grill (grilled) cheese

Many learners worry one form is "right" and the other "wrong." Both are grammatically correct most of the time. The difference is nuance: emphasis on the action, habit, purpose, or tone.

Below are clear rules, natural examples, and quick rewrites you can paste into your own sentences so you can choose confidently.

Quick answer

Both the infinitive (I love to + verb) and the gerund (I love + verb-ing) work. Use the infinitive to highlight a deliberate or one-off action or purpose; use the gerund to highlight the activity, habit, or experience.

Often interchangeable: I love to swim = I love swimming.
Gerund for general activities: I love running, I love reading.
Infinitive for purpose or singled-out acts: I love to try new techniques, I love to stop by and say hi.

Core explanation: what changes when you switch forms

The gerund treats the verb as an activity or experience; the infinitive often frames the action as a choice, purpose, or single event. Because the difference is subtle, native speakers frequently use both.

Gerund = the activity itself (habit, enjoyment).
Infinitive = a deliberate action, intention, or purpose.

Wrong: I love to dancing in the kitchen.
Right: I love dancing in the kitchen.
Wrong: I love painting my house last summer.
Right: I loved painting my house last summer. / I love to paint my house when I have free weekends.

Real usage and tone: how choice changes what you sound like

Choice affects tone. At work, the infinitive can sound purposeful and task-oriented; the gerund sounds like a preference or habit. In casual speech the gerund often sounds warmer.

Infinitive = purposeful, task-focused, sometimes more formal.
Gerund = habitual, experiential, more natural in casual talk.

Work: I love to present new ideas at meetings (emphasizes the act).
Work: I love presenting at meetings (emphasizes enjoying the activity).
School: I love studying linguistics (habit/interest).
School: I love to organize study groups when exams approach (deliberate action).
Casual: I love hiking on weekends (habit).
Casual: I love to check out new coffee shops (one-off visits).

Examples that show the subtle differences

These pairs show common choices where both forms are possible but one feels more idiomatic.

Wrong: I love to gardening on Sundays.
Right: I love gardening on Sundays.
Wrong: I love grocery shopping to buy dinner tonight.
Right: I love to grocery shop when I have time - I'll buy dinner tonight.
I love to learn a new song (practice/goal) vs I love learning songs (enjoy the process).
I love to run a marathon next year (plan) vs I love running (habit/enjoyment).

Fix your sentence: quick rewrites you can paste in

If a sentence sounds awkward, try these rewrites. If you're unsure, start with the gerund; if you mean purpose or intention, try the infinitive.

Original: I love to music. → I love listening to music. / I love to listen to music.
Original: I love to fix bikes on Saturdays. → I love fixing bikes on Saturdays. (both okay; gerund emphasizes the hobby)
Original: I love to try new analytics tools. → I love trying new analytics tools. (swap if you mean the pleasure of experimenting)
Original: I love to cooking Italian food when I have free time. → I love cooking Italian food when I have free time.
Original: I love to music lessons. → I love taking music lessons. / I love to take music lessons.

Try your own sentence

Test the whole sentence, not just the phrase. Context usually shows which form fits better. Read it aloud - the more natural-sounding version is usually right.

Grammar details: verb patterns and when they change

Love accepts both forms, but other constructions force one form or change meaning. After prepositions you must use the gerund; infinitives often follow expressions of purpose.

After prepositions use -ing: I'm in love with hiking; I left because of studying.
Purpose uses to + verb: I went to the store to buy milk.
Love accepts both; context decides tone and flow.

Wrong: I love to talking about books with friends.
Right: I love talking about books with friends.
Wrong: I love to on long walks at night.
Right: I love being on long walks at night. / I love to go on long walks at night.

Hyphenation, spacing, and punctuation notes

Don't hyphenate the infinitive marker or the -ing form: write "I love cooking dinner," not "I love cook-ing-dinner." Hyphens belong in compound adjectives (a well-loved author).

Keep forms consistent in lists for parallelism and rhythm.

Parallel: I love reading, writing, and hiking. (gerunds)
Parallel: I love to read, to write, and to hike. (infinitives)
Don't mix forms in a list unless you mean to contrast.

Usage: I love swimming, biking, and running.

Similar mistakes and verbs to watch

Some verbs change meaning with gerund vs infinitive (stop, remember, forget, try). These often cause real confusion, so treat them separately from love.

Stop: I stopped smoking (quit) vs I stopped to smoke (paused another action to smoke).
Remember: I remembered locking the door (I recall doing it) vs I remembered to lock the door (I didn't forget to do it).
Try: I tried restarting the router (an experiment) vs I tried to restart the router (attempt that may have failed).

Wrong: I love to stop smoking last year.
Right: I stopped smoking last year.
Usage: I prefer reading to watching TV (compare structures).

Troubleshooting common confusions

Ask: am I naming a habit/activity or describing a plan/purpose? If habit → use -ing. If plan or purpose → use to + verb. Also check for prepositions and parallel lists.

Heuristic: Habit → -ing; Specific/one-off → to + verb.
Prepositions require -ing; purpose constructions often use to + verb.
Read aloud: natural rhythm usually points to the correct choice.

Wrong: I love to cooking Italian food when I have free time.
Right: I love cooking Italian food when I have free time.

FAQ

Is "I love to swim" incorrect?

No. "I love to swim" is correct and can emphasize the act as a single or deliberate action. Most of the time it's interchangeable with "I love swimming."

When should I use "I love to" versus "I love -ing" in formal writing?

Both are acceptable. Prefer consistency and clarity: use -ing for habitual descriptions, the infinitive for intended actions or purpose.

Why do native speakers sometimes prefer "I love doing" over "I love to do"?

The gerund emphasizes the experience or enjoyment of an activity; the infinitive emphasizes the act itself or the intention. It's a stylistic choice more than a grammar rule.

Can I mix infinitives and gerunds in the same sentence?

You can, but avoid mixing forms in lists where parallelism is expected. Keeping similar items in the same form improves clarity and rhythm.

How do I fix "I love to music" or other construction errors?

You're missing a verb. Use a gerund: "I love listening to music." Or use an infinitive with a verb: "I love to listen to music." If uncertain, paste the sentence into the checker above and read both options aloud.

Check one sentence now

If you're still unsure, paste your sentence into the checker and try both forms aloud. Small shifts in tone matter; what sounds natural is usually the best choice.