VERBS FOLLOWED BY EITHER -ING OR INFINITIVE WITH TO

1. Can’t bear, hate, like, love, prefer.

Like to usually refers to habitual preferences. We like to go out to lunch on Sunday.

Not like to means think it wrong to. I don’t like to disturb colleagues at home.

2. Attempt, begin, continue, intend, plan, propose, start.

There is no difference in meaning whether we use -ing or infinitive with to.

Intend, plan and propose can be followed by that + clause. This may include should.

3. Forget, remember

With to both verbs refer to an obligation: I had to phone the office but I forgot to do it.

With -ing both verbs refer to past events: I don’t remember learning to walk.

Both can be followed by that + clause: I remembered that I had to pay the phone bill.

4. Try

With to this refers to something attempted, which might fail or succeed.

I tried to warn him, but it was too late.

With -ing this refers to making an experiment, or to a new experience.

Try taking an aspirin. You’ll feel better.

Have you tried windsurfing? It’s great!

5. Go on

With -ing this refers to the continuing of an action.

She went on working even though it was late.

With to this refers to the continuation of a speech.

The Prime Minister went on to praise the Chancellor.

(This means the Prime Minister continued his speech by praising the Chancellor.)

6. Mean

With the meaning intend, this is followed by to.

Sorry, I meant to tell you about the party.

With -ing, and an impersonal subject, this refers to what is involved.

If we catch the early train, it will mean getting up at 6.00.

That + clause is possible when meaning is being explained.

This means that you have to report to the police station.

7. Regret

With to this refers to the speaker’s regrets about what is going to be said. It often
occurs in formal statements of this kind.

We regret to inform you that your application has been unsuccessful.

With -ing this refers to a regret about the past: I regret saying that to him.

That + clause is also possible: We regret that we didn’t tell her earlier.

8. Stop

With to this refers to an intention: Jane stopped to check the oil level in the engine.

With -ing this refers to the ending of an activity.

The baby has stopped waking up during the night now.

9. Hear, see, watch

When followed by infinitive without to, the action is complete.

We watched all the cars cross the finishing line.

With -ing the action is still in progress: I heard someone coming up the stairs.
VERBS WITH AN OBJECT, FOLLOWED BY EITHER -ING OR INFINITIVE WITH TO

1. Admit

This can be used with or without to followed by -ing.

They admitted (to) being members of the gang.

That + clause is also possible: He admitted that he was wrong.

2. Allow, forbid, permit

With an object and to: The school forbids students to smoke in the classrooms.

With an object -ing form: The school does not allow smoking.

3. Consider

With an object and to this refers to an opinion.

She is considered to be the finest pianist of her generation.

With -ing this means think about: At one point I considered emigrating to Canada.

With that + clause it refers to an opinion: We consider that she has behaved badly.

4. Imagine

With an object and to: I imagined the castle to be haunted.

With -ing, an object is also possible: I couldn’t imagine (her) living in a place like that.

With that + clause it means suppose.

I imagine that you’d like a cup of tea after your long journey!

5. Require

With an object and to: They required him to fill out a form.

With -ing: These letters require typing.

VERBS NORMALLY FOLLOWED BY INFINITIVE WITH TO

1. Verbs marked * can also be followed by that + clause.

*agree *demand hurry *pledge *swear

*appear deserve *learn *pretend *threaten
*arrange *expect long *promise *vow
attempt fail manage refuse want
ask grow neglect *resolve *wish
choose hasten offer seek
dare *happen pay *seem
*decide *hope *plan struggle

2. Appear, (so) happen and seem are only used impersonally with that + clause.

It appears that I’ve made a mistake.

It so happens that he is my brother!

It seems that Mary is going to win.

3. Want can be used colloquially with -ing, and has a similar meaning to need.

The car wants cleaning.

VERBS NORMALLY FOLLOWED BY -ING

1. Verbs marked * can also be followed by that + clause.

*appreciate face *suggest

avoid *fancy it’s no good / use
contemplate finish feel like
delay involve give up
*deny *mention keep on
detest mind leave off
dislike miss look forward to
endure postpone put off
enjoy practise can’t stand
escape *resent spend / waste time
excuse risk

2. Appreciate is often followed by possessive + -ing.

I appreciate your trying to help.

3. Involve has an impersonal subject.

Being an athlete involves regular training.

VERBS FOLLOWED BY INFINITIVE WITHOUT TO

1. Help can be used with or without to.

I helped George (to) carry the bags.

2. Make, and expressions with make.

They made me leave.

We shall have to make do.

In the passive, to is used.

I was made to leave.

3. Let and expressions with let.

They didn’t let me leave.

Let me go!

VERBS FOLLOWED BY AN OBJECT AND TO

1. Verbs marked * can also be followed by that + clause.

*advise, assist, beg, bribe, command, dare, employ, enable, encourage, instruct, invite,
lead, *order, *persuade, select, send, *teach, *tell, train, urge, *warn

2. Dare can be used without to when there is no object. Compare:

They dared him to jump.

