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Infinitive vs. -ing Usage Guide

1. Verbs can be used in their to-infinitive form (to do, to sing) or -ing form (doing, singing) after certain parts of speech. 2. Use the infinitive form after adjectives like happy, pleased, and enough, and after verbs like forget, help, and want. 3. Use the -ing form when the verb is the subject of a clause, like "Swimming is good exercise", and after prepositions like "after" and "without". Also use -ing after verbs like dislike, enjoy, and mind. 4. Some verbs can be used with either the infinitive or -ing form without

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Cristina Georgiana Rosu
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52 views1 page

Infinitive vs. -ing Usage Guide

1. Verbs can be used in their to-infinitive form (to do, to sing) or -ing form (doing, singing) after certain parts of speech. 2. Use the infinitive form after adjectives like happy, pleased, and enough, and after verbs like forget, help, and want. 3. Use the -ing form when the verb is the subject of a clause, like "Swimming is good exercise", and after prepositions like "after" and "without". Also use -ing after verbs like dislike, enjoy, and mind. 4. Some verbs can be used with either the infinitive or -ing form without

Uploaded by

Cristina Georgiana Rosu
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Infinitive or -ing?

Sometimes we need to decide whether to use a verb in its:


to-infinitive form: to do, to sing

or in its

-ing form: doing, singing
For example, only one of the following sentences is correct:
I dislike to work late. One of these is wrong!
Which one?
I dislike working late.
Use infinitive...
after adjectives, for example:
disappointed, glad, happy, pleased, relieved, sad, surprised
This includes "too + adjective" and "adjective + enough". Look at these example sentences:
I was happy to help them.
She will be delighted to see you.
The water was too cold to swim in.
Is your coffee too hot to drink?
He was strong enough to lift it.
She is rich enough to buy two.

after certain verbs, for example:


forget, help, learn, teach, train
choose, expect, hope, need, offer, want, would like
agree, encourage, pretend, promise
allow, can/can't afford, decide, manage, mean, refuse

Look at these example sentences:


I forgot to close the window.
Mary needs to leave early.
Why are they encouraged to learn English?
We can't afford to take a long holiday.

Use -ing...
when the word is the subject of a clause:
Swimming is good exercise.
Doctors say that smoking is bad for you.
after a preposition:
I look forward to meeting you.
They left without saying goodbye.
after certain verbs:
avoid, dislike, enjoy, finish, give up, mind/not mind, practise
Look at these example sentences:
I dislike getting up early.
Would you mind opening the window?
Some verbs can be followed by the infinitive or -ing form without a big change in meaning: begin,
continue, hate, intend, like, love, prefer, propose, start
It started to rain / It started raining
I like to play tennis / I like playing tennis

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