Grammar Comparisons
Side-by-side comparisons of the English grammar pairs learners ask about most. Each page has a quick-reference table, paired examples, and answers to the common questions.
A gerund is the -ing form used as a noun (reading, swimming). An infinitive is 'to' + base verb (to read, to swim). The choice usually depends on the verb that comes before — some take only gerunds, some take only infinitives, and a few take either with the same or a different meaning.
Use 'much' with uncountable nouns (water, time, money). Use 'many' with countable plural nouns (books, friends, people). Both appear most often in questions and negatives; in affirmatives, 'a lot of' usually sounds more natural.
Use present perfect when a past action is still relevant or the time period is unfinished. Use past simple when the action happened at a specific, finished time in the past.
Use 'since' with a specific point in time when something started ('since 2019', 'since Monday'). Use 'for' with a length of time ('for three years', 'for two hours'). Both typically pair with the present perfect to describe situations that began in the past and continue now.
Use 'will' for spontaneous decisions, promises, and predictions based on opinion. Use 'going to' for plans decided before the moment of speaking and predictions based on present evidence.