Study the rules, look at the examples, then do the exercises.
Very often in English, one verb is followed by a second verb: I want to go, I enjoy going. The big question at B1 is simple to ask but hard to master: does the second verb take the -ing form (the gerund) or the to form (the to-infinitive)? English does not choose randomly — the first verb decides.
Here is the core idea in one line: some verbs are always followed by a gerund (enjoy, avoid, finish), other verbs are always followed by a to-infinitive (want, decide, hope), and after a preposition we always use the gerund.
The gerund is the base verb + -ing; it behaves like a noun. The to-infinitive is to + the base verb. Both let you put a second verb into your sentence, but they are not interchangeable — the first verb (or a preposition) chooses one of them.
| Form | How to build it | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Gerund | verb + -ing (acts like a noun) | swimming, reading, going, being |
| To-infinitive | to + base verb | to swim, to read, to go, to be |
These common verbs are always followed by the -ing form. Learn them as a group and the choice becomes automatic.
| Verb | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| enjoy | I enjoy reading at night. | keyif almak |
| avoid | She avoids waking up early. | kaçınmak |
| finish | We finished painting the room. | bitirmek |
| mind | Do you mind waiting here? | sakınca görmek |
| suggest | He suggested taking a break. | önermek |
| keep | They kept talking during the film. | -meye devam etmek |
This second group is always followed by to + base verb. Many of them talk about plans, wishes and promises.
| Verb | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| want | I want to travel more. | istemek |
| decide | She decided to learn the guitar. | karar vermek |
| hope | We hope to see you soon. | ummak |
| promise | He promised to help me. | söz vermek |
| agree | They agreed to meet at six. | kabul etmek |
| learn | I learned to swim at eight. | öğrenmek |
This is one of the most useful rules in the whole unit: when a verb comes straight after a preposition (at, in, of, about, on, for...), it must be the gerund. Adjectives and nouns are often linked to a fixed preposition, so learn them together.
| Expression | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| good at + -ing | She is good at drawing. | -de iyi olmak |
| interested in + -ing | I'm interested in learning Spanish. | -e ilgi duymak |
| think about + -ing | We're thinking about joining a club. | -i düşünmek |
| before / after + -ing | Wash your hands before eating. | -den önce/sonra |
When you want to explain why you do something, use to + verb. It answers the question "What for?" — and it is much more natural than "for + -ing" here.
A few verbs can take either form — but the meaning changes completely. These are classic B1 exam traps, so read each row carefully.
| Verb | + gerund | + to-infinitive |
|---|---|---|
| stop | stop doing = end the activity (He stopped watching TV.) | stop to do = pause in order to do (He stopped to watch the birds.) |
| remember | remember doing = a memory (I remember locking it.) | remember to do = don't forget (Remember to lock it!) |
| forget | forget doing = forget a memory (I'll never forget seeing it.) | forget to do = fail to do it (I forgot to call.) |
These are the errors B1 students make most often with gerunds and infinitives. Check your own writing against this list.
| Wrong ✗ | Right ✓ | Why? |
|---|---|---|
| I enjoy to read books. | I enjoy reading books. | enjoy always takes the gerund. |
| She avoided to answer. | She avoided answering. | avoid always takes the gerund. |
| I'm interested in to learn art. | I'm interested in learning art. | after a preposition, use the gerund. |
| We decided going home. | We decided to go home. | decide always takes the to-infinitive. |
| I went there for buy a ticket. | I went there to buy a ticket. | purpose = to + verb, not "for + verb". |
Two friends talk about a new hobby. Read it twice and notice how the second verb changes form after each first verb or preposition.
Choose the correct answer. — 10 questions, each one is marked instantly. Questions get harder as you go.
Learn the words, then use them in your own sentences about your life.
Write 8 sentences about your habits, hobbies and goals. Use at least 8 of the words above.
Sentence starters (you can begin with these):
Değerlendirme öğretmenin tarafından yapılacak. (Your teacher will review your task.)
Read the text, then answer the questions.
Good readers prepare before they start. Before you read, think about these three questions (you do not need to write the answers):
Words to spot (from the Speaking section): habit · routine · avoid · give up · take up · improve · goal · manage
Deniz is ten years old, and she goes to a primary school near her home. Last year, she did not have any hobbies. After school, she only wanted to relax on the sofa. Every evening she spent hours watching cartoons and playing games on her tablet. Playing outside felt like too much effort, so staying inside became a daily habit. At the weekend, she preferred sitting at home to going to the park, and little by little her days became very quiet and boring.
Deniz enjoyed eating sweets while she watched her tablet, but she avoided playing any sport. Her friends often suggested joining a club after school; however, she always kept finding excuses. "Maybe next week," she said every time.
One rainy afternoon, Deniz felt very bored. Her mum sat next to her and said, "Why don't you try something new? You cannot keep watching cartoons every single day." Deniz remembered how much fun she used to have, so she finally decided to do something different. Although she wanted to give up the idea at first, she promised herself to try one new hobby for a whole month.
