Question 1
There is no point in _____ the washing out because it keeps _____.
After a preposition (There is no point in) we use the -ing form: hanging. The verb keep, meaning 'continue', is also followed by -ing: it keeps showering (it keeps raining briefly, again and again). Not to hang / to shower, because neither in nor keep takes an infinitive.
Question 2
I dislike spending my time _____, so I prefer _____ clothes made from synthetic fabrics.
The pattern spend (time) + -ing requires ironing: I spend hours ironing. Prefer can take either -ing or to-infinitive, so buying is fine. Not to iron / to buy, because spend time to iron is incorrect.
Question 3
Don’t you think the assistant deserves _____ a day off after working so hard at the exhibition?
Deserve is followed by a to-infinitive. Here the assistant receives the day off, so we need the passive infinitive to be given. Not to give, which would mean the assistant gives a day off to someone else.
Question 4
In my opinion, it’s ridiculous _____ a computer as a present for a three-year-old child.
After it's + adjective (it's ridiculous, it's important, it's easy) we use a to-infinitive: it's ridiculous to buy a computer for a three-year-old.
Question 5
I don’t think I would enjoy _____ a cricket match as I don’t understand the rules.
Enjoy is always followed by the -ing form: enjoy watching. Not to watch, because enjoy never takes a to-infinitive.
Question 6
Because they both work at the family’s flower shop, they have agreed _____ about flowers at weekends.
Agree is followed by a to-infinitive. The negative goes before to: agree not to talk. Not not talking, because agree does not take -ing.
Question 7
_____ the old hospital would cost £1 million, so the council are considering _____ the building to developers.
A gerund is the natural subject of a sentence: Demolishing the old hospital would cost £1 million. Consider is followed by the -ing form: considering selling. Not To demolish / to sell: an infinitive subject is possible, but consider to sell is wrong.
Question 8
Being able to think quickly and having up-to-date knowledge of a language is essential for speakers _____ simultaneously.
The pattern is essential for + person + to-infinitive: essential for speakers to translate. The speakers do the translating, so an active infinitive is needed. Not to be translated, which would mean the speakers themselves are translated.
Question 9
In order to save money and energy, we are going to have double-glazed windows _____.
The causative have + object + past participle means we arrange for someone else to do the job: have windows installed. Not install or installing, because the windows do not do the action themselves.
Question 10
In his performance against Brazil, he proved himself _____ a skilled player.
The pattern prove oneself + to be means 'show by your actions that you are': he proved himself to be a skilled player. Not being: prove does not take -ing in this meaning.
Question 11
After the game, the players sat around _____ themselves on their performance.
After verbs of position such as sit, stand and lie, an -ing form describes what someone is doing at the same time: sat around congratulating themselves. Not being congratulated, because the players congratulate themselves (active).
Question 12
The photographs he took of the products were too dark _____ on the company’s website, so he’ll have to get some _____ professionally.
Too + adjective is followed by a to-infinitive. The photos would be used by someone, so the passive to be used fits. The causative get + object + past participle (get some taken professionally) means paying someone else to take them. Not to use / taking, because get some taking is wrong.
Question 13
The director of the play still hasn’t decided whom _____ in the role of the hero.
After decide (and similar verbs), a question word is followed by a to-infinitive: decide whom to cast, what to do, where to go. Not casting, because a wh-word is never followed by -ing in this pattern.
Question 14
Why don’t you go and ask a chemist _____ something _____ dry skin?
The pattern is ask + person + to-infinitive: ask a chemist to recommend. A to-infinitive after a noun can show its purpose: something to soothe dry skin (something that will soothe it). Not recommend / soothing, because ask someone recommend is wrong.
Question 15
The problem with Simon is that he thinks he can succeed _____ a degree without _____ any lectures.
Succeed takes the preposition in followed by -ing: succeed in gaining. After the preposition without we also use -ing: without attending. Not gaining / having attended, because succeed needs in.
Question 16
We have decided _____ a new Ford Focus, but we are not certain about which colour _____.
Decide is followed by a to-infinitive: decided to buy. A question word such as which colour is also followed by a to-infinitive: which colour to choose. Not buying / choosing, because decide does not take -ing.
Question 17
Wearing high-heeled shoes for long periods can result in women _____ too much pain from their feet _____ in active work.
Result in is followed by (object) + -ing: result in women suffering. The structure too much + noun + to-infinitive shows that something prevents an action: too much pain to continue in active work. Not to suffer, because a preposition (in) cannot be followed by a to-infinitive.
Question 18
His daughter persuaded him _____ his heart operation in a private hospital instead of waiting for one in a state hospital as she could see his condition _____ worse daily.
Persuade + person + to-infinitive: persuaded him to have his operation. After see + object, the -ing form describes an ongoing process: see his condition getting worse. Not from having: the pattern persuade someone from does not exist (we say dissuade someone from).
Question 19
I knew the answer, but I didn’t press the buzzer quickly enough _____ the prize.
Adjective/adverb + enough is followed by a to-infinitive: quickly enough to win the prize. Not winning, because enough takes a to-infinitive.
Question 20
Robert didn’t work as carefully last year as he does this year, and the boss had even threatened _____ him if he didn’t improve his work.
Threaten is followed by a to-infinitive: threatened to sack him. The boss does the sacking, so the infinitive is active. Not to be sacked, which would mean the boss himself was going to lose his job.
