Verb + -ing or verb + infinitive

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Verb + -ing or verb + infinitive

Oliver, Daisy and Alfie are at Oliver and Daisy's home. Oliver is upset, so Daisy and Alfie decide to cheer him up.

Instructions

As you watch the video, look at the examples of verbs + ing (the gerund) and verbs + infinitive. They are in red in the subtitles. Then read the conversation below to learn more. Finally, do the grammar exercises to check you understand, and can use, verb + ing and verb + infinitive correctly.

After certain verbs we use the -ing form, and after other verbs we use the infinitive. Sometimes we can use either form and there is no change in meaning. Occasionally we can use either form and there is a change in meaning.

So what’s the rule for whether we use the -ing form or the infinitive?

Sorry, there isn’t a rule. You have to learn which verbs go with which pattern.

The verbs followed by -ing include enjoy, mind, stop and recommend.

I told him you really enjoy cooking.
Would you mind helping me?
It didn't stop raining all day yesterday.
Daisy recommends trying Alfie’s tiramisu.

The negative is verb + not + -ing.

Imagine not having pizza! I eat it all the time.

Verbs usually followed by -ing

stop finish imagine suggest recommend avoid mind miss risk enjoy

I thought you could say: 'I recommend that you see that film'?

Yes, you’re right, you can. But we’re not looking at the more complex patterns with that or an object today.

OK, what about the verbs followed by the infinitive?

These include decide, want, promise, plan and forget.

She decided to go with Elliot instead.
I wanted to visit Rome.
She promised to take me there.
I planned to go to some real Italian restaurants.
She didn’t forget to phone.

Exactly. But there are some more verbs which can be followed by -ing or the infinitive, but the two options have different meanings, for example remember and stop.

I never remember to lock the door, and my mum gets really angry!
(remember + infinitive = remember something and then do it)
I never remember locking the door, but when I go back and check I always have.
(remember + -ing = remember something you did before)

She stopped smoking three years ago.
(stop + -ing = to not do something any more)
It was hot, so we stopped to have a drink. (we stopped walking)
(stop + infinitive = to not do something in order to do something else)

Let’s stop to have a rest now.

OK, later on you can try to remember all the patterns.

Check your grammar: grouping - verb + ing or verb + infinitive

Check your grammar: multiple choice - verb + ing or verb + infinitive

Check your grammar: gap fill typing - verb + ing or verb + infinitive

Worksheets and downloads

Transcript

Transcript:

Daisy: What's up, Oli?Oliver: Hm? Oh, nothing.Alfie: Oh come on, something's wrong.Oliver: No, seriously ...Daisy: Don't tell me, you invited Amy to go to your class dinner but she decided to go with Elliot instead ...Alfie: Well, you like cooking, so lunch isn't the problem. I know! You want to wear your favourite T-shirt but it's got tomato on it.Oliver: No! Well, yes, that too – I don't know how to clean it but, no, that's not the real problem. It's … well ... it's Mum.Daisy: Have you had an argument? When did she phone? Oh, I hate missing her calls!Oliver: She hasn't called yet, don't worry.Daisy: So what's up? Come on! Just tell us! I don't like seeing you like this, Oli!Oliver: Well, she's in Italy. And she promised to take me there. I was looking forward to going. I planned to go to some real Italian restaurants to, you know, have some real Italian food, so I could try to make some at home. And I wanted to visit Rome and Venice and Florence and Siena and ... well, she hasn't even remembered to phone or to send an email or anything!Daisy: No, but she will. You know she's always so busy. She never stops working. Or maybe she's had a problem. But it'll be cool, she'll phone.Alfie: Do you know what you need? You need to have some fun! We can pretend to be in Italy!Daisy: Pretend to be there?Alfie: Yes! Let's do it! You wanted to practise cooking Italian food, didn't you? So ... here's a cookbook. We just need to choose a dish and then we need to buy ingredients. You cook, Oliver, and I know how to make a great tiramisu. Daisy, you get some Italian music – we can eat in the garden, like at a pavement café.Daisy: Alfie, you're mad. You're wonderful and mad, and I love doing mad things ...Sophie: Hi, guys!Oliver/Daisy: Hi, Mum!Alfie: Hi, Sophie!Daisy: How's Italy?Sophie: Oh, it didn't stop raining all day yesterday, and today it's foggy! It's impossible! I can't see anything or go anywhere. I'll have to come back next month. Oh, and Oli, would you like to come too then? Gennaro Falcone, the famous restaurant owner, has offered to teach you some of his most popular recipes. I told him you really enjoy cooking.Oliver: I'd love to go, Mum! Thanks!Sophie: So. What are you doing? It looks ... interesting!

I enjoy reading book and listening music after high school .I do lot of homework after class.
In morning I do household such as cooking,clean up room.I cook Chinese food because it is delicious .I avoid watching TV program.I thing watching TV is waste of time.I also avoid go out side during holiday.I don't like place where many people gather .

First, I love free times at the weekend : not homework, not boring teaching but it's not meaning I don't like studying. I would rather study by myself than study at school because I can find many interesting lessons in the internet, practise what I learned by playing game, and take a rest whenever I feel stress. Of course, the things I want to avoid is framework's school education, it depresses on me. Second, I also like watching films, listening to music.....with my friends. But I don't wish my eyes were hurt more. So I always try to see films less.

in my week , I enjoy visiting my family and doing picnic. I do not mind doing some exercises to physic subject because I love it .I do avoid doing if possible , play a lot of game in the laptop because it's so bad for eyes

In my week I enjoy spend the time with my friends and my girlfriend and I enjoy the thursday beacuse I have too many hours free along the day. I avoid to do homework every day so I do it in the class before the hour. I don't mind if i have to go to my basketball practice because i like it and distract me for all the things I enjoy too very much to go to my training

I like watched movies and cooked the mexican food because is very delicious also do desserts I not mind go to a party or between week go to the mall or cinema. and i avoid doing strange food for not washing the dishes. also i avoid arrive late for classes in the morning because i have to go by taxi which is another of the things i avoid also I avoid go to in ecovia, trole and metro.

I have a sentence that can be writen in three cases bellow:
“workers tending the queen not only feed her but also…”
“workers who tend the queen not only feed her but also…”
“workers tend the queen not only.........
I am confuse to use the first one, I do not know the rule to use it. Is it true that we can alway change from the second sentence to the first one with just transform verb into verb-ing? Hope someone can help me

Hi tai,
Yes, that's right. Your first and second phrases have the same meaning in this context. For example: Customers who wish to exchange products should go to the first floor.
= Customers wishing to exchange products should go to the first floor.
Your third sentence may not be correct. It depends how you continue the sentence.
Best wishes, Joanna (LearnEnglish Teens team)

I enjoy dating with beautiful grils and have fun but I hate grils who get jealous easly. :)
Sometimes I hear my friends saying : you are going to be mad for grils but don't care what they whispering behind me. I enjoy to see my friends laughing because we use to joke all time.
I'm only trying to practise in my english that why I wrote a little joy.
Thanks , (LearnEnglish Teens)

Hi sam10, In your example, 'disturb' is an action, so it is a verb. Here are some more examples with the verb 'disturb':Am I disturbing you?We didn't want to disturb the neighbours.I'm sorry. I didn't mean to disturb you.
Does that answer your question? Best wishes, Joanna (LearnEnglish Teens team)