The next day at school, her best friend Mira invited her to the art club. Deniz was afraid of failing, however, so she promised to take just one small step. She decided to go only once and see what happened. To her surprise, she loved it! She spent the whole hour drawing animals and painting bright pictures.
Soon, drawing became Deniz's favourite hobby. Every afternoon she stopped watching her tablet and started drawing instead. While she was practising, she discovered that she was also quite good at swimming, so she began going to the pool with Mira twice a week.
The first two weeks were not always easy. Sometimes she felt like stopping, because drawing a good picture took a lot of patience. To stay happy, she kept a special notebook and drew one small picture every day. When she looked back at her early drawings, she was proud to see how much she had improved.
Now, Deniz is a different girl. She loves drawing and swimming, and she cannot imagine returning to her old habits. She still remembers feeling bored and lonely, and she never wants to feel like that again. Last month she even managed to win a small prize at her school's art show.
"How do you find new ideas?" Mira asked her one day. "I just try not to worry about the whole picture," Deniz replied. "I only think about drawing one line at a time. If you enjoy each small part, the big picture slowly takes care of itself."
These days, Deniz often tells her classmates the same simple advice. "Do not wait for the perfect day," she says, "because that day never comes. Choose one hobby you like, and keep practising it until it feels natural." For Deniz, the most important lesson was learning that a happy life is not about being the best; it is about enjoying the small steps and refusing to give up.
Choose the correct answer.
Are these sentences true or false, according to the text?
Complete each sentence with ONE word from the text. Mind the form (gerund or to-infinitive).
Write your answer in your own words. These questions are not marked automatically.
1. What made Deniz finally decide to try a new hobby?
2. Which hobby became Deniz's favourite, and what else was she good at?
3. Why does Deniz draw now? Do you think her advice to her classmates is good?
Find these connectors in the text — each one appears at least once: and, but, so, because, when, while, however, although, also. (You will use these same connectors in the Writing section.) Note them down, then check.
Speak with the unit's grammar, then drill it in the Practice Lab.
Read this conversation aloud two times — first as A, then as B. Notice every gerund and every to-infinitive in bold; you will use the same patterns in your own speaking in a moment.
Answer these questions out loud in full sentences. There is no single correct answer — the goal is to use the right verb pattern each time. (Sesli cevap ver; önemli olan doğru yapıyı kurman.)
Write down your spoken answers as a short dialogue or 5-6 sentences and submit them to your teacher — if you like. (Write your answers and submit them for feedback — optional.) Use at least three different verb patterns from this unit.
Değerlendirme öğretmenin tarafından yapılacak. (Your teacher will review your speaking task.)
10 quick questions on gerunds and infinitives. Each one is marked instantly, and the questions get harder as you go.
Write and submit your paragraph; your teacher will review it.
A list of short, separate sentences is not real writing. What connects your ideas is linking words. At A2 you used and, but, so, because. At B1 you add four more powerful connectors: also, when, while, although and however. These let you show contrast, background events and extra information like a confident writer.
| Connector | Use it to... | Example |
|---|---|---|
| and | add information | I enjoy running, and I have started swimming too. |
| but | show a small contrast | I wanted to give up, but I kept going. |
| so | show a result | I'm good at cooking, so I decided to take a class. |
| because | give a reason | I exercise because it makes me happy. |
| also | add an extra point | I have learned to swim. I have also taken up cycling. |
| when | say at what past time | When I was younger, I avoided drawing. |
| while | two things at the same time | While I was at school, I decided to take up art. |
| although | show a strong contrast | Although it was hard, I managed to continue. |
| however | contrast between two sentences | I planned to stop. However, I kept practising. |
See the difference — the same facts, written two ways:
| Separate sentences ✗ | Connected, fluent writing ✓ |
|---|---|
| I decided to take up art. I enjoyed watching cartoons. It was hard. I kept going. I draw every day now. | I decided to take up art, although I enjoyed watching cartoons. It was hard, but I kept going, so now I draw every day. |
A "habits and goals" paragraph has three parts. The skeleton stays the same every time — you change the content, not the structure:
| Part | What to write | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Opening | A general topic sentence about what you enjoy doing | I enjoy keeping active, and I have several hobbies. |
| 2. Body | Habits and decisions. Use gerunds after enjoy/avoid/keep, to-infinitives after decide/want/plan, and link with connectors. | Last year I decided to take up running. Although it was hard, I kept training. |
| 3. Closing | A goal for the future, with a to-infinitive | In the future, I hope to win my school's art show. |
Write about your habits, hobbies and goals. Use gerunds and to-infinitives accurately.
Değerlendirme öğretmenin tarafından yapılacak. (Your teacher will evaluate your writing.)
Mixed questions from the whole unit, then check what you can do.
14 questions: grammar + vocabulary + reading + practice. Each question is marked instantly.
Tick what you can do now. Honest answers help your teacher.
İşaretlemediğin madde varsa ilgili bölüme dönüp tekrar çalış — soldaki menüden her bölüme geri dönebilirsin.
Oturum kontrol ediliyor...