Gerunds or Infinitives — B2 Speaking Lab

1. Notice the pattern

Don't start with a long grammar lecture. Let the student notice the choices first.

GERUND = -ingTO-INFINITIVE = to + verbmeaning matters

🟦 Gerund

Use -ing as the subject/object of a sentence.

Studying is hard but interesting.

Use it after prepositions.

I'm interested in studying history.

🟪 Gerund after verbs

Common examples: admit, avoid, consider, enjoy, suggest, risk, can't stand, don't mind, hate, like, love.

I suggest studying this book.

🟩 Go + -ing

Use go + -ing for physical activities.

go running • go swimming • go cycling • go shopping • go fishing

🟨 To-infinitive

Use it to explain purpose.

Why did he go to university? To study languages.

Also after adjectives.

It's good to revise with other people.

🩷 To-infinitive triggers

After too, enough, the first, the last.

It's too cold to go out.

She was the first to notice.

🟦 Verb + to-infinitive

Common examples: want, learn, agree, decide, expect, hope, seem, would like, appear, arrange, ask, manage, help, promise.

I want to work for a newspaper.

2. Practice

Choose the form. Then say the completed sentence aloud — every answer becomes speaking practice.

3. Games

Three short games. Keep the pace high and make the student explain her choices.

🎴 Game 1 — Flip & Speak

Click a card. Speak for 30–45 seconds and use the highlighted structure naturally.

⚡ Game 2 — 60-second challenge

01:00

🕵️ Game 3 — Grammar detective

Which sentence is correct?

4. Production — Teen Life Decisions

No gap-filling now. The student has to choose the grammar while communicating.

🎬 Scenario A — The perfect weekend

You and a friend have one free weekend and €100. Plan it together. Include at least 3 gerunds and 3 infinitives.

Useful starters: “I’d suggest…”, “I’d like to…”, “What about…?”, “The first thing to do is…”, “I’m interested in…”

📱 Scenario B — Social media detox

Your friend wants to stop using social media for a month. Convince them either to do it or not to do it. Use at least 4 target structures.

🎓 Scenario C — Future choices

You are choosing an extracurricular activity for next year. Explain what you enjoy doing, what you hope to learn, what you don't mind doing, and what you want to avoid.

🏆 Final mission — One-minute opinion

Choose one statement and speak for one minute:

“Learning to fail is more important than learning to win.”
“Teenagers should spend less time trying to be productive.”
“The best way to learn something is to enjoy doing it.”

Rule: naturally use at least 5 different gerund/infinitive patterns.

5. Exit ticket

Quick reflection — finish the lesson with retrieval, not another explanation.

I can use a gerund after a preposition. I can use common verbs followed by -ing. I can use common verbs followed by to + infinitive. I can use to + infinitive to express purpose. I can use too/enough/the first/the last + to-infinitive.

🎤 Final question

What is one thing you really enjoy doing, one thing you hope to learn, and one thing you can't stand doing?

Challenge: answer without using the same verb pattern twice.