Remember & Forget: To Do vs Doing - Grammar Shorts — Explanation

The verbs remember and forget can be followed by either to + infinitive or a gerund (-ing form). However, the meaning changes depending on which structure is used. Understanding this difference is important for accurate English communication.

Remember & Forget: To Do vs Doing - Grammar Explanation

Remember + To Do

Use remember + to do when you remember that you need to complete an action before doing it. The action happens after remembering.

Structure:

remember + to + verb

Examples:

• Please remember to lock the door before leaving.
• I remembered to call my friend yesterday.
• She always remembers to take her medicine.

Remember + Doing

Use remember + doing when you have a memory of an action that happened in the past. The action happened before remembering it.

Structure:

remember + verb-ing

Examples:

• I remember meeting him for the first time.
• She remembers visiting that museum as a child.
• Do you remember seeing that movie?

Forget + To Do

Use forget + to do when you fail to remember an action that you need to complete. The action does not happen because you forgot it.

Structure:

forget + to + verb

Examples:

• Don't forget to send the email.
• I forgot to buy milk yesterday.
• He often forgets to bring his keys.

Forget + Doing

Use forget + doing when you forget a past experience or memory. This structure is less common and usually refers to losing a memory of something that happened.

Structure:

forget + verb-ing

Examples:

• I will never forget meeting my best friend.
• She will never forget seeing that beautiful view.
• He forgot having spoken to the manager before.

Remember & Forget: To Do vs Doing Comparison

Structure	Meaning	Example
Remember + to do	Remember a future action	Remember to call me.
Remember + doing	Recall a past experience	I remember calling him.
Forget + to do	Fail to do something	I forgot to lock the door.
Forget + doing	Lose the memory of a past action	I will never forget meeting her.

Common Mistakes

Many learners confuse these structures because both forms are grammatically possible but have different meanings.

Incorrect Meaning:

• I remember to visit Paris when I was young. ❌

Correct:

• I remember visiting Paris when I was young. ✅
• I remembered to visit the office yesterday. ✅

Quick Tip

Ask yourself: "Is it about a duty or a memory?"

• Future responsibility or something you must do → remember/forget + to do
• Past experience or memory → remember/forget + doing

Practice Remember & Forget: To Do vs Doing

Test your knowledge with our Remember & Forget: To Do vs Doing grammar exercises. Choose the correct answer and improve your English grammar accuracy with instant feedback.