Gerunds

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Verb patterns: verb + infinitive or verb + -


ing?
Grammar > Verbs > Verb patterns > Verb patterns: verb + infinitive or verb + -ing?
from English Grammar Today
Verbs followed by a to-infinitive
Some verbs can be followed immediately by a to-infinitive:
deman
afford like pretend
d

agree fail love promise

arrange forget manage refuse

mean (= remembe
ask hate
intend) r

begin help need start

choose hope offer try

continu
intend plan want
e

decide learn prefer


I can’t afford to go on holiday.
It began to rain.
She hopes to go to university next year.
My mother never learnt to swim.
Did you remember to ring Nigel?
See also:
 Help somebody (to) do
 Want
 Verbs followed by a direct object and a to-infinitive
Verbs followed by -ing
-ing but not to-infinitive
Some verbs are normally followed by the -ing form, not the to-infinitive:
admit deny finish mind
avoid dislike give up miss

practis
(can’t) help enjoy imagine
e

(can’t)
fancy involve put off
stand

feel keep
consider risk
like (on)
I always enjoy cooking.
Not: I always enjoy to cook.
We haven’t finished eating yet.
Not: We haven’t finished to eat.
She keeps changing her mind about the wedding.
New subject before -ing
Some of these verbs (e.g. can’t stand, dislike, imagine, involve, mind, miss, put
off and risk) can be used with a new subject before the -ing form (underlined in the
examples below). If the new subject is a pronoun, it is in the object form (me, him, her,
us, them):
We just couldn’t imagine Gerry singing in public.
Do you mind me being here while you’re working?
I don’t want to risk him losing his job.
See also:
 Verbs followed by -ing
Verbs followed by a to-infinitive or -ing
Hate, like, love, prefer
Hate, like, love and prefer can be followed either by -ing or a to-infinitive. The difference
in meaning is often small. The -ing form emphasises the verb itself. The to-infinitive puts
the emphasis more on the preference for, or the results of, the action.
Compare
-ing form to-infinitive

I love cooking Indian food. (emphasis I like to drink juice in the morning, and tea at
on the process itself and enjoyment of lunchtime. (emphasis more on the preference or
it) habit)

She hates cleaning her I hate to be the only person to disagree. (emphasis
room. (emphasis on the process itself more on the result: I would prefer not to be in that
and no enjoyment of it) situation.)

Most people prefer watching a film at We prefer to drive during the day whenever we
the cinema rather than on can. (emphasis more on the result and on the habit
TV. (emphasis on the process itself and or preference. The speaker doesn’t necessarily
enjoyment of it) enjoy the process of driving at any time of day.)
Hate, like, love, prefer with would or should
When hate, like, love and prefer are used with would or should, only the to-infinitive is
used, not the -ing form:
She’d love to get a job nearer home.
Not: She’d love getting a job nearer home.
Would you like to have dinner with us on Friday?
To-infinitive or -ing form with a change in meaning
Some verbs can be followed by a to-infinitive or the -ing form, but with a change in
meaning:
go remembe
need try
on r

mea regre wan


stop
n t t
Compare
-ing form to-infinitive

Working in London means


leaving home at 6.30. (Because I work I didn’t mean to make you cry. (I didn’t intend to
in London, this is the result or make you cry.)
consequence.)

He went on singing after everyone She recited a poem, then went on to sing a lovely
else had finished. (He continued folk song. (She recited the poem first, then she sang
singing without stopping.) the song.)

I tried searching the web and finally


found an address for him. (I searched I tried to email Simon but it bounced back. (I
the web to see what information I could tried/attempted to email him but I did not succeed.)
find.)

She stopped crying as soon as she saw We stopped to buy some water at the motorway
her mother. (She was crying, and then service area. (We were travelling and we stopped
she didn’t cry anymore.) for a short time in order to buy some water.)
See also:
 Mean
 Need
 Remember or remind?
 Stop + -ing form or to-infinitive
 Want
Verbs followed by an infinitive without to
Let, make
Let and make are followed by an infinitive without to in active voice sentences. They
always have an object (underlined) before the infinitive:
Let me show you this DVD I’ve got.
They made us wait while they checked our documents.
Not: They made us to wait …
Help
Help can be followed by an infinitive without to or a to-infinitive:
She helped me find a direction in life.
Everyone can help to reduce carbon emissions by using public transport.
See also:
 Help somebody (to) do
 Let, let’s
 Make
Verbs followed by -ing or an infinitive without to
A group of verbs connected with feeling, hearing and seeing can be used with -ing or
with an infinitive without to:
feel notice see

hea overhea watc


r r h
When they are used with -ing, these verbs emphasise the action or event in progress.
When they are used with an infinitive without to, they emphasise the action or event
seen as a whole, or as completed.
Compare
-ing infinitive without to

She heard people shouting in the street below


I heard someone shout ‘Help!’, so I ran to
and looked out of the window. (emphasises that
the river. (emphasises the whole event: the
the shouting probably continued or was
person probably shouted only once)
repeated)

A police officer saw him running along the Emily saw Philip run out of Sandra’s
street. (emphasises the running as it was office. (emphasises the whole event from
happening) start to finish)

Verbs followed by a direct object and a to-infinitive


Some verbs are used with a direct object (underlined) followed by a to-infinitive. These
verbs include:
advise hate like persuade reques
t

ask help love prefer teach

challeng instruc recommen


need tell
e t d

orde
choose intend remind want
r

forbid invite
I advised him to get a job as soon as possible.
Did Martin teach Gary to play squash?
They want me to go to Germany with them.

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