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
remembe
ask hate mean (= 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 like to drink juice in the morning, and tea at
I love cooking Indian food. (emphasis
lunchtime. (emphasis more on the preference or
on the process itself and enjoyment of it)
habit)
She hates cleaning her room. (emphasis I hate to be the only person to disagree. (emphasis
on the process itself and no enjoyment of more on the result: I would prefer not to be in that
it) situation.)
We prefer to drive during the day whenever we
Most people prefer watching a film at
can. (emphasis more on the result and on the habit or
the cinema rather than on TV. (emphasis
preference. The speaker doesn’t necessarily enjoy the
on the process itself and enjoyment of it)
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 else She recited a poem, then went on to sing a lovely
had finished. (He continued singing folk song. (She recited the poem first, then she sang
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 for
she didn’t cry anymore.) 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
