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
My cousin Kaan had always wanted to learn to play the guitar. For years he loved listening to music, but he never imagined playing it himself. He thought that learning an instrument was only for very talented people. Then, on his eleventh birthday, his uncle gave him an old guitar, and everything changed.
At first, Kaan was excited about starting. He decided to teach himself by watching videos on the internet. However, he soon discovered that playing the guitar was much harder than it looked. His fingers hurt, the strings buzzed, and he could not remember where to put his hands. After a week, he felt like giving up. "Maybe I am just not talented," he thought sadly.
Luckily, his music teacher at school, Miss Ela, noticed that he looked unhappy. When he told her about the guitar, she smiled. "Nobody is born knowing how to play," she said. "Learning a new skill always feels difficult at the beginning. The secret is to keep practising a little every day, and to stop comparing yourself with others." She advised him to practise for only fifteen minutes each evening, instead of trying to learn everything at once.
Although he still felt nervous, Kaan decided to follow her advice. He gave up watching television after dinner and started practising instead. To help himself, he made a simple plan: first he practised one chord until it sounded clear, and then he learned the next one. He avoided rushing, and he tried not to worry about mistakes. Slowly, his fingers grew stronger, so the buzzing stopped.
The first month was not always fun. Sometimes Kaan wanted to throw the guitar across the room, because a new song seemed impossible. While those days were hard, he remembered Miss Ela's words and kept going. He also started recording himself once a week, so that he could hear his progress. He noticed that practising with a friend helped too, so he sometimes played simple songs with his classmate Bora, and they encouraged each other. When he listened to his early recordings, he could not believe how much he had improved.
After three months, Kaan managed to play his first whole song without stopping. He was so proud that he could hardly speak. His little sister clapped, and even his parents were surprised. "I never thought you would keep practising for so long," his mum said with a smile.
Learning the guitar taught Kaan something important about every new skill. He realised that talent is not the most important thing. What really matters is patience and practice. "At the start, I wanted to be perfect immediately," he told his friends. "Now I know that learning means enjoying the small steps and refusing to give up when things get hard."
These days, Kaan practises without being told, because he truly loves it. He has even decided to learn a second skill: he wants to start cooking, so that he can make dinner for his family once a week. His mum was happy to teach him, and Kaan discovered that cooking, like music, is all about patience and practice.
Whenever a friend says, "I could never learn to do that," Kaan gives the same reply. "You can learn almost anything," he says, "if you are ready to practise every day and to keep trying after your mistakes. The hardest part is simply beginning." For Kaan, learning new skills has become the best kind of adventure, and he cannot wait to find out what he will try next.
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. Why did Kaan almost give up in the first week?
2. What plan did Kaan follow to get better at the guitar?
3. What is Kaan's advice about learning a new skill? Do you agree?
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 "learning a skill" 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 the skill you are learning | I enjoy learning new skills, and this year I chose the guitar. |
| 2. Body | Your decisions and practice. Use gerunds after enjoy/avoid/keep, to-infinitives after decide/want/plan, and link with connectors. | Last year I decided to learn the guitar. Although it was hard, I kept practising. |
| 3. Closing | A goal for the future, with a to-infinitive | In the future, I hope to learn a second skill. |
Write about a skill you have learned or want to learn (an instrument, a sport, cooking, coding...). 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...