Lesson

To... (afraid to do) and preposition + -ing (afraid of -ing)

Infinitive vs gerund

≈ 15 min 8 block(s)

Text

To... (afraid to do) and preposition + -ing (afraid of -ing)

This lesson explains the difference between using afraid + to + infinitive and afraid + preposition + -ing. Both forms express fear, but they are used in different ways.

  • afraid to + infinitive: expresses hesitation or unwillingness to perform a specific action.
  • afraid of + -ing: expresses fear of an activity, situation, or the action as a concept.
  • Remember: after a preposition (like of) we use the -ing form (gerund).

Both forms are common. The nuance: 'afraid to' often focuses on the decision to act; 'afraid of -ing' focuses on the activity or consequence.

Table

Comparison: afraid to + infinitive vs afraid of + -ing

Structure Meaning / Use Example
afraid to + base verb Hesitation or unwillingness to perform a specific action She is afraid to ask for a raise.
afraid of + -ing (gerund) Fear of an activity, situation, or the action as a concept He is afraid of flying to the conference.
afraid + noun (afraid of + noun) Fear of a thing or person They are afraid of spiders.

Tip

Key rule: choose the right form

Decide whether you mean hesitation to act (use afraid to) or fear of the activity (use afraid of + -ing).

  • Use 'afraid to + verb' when the focus is on doing the action: I am afraid to speak up.
  • Use 'afraid of + -ing' when the focus is on the action as an experience: I am afraid of speaking up.
  • After a preposition (like of), always use the -ing form (gerund).

When in doubt, think: is the speaker reluctant to do it? → 'afraid to'. Is the speaker fearful of the activity or consequence? → 'afraid of + -ing'.

Example

Examples in context

I'm afraid to ask for a raise.

She's afraid of flying to the conference.

They were afraid to sign the contract without legal advice.

He's afraid of making mistakes in front of the team.

Tip

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Learners often mix forms or use incorrect verb forms after prepositions. Watch for these universal errors:

  • Using 'to' + -ing (e.g., 'afraid to flying') — incorrect.
  • Using 'of' + infinitive (e.g., 'afraid of to fly') — incorrect.
  • Dropping the preposition when needed (e.g., 'afraid flying' without 'of') — incorrect.
  • Confusing meaning: using one form when the nuance requires the other (hesitation vs fear of activity).

Always check if a preposition appears; if it does, use the -ing form.

Quiz

Choose the grammatically correct sentence:

Hint: Focus on the verb form after the preposition 'of'.

Quiz

Complete: They're _____ starting the presentation alone.

Hint: Think about which form requires a preposition before -ing.

Quiz

Choose the sentence that correctly shows hesitation to perform an action:

Hint: Focus on the form directly before the base verb 'call'.

Key Points

Vocabulary

afraid

adjective CEFR B1 //əˈfreɪd//

feeling fear or worry

She is afraid of speaking in public.

GrammarPoint

infinitive

grammar_point CEFR B2 //ɪnˈfɪnɪtɪv//

the base form of a verb, often with 'to' (to + verb)

He decided to accept the job offer.

GrammarPoint

gerund

grammar_point CEFR B2 //ˈdʒerənd/ or /ˈdʒɛrənd//

the -ing form of a verb used as a noun or after a preposition

She is afraid of flying.

Vocabulary

hesitate

verb CEFR B1 //ˈhɛzɪteɪt//

to be unwilling or slow to do something because of doubt or fear

He hesitated to sign the agreement.

GrammarPoint

preposition

noun CEFR B1 //ˌprɛpəˈzɪʃən//

a word that shows the relationship between a noun/pronoun and other words (e.g., of, in, on)

He is afraid of the consequences.

Vocabulary

fear

noun CEFR B1 //fɪər//

an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that something is dangerous or threatening

Her fear of failure affected her decisions.