Question 21
I’d love _____ on my own, but I simply can’t afford _____ my own flat.
Would love refers to a specific wish and takes a to-infinitive: I'd love to live. Afford is also followed by a to-infinitive: can't afford to have. Not living / having, because afford does not take -ing.
Question 22
The receptionist never minds _____ with sending out the new catalogues.
Mind is always followed by the -ing form: never minds helping. Not to help, because mind never takes a to-infinitive.
Question 23
The manager likes _____ on all pricing decisions.
The manager is the person asked for an opinion, so we need a passive form: likes being consulted. Not to have consulted or having consulted: these are active and mean the manager consults other people.
Question 24
I am hoping _____ for the school basketball team next week.
Hope is followed by a to-infinitive. The speaker will be chosen by someone else, so the passive to be picked is needed. Not to pick, which would mean the speaker chooses the team.
Question 25
Your hair needs _____ before you go back to school.
Need + -ing has a passive meaning: Your hair needs cutting = Your hair needs to be cut. Not to cut, because the hair cannot cut anything. The passive infinitive to be cut would also be correct, but it is not an option here.
Question 26
The social worker gave the students a talk _____ them against _____ drugs.
A to-infinitive after a noun can show purpose: gave a talk to warn them. The preposition against is followed by -ing: warn against taking drugs. Not warning / taken, because against taken is wrong.
Question 27
He’s not in the habit _____ lies, but he had to make up an excuse _____ the afternoon off for his job interview.
The fixed phrase is be in the habit of + -ing: in the habit of telling lies. A to-infinitive after a noun shows purpose: an excuse to take the afternoon off. Not for telling, because habit takes the preposition of.
Question 28
In the Middle Ages, surrounding a castle with a ditch filled with water proved _____ a successful technique _____ its security.
Prove (meaning 'turn out') is followed by to be: proved to be a successful technique. Technique for + -ing expresses purpose: a technique for ensuring its security. Not having been / of ensuring, because prove does not take -ing in this meaning.
Question 29
The most effective way _____ the destructiveness of earthquakes is _____ buildings and other structures capable of withstanding strong shaking.
The way + to-infinitive is a common pattern: the most effective way to reduce. After is, a to-infinitive can explain what the way is: is to construct buildings. Not to be reduced / constructing: the way does not get reduced; it reduces the damage.
Question 30
The children were _____ giving up hope when someone phoned to say their dog had been found.
Be on the point of + -ing means 'be just about to do something': They were on the point of giving up when the phone rang. Not in the habit of, which describes a repeated action, not something about to happen once.
Question 31
_____ a doorman at a hotel consists _____ greeting guests and taking them to their rooms.
A gerund is the usual subject of a sentence describing an activity or job: Being a doorman. Consist is followed by of to list the parts of something: consists of greeting guests and taking them to their rooms. Not for, about or from: these are not used after consist.
Question 32
She should have apologized to him _____ spilling coffee down his suit.
The pattern is apologize to someone for + -ing: apologized for spilling coffee. Not about or of: apologize takes the preposition for.
Question 33
Sheep have been so changed by breeding that their wild ancestors are hard _____.
After adjective constructions such as hard, easy, difficult, we use an active to-infinitive even though the meaning is passive: their ancestors are hard to identify (= it is hard to identify them). Not being identified: the active infinitive is used in this pattern.
Question 34
Shopping for fruit and vegetables makes me _____ hungry.
Make + object is followed by the bare infinitive (without to): makes me feel hungry. Not to feel: to is used only in the passive (I was made to feel).
Question 35
We haven’t yet decided when _____ a meeting, so we’ll let you _____ as soon as we’ve fixed a date.
A question word after decide is followed by a to-infinitive: decided when to hold a meeting. Let + object takes the bare infinitive: let you know. Not holding / to know, because let you to know is wrong.
Question 36
Tobacco, which we now know _____ so harmful, was once thought _____ medicinal value.
Know and think in the patterns know/be thought + to-infinitive express beliefs: which we know to be harmful, was thought to have medicinal value. Present infinitives are used because the state (being harmful, having value) is at the same time as the knowing/thinking. Not to have been / having, because was thought having is wrong.
Question 37
His ability _____ well makes him a great teacher.
The noun ability is followed by a to-infinitive: his ability to communicate. Not communicating: we say ability to do, not ability doing.
Question 38
We should appreciate _____ in the 21st century when we have so many appliances _____ the hardships of our lives.
Appreciate is followed by the -ing form: appreciate living. A to-infinitive after a noun shows purpose: appliances to ease the hardships (appliances that ease them). Not to be living / easing, because appreciate does not take a to-infinitive.
Question 39
You don’t appear _____ the formula. Do you want me _____ it once more?
Appear takes a to-infinitive. The perfect infinitive to have understood refers to an earlier action (the explanation happened before now). Want + object + to-infinitive: want me to explain. Not understand / to have explained, because appear understand is wrong.
Question 40
My mother won’t allow anyone _____ the living room until she finishes _____.
Allow + person + to-infinitive: won't allow anyone to enter. Finish is always followed by -ing: finishes vacuuming. Not enter / to vacuum, because finish does not take a to-infinitive.
Print this test
Free worksheets for class or home