⚙️ Grammar · Verb Patterns: -ing & Infinitives
Meaning-Change Verbs (Remember, Stop, Try, Regret)
Four verbs where the ending you choose — -ing or to + verb — doesn’t just sound different, it changes what the sentence actually means.
Grammar › Verb Patterns: -ing & Infinitives › Meaning-Change Verbs
The rule in one sentenceWith remember, forget, stop, try and regret, the -ing form usually points back at a past action while the to-infinitive points forward to a duty, a purpose, or a formal announcement — My grandfather remembers watching Mrs. Miniver at the cinema (a memory) vs. my grandfather remembered to thank the usher (a duty).
Why does the ending change the meaning?
Most verbs that take -ing or a to-infinitive keep roughly the same meaning either way — Alfonso Cuarón loves filming/to film with handheld cameras means the same thing. But a small group of verbs genuinely change meaning depending on which one follows, and B2 learners need to know all of them cold, because native speakers use both forms constantly and expect you to catch the difference.
Remember and forget split past and future. The -ing form looks back at something that already happened — a memory: Park Chan-wook remembers watching Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham in cinemas as a teenager. The to-infinitive looks forward at a duty that still needs doing: Alfonso Cuarón remembered to shoot most of Children of Men on film stock rather than digitally.
Stop splits ending an activity from pausing for a different one. -ing means the activity itself is finished for good: Werner Herzog stopped filming Fitzcarraldo in the Amazon once shooting wrapped in 1982. The to-infinitive means the person paused whatever they were doing in order to do something else — the infinitive names the new, second action: Gregory Peck stopped to sign autographs outside the premiere.
🎬 Compare: “The crew tried using practical effects instead of CGI for the car-ambush scene in Children of Men” (testing an option, an experiment) vs. “The crew tried to film the entire sequence in a single take, which turned out to be extremely difficult” (a genuine effort, possibly a failed one).
Same verb, “try” — but -ing signals “let’s see if this works” and the to-infinitive signals “we made an effort, and it wasn’t easy”.
Regret splits an announcement from a feeling. The to-infinitive is reserved almost entirely for breaking bad news formally: We regret to announce that the Marvel panel at Comic-Con has been cancelled. The -ing form is the everyday meaning — feeling sorry about something you already did: Many fans regret seeing the Infernal Affairs ending spoiled online before the premiere.
How to build it
Remember / Forget
The animation team remembers building Ralph Breaks the Internet’s virtual world for months.
Don’t forget to watch the post-credits scene in every Marvel film.
Stop
Werner Herzog stopped filming in the Amazon after 1982.
Gregory Peck stopped to sign autographs outside the premiere.
Try
The crew tried using practical effects for Children of Men’s ambush scene.
Alfonso Cuarón tried to film the scene without any CGI at all.
Regret
Many fans regret seeing the Infernal Affairs ending spoiled online.
We regret to announce that the Metropolis restoration has been delayed.
When to use which
Use -ing when…
- You’re recalling something that already happened: Park Chan-wook remembers watching noir thrillers as a kid.
- An activity or habit is ending completely: Werner Herzog stopped filming in the Amazon once shooting wrapped.
- You’re testing a possible solution: The sound team tried recording the dialogue live.
- You feel sorry about a past decision: Fans regret reading the spoilers early.
Use to + verb when…
- You’re describing a duty that still needs doing: Remember to buy tickets before Ran starts.
- Someone pauses one activity for another purpose: Gregory Peck stopped to sign autographs.
- You’re describing a real, effortful attempt: Cuarón tried to film the ambush scene practically — it wasn’t easy.
- You’re formally announcing unwelcome news: We regret to inform fans that the panel is cancelled.
💡 Quick test: Before choosing, ask “Is this about something already finished, or something still to come?” Past memory or completed habit → -ing. A duty, a purpose, or a formal statement → to + verb. For “try”, ask instead: “Am I testing an option, or genuinely struggling?” — testing → -ing, struggling → to + verb.
Visual guide
Teacher Teddy’s illustrated guide to this rule is being drawn — the full swipe-through infographic will appear here soon.
Common mistakes
❌ Werner Herzog stopped to film Fitzcarraldo in the Amazon after 1982.
✅ Werner Herzog stopped filming Fitzcarraldo in the Amazon after 1982.
He ended the activity for good — that meaning needs -ing, not the “paused in order to” reading of the to-infinitive.
❌ The animation team remembers to build Ralph Breaks the Internet’s virtual world for months.
✅ The animation team remembers building Ralph Breaks the Internet’s virtual world for months.
This is a memory of a past experience — “remember” + -ing, not a forward-looking duty.
❌ Don’t forget seeing the trailer before Ran starts.
✅ Don’t forget to see the trailer before Ran starts.
This is a duty that still needs to happen — “forget” + to-infinitive, not -ing.
❌ We regret announcing that the Marvel panel has been cancelled.
✅ We regret to announce that the Marvel panel has been cancelled.
Formal bad news uses “regret” + to-infinitive — the -ing form would suggest you’re sorry about having already announced it.
Exceptions & tricky cases
Four situations that trip up even confident B2 learners.
1. “Forget” + -ing is rare and usually negative. It appears mostly in phrases like “never forget”, describing an unforgettable memory.
✅ I’ll never forget seeing Infernal Affairs in a packed cinema in 2002.
2. “Try” can be genuinely ambiguous — context decides. If difficulty is implied, it’s an effort (to-infinitive); if you’re weighing options, it’s an experiment (-ing).
✅ Cuarón tried to film the ambush scene practically — it was extremely hard. vs. Cuarón tried using practical rigging to see if it would work.
3. “Regret” + -ing often pairs with “ever”. This intensifies the sense of a past decision you now feel sorry about.
✅ Some fans regret ever watching the leaked Infernal Affairs footage before the premiere.
4. “Stop” + to-infinitive is technically a purpose infinitive, not stop’s object. That’s exactly why the meaning shifts so much — grammatically, “to sign autographs” answers “why did he stop?”, it isn’t the thing being stopped.
✅ Gregory Peck stopped [walking] to sign autographs outside the premiere.
Practice: choose the right form
Eight quick questions. Pick the answer you’d actually say — you get the explanation either way.
1. I’ll never forget ___ Infernal Affairs in a packed cinema in 2002.
A vivid past memory needs “forget” + -ing.
2. Don’t forget ___ your ticket before Ran starts.
A duty still to be done needs “forget” + to-infinitive.
3. Werner Herzog stopped ___ Fitzcarraldo in the Amazon once filming wrapped in 1982.
The activity ended completely, so it’s “stop” + -ing.
4. The actors on the set of The Best Years of Our Lives stopped ___ so the director could reset the cameras between takes.
They paused acting in order to rest — a purpose infinitive, “stop” + to-infinitive.
5. The crew tried ___ practical effects instead of CGI for the ambush scene in Children of Men.
They were testing an option, not struggling — “try” + -ing.
6. Alfonso Cuarón tried ___ the ambush scene without any CGI at all, which was extremely difficult.
Difficulty is stated directly — a genuine effort needs “try” + to-infinitive.
7. The studio regrets ___ that the Metropolis restoration has been delayed.
Formal bad news takes “regret” + to-infinitive.
8. Many fans regret ___ the Infernal Affairs ending spoiled online before the premiere.
Feeling sorry about a past experience takes “regret” + -ing.
Keep going
Related lessons in Verb Patterns: -ing & Infinitives:
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