structure · neutral

remember/forget + V-ing (memory of past) vs remember/forget + to + V (do something)

Band 4-5speakingtask2

'V-ing' after remember/forget refers to recalling a past action; 'to + V' refers to remembering/forgetting to perform a future/necessary action.

Examples

“I remember locking the door.”

“I remembered to lock the door before I left.”

“She forgot meeting him at the party.”

Band 8 sentence

“I forgot locking my bike in the rack, so I had to retrace my steps when I couldn't find it.”

Collocations

  • remember doing something
  • remember to do something

Word family

remember + V-ing verb phraseremember to + V verb phraseforget + V-ing verb phraseforget to + V verb phrase

Common mistakes

I remember to lock the door yesterday.→I remembered locking the door yesterday.

I forgot lock the window.→I forgot to lock the window.

Say it for a higher band

5forget + V (omit to)→6mix up V-ing and to-inf→7+use remember/forget + V-ing vs to + V correctly

Synonyms

recall + V-ing

Easily confused

forget + to + V

“I forgot to send the email this morning.”

Related words

look forward to + V-ingtry + V-ing / try to + Vfor + somebody + to + Vavoid + V-ingbe likely to + Vbegin / start + V-ing / to + Vprevent + somebody + from + V-ingturn out + to + V

Learn this word with the rest of its set, and get reminded at the right time.

In Gerunds & infinitives

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