new one. You stopped your work in order to answer the phone.
- Error Analysis: (A) “Answering” means you completely quit the habit of answering the phone (Meaning Trap). (C) Bare infinitive is structurally invalid (Structural Error). (D) “For answering” is a common error for expressing human intent (Common Mistake).
2 (A)
- Why it is correct (The Key): You paused your walk in order to help Sarah.
- Error Analysis: (B) “Helping” implies you quit being a helpful person, which changes the meaning entirely (Meaning Trap). (C) Bare infinitive (Structural Error). (D) “For help” means you stopped to ask for help, not to give it (Strong Distractor).
3 (D)
- Why it is correct (The Key): The staff paused their work in order to restart the computers.
- Error Analysis: (A) Bare infinitive (Structural Error). (B) “Restarting” implies they gave up the habit of restarting computers (Meaning Trap). (C) “For restarting” is grammatically incorrect for expressing purpose (Common Mistake).
4 (A)
- Why it is correct (The Key): You paused your typing to check the numbers.
- Error Analysis: (B) “Double-checking” means you quit the habit of checking your work, which would be terrible to tell a boss! (Strong Distractor/Meaning Trap). (C) Bare infinitive (Structural Error). (D) Past tense verb (Structural Error).
5 (C)
- Why it is correct (The Key): You interrupted your current task to go and sign for a package.
- Error Analysis: (A) “Signing” implies you permanently quit signing packages (Meaning Trap). (B) Bare infinitive (Structural Error). (D) Past participle (Structural Error).
6 (B)
- Why it is correct (The Key): You paused the conversation to take a note.
- Error Analysis: (A) “For taking” is incorrect for stating a person’s purpose (Common Mistake). (C) “Taking” means you quit taking notes forever (Meaning Trap). (D) Bare infinitive (Structural Error).
7 (D)
- Why it is correct (The Key): You paused organizing files to go help the customer.
- Error Analysis: (A) Bare infinitive (Structural Error). (B) “Assisting” means you stopped being an assistant (Meaning Trap). (C) “For assisting” (Common Mistake).
8 (C)
- Why it is correct (The Key): You paused editing the document to reply to an email.
- Error Analysis: (A) “Replying” means you decided to never reply to the CEO again (Strong Distractor/Meaning Trap). (B) Bare verb (Structural Error). (D) Past tense (Structural Error).
9 (A)
- Why it is correct (The Key): You stopped writing in order to leave the building safely.
- Error Analysis: (B) “Evacuating” means you quit the habit of evacuating (Meaning Trap). (C) Bare verb (Structural Error). (D) “For evacuating” (Common Mistake).
10 (B)
- Why it is correct (The Key): You paused your data work to go find a folder.
- Error Analysis: (A) Bare infinitive (Structural Error). (C) “Finding” means you quit finding things (Meaning Trap). (D) Past tense (Structural Error).
11 (D)
- Why it is correct (The Key): You interrupted your drafting process to ask a question.
- Error Analysis: (A) “Asking” means you gave up the habit of asking questions (Meaning Trap). (B) Bare verb (Structural Error). (C) Past tense verb (Structural Error).
12 (B)
- Why it is correct (The Key): You paused the printing process to replace the ink.
- Error Analysis: (A) “Replacing” means you permanently quit changing ink cartridges (Strong Distractor/Meaning Trap). (C) Bare infinitive (Structural Error). (D) Past tense (Structural Error).
13 (A)
- Why it is correct (The Key): You stopped reading the contract temporarily to go get coffee.
- Error Analysis: (B) Bare verb (Structural Error). (C) “Grabbing” implies you quit the habit of getting coffee (Meaning Trap). (D) “For grabbing” (Common Mistake).
14 (C)
- Why it is correct (The Key): You paused your budget analysis to go to a meeting.
- Error Analysis: (A) Bare verb (Structural Error). (B) “Attending” means you quit going to briefings (Meaning Trap). (D) “For attending” (Common Mistake).
15 (A)
- Why it is correct (The Key): You paused the calculations to look at a new policy.
- Error Analysis: (B) “Reviewing” means you stopped the habit of reviewing policies (Meaning Trap). (C) Bare infinitive (Structural Error). (D) Past tense (Structural Error).
16 (C)
- Why it is correct (The Key): You stopped writing to say hello to the director.
- Error Analysis: (A) “Greeting” implies you decided to never greet the director again, which is very rude! (Strong Distractor/Meaning Trap). (B) Bare verb (Structural Error). (D) “For greeting” (Common Mistake).
17 (A)
- Why it is correct (The Key): You stopped your work in order to lock your screen.
- Error Analysis: (B) “Locking” means you broke the habit of securing your computer (Meaning Trap). (C) Bare infinitive (Structural Error). (D) Past tense (Structural Error).
18 (B)
- Why it is correct (The Key): You interrupted your proofreading to clean up a mess.
- Error Analysis: (A) “Cleaning” means you stopped being a clean person (Meaning Trap). (C) Bare verb (Structural Error). (D) Past tense (Structural Error).
19 (A)
- Why it is correct (The Key): You stopped making slides to go get a document.
- Error Analysis: (B) “Picking up” means you quit the habit of picking things up (Meaning Trap). (C) Bare verb (Structural Error). (D) Past tense (Structural Error).
20 (D)
- Why it is correct (The Key): You paused what you were doing to shut the window.
- Error Analysis: (A) “Closing” means you gave up the habit of closing windows (Meaning Trap). (B) Bare verb (Structural Error). (C) Past tense (Structural Error).
GRAMMAR POINTS TO REMEMBER
- Stop + To V (Interruption & Purpose):
- Use this structure when you pause or interrupt what you are currently doing in order to do a new, often urgent, action. The “To V” tells us your goal or destination.
- Example: “I was typing an email, but I stopped to answer the phone.” (I paused my typing. Why? To answer the phone).
- Stop + V-ing (Quitting a Habit):
- Use this structure when you completely quit a habit or finish an action permanently.
- Example: “I stopped smoking.” (I don’t smoke anymore).
- The Danger of Mixing Them Up:
- If you tell your boss, “I stopped checking my emails,” you are saying you quit your job responsibilities!
- If you tell your boss, “I stopped to check my emails,” you are politely explaining that you paused your work to prioritize communication. Context changes everything!