I didn’t dare (to) say anything. - How dare you speak like that to me!
 PRACTICE

1. Underline the word or phrase that is correct.

a) What do you mean TO DO / DOING about the leaky pipes?

b) I never imagined the mountains TO BE / BEING so high!

c) Don’t forget TO WAKE ME / WAKING ME before you leave.

d) I regret TO TELL YOU / TELLING YOU that we cannot accept your offer.

e) Did you manage TO FIND / FINDING the book you were looking for?

f) I tried TAKING / TO TAKE that medicine you gave me but I couldn’t swallow it.

g) We have postponed TO TELL / TELLING anyone the news until after Christmas.

h) Have you considered TO BUY / BUYING a microwave oven?

i) Sorry I’m late, I had to stop TO PICK UP / PICKING UP the children from school.

j) Margaret was slow at school, but she went on TO BE / BEING Prime Minister.

2. Complete the sentences by choosing the correct verb from the box, and putting it
in the appropriate form.

Look forward to die arrange consider do

Face Grow appear intend dare

a) It’s too late to buy any food. We’ll have to make ____________ with what we’ve
got.

b) I hardly _________________ ask how much it cost!

c) Have you ever ___________________ taking a year off work?

d) I didn’t like the town at first, but I _____________________ tol ove it eventually.

e) What do you ______________ doing after this course has finished?

f) We are all _________________ our holiday in Australia this year. It’s going to be
such an adventure.

g) Jim and I __________________ to meet at 6.00 but he didn’t turn up.

h) It _________________ that we won’t need top ay so much after all.

i) I can’t wait for Saturday! I’m really ________________ to see you!

j) I can’t _______________ getting up at 6.30 tomorrow morning! I’ll catch a later

train.

3. Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first
sentence, using the word given. Do not change the word given.

a) It’s very kind of you to give me a lift. (appreciate)

___________________________________________________ me a lift.

b) If I take the job I’ll have to move to Paris. (mean)

________________________________________________ moving to Paris.

c) Parking is not permitted here. (park)

You are _________________________________________ here.

d) ‘Shall I carry that bag for you, Pauline?’ said John. (offered)

John ___________________________________________ bag for her.

e) Winning the football pools meant we could buy a new car. (enabled)

Winning the football pools _________________________ buy a new car.

f) There is a risk that he will miss the plane if he waits. (risks)

He ____________________________________________ if he waits.

g) I believed you were the murderer because of this clue. (led)

This clue _______________________________________ that you were the murderer.

h) Does using the hotel swimming pool cost extra? (pay)

Do you have to __________________________________ the hotel swimming pool?

i) I think that this is the right street. (appears)

This _________________________________ the right street.

j) Jean succeeded in finishing all her work on time. (managed)

Jean _________________________________ all her work on time.

4. Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first
sentence, using the word given. Do not change the word given.

a) They said they would like me to stay with them in Florida. (invited)

They __________________________ stay with them in Florida.

b) Calling Jim is pointless, because his phone is out of order. (use)

It’s no __________________________ because his phone is out of order.

c) It is compulsory for all students to leave a cash deposit. (required)

All students _________________________ leave a cash deposit.

d) You waste time if you copy your work out again, so don’t do it. (copying)

Don’t ______________________________ your work out again.

e) I bet you wouldn’t ask David to come with you to the party! (if)

I dare ______________________________ to the party with you!

f) ‘Please don’t leave me on my own’, Martin begged us. (him)

Martin begged us __________________________________ own.

g) If you work for this company, you have to travel a lot. (involves)

Working for this company ________________________________ of travel.

h) Joe doesn’t like it when people treat him like a child. (resents)

Joe _________________________________________ like a child.

i) It was resolved that the matter would be brought up at the next meeting. (bring)

They resolved ___________________________________ up at the next meeting.

j) The police were told that the use of unnecessary force was forbidden. (not)

The police were instructed ____________________________ unnecessary force.

5. Complete each sentence using the verb in brackets in an appropriate form.

a) Sorry, I meant _________________ (tell) I would be out, but I forgot.

b) That’s all for now. I ________________ (hope) hear from you soon!
c) If I take the new job, it __________________ (mean) working a lot harder!

d) Are you still tired? Or do _________________ (feel) going out for a meal?

e) Jane is ______________________ (say) the most outstanding player in the team.

f) I wish you ____________________ (keep) complaining all the time!

g) How ______________________ (suggest) that I would take a bribe! I’ve never been
so insulted!

h) We offered to help Helen carry her bags, but she said she _________________
(manage) on her own.

6. Complete the text by putting the verbs in brackets into the correct form, gerund or
infinitive.

Yukie Hanue is considered by many ________________ (be) the finest violinist of her
generation - and she’s still in her early twenties. When we visited her, in the music
department of the University of New York, she was too busy practising
_______________ (talk), but she invited us ___________________ (have) a coffee with
her in her mind-morning break. Astonishingly, she manages __________________
(combine) her PhD at the university with international concerts and recitals, numerous
public appearances and interviews. She evidently thrives on the workload, buzzing
around the place with an industrious enthusiasm that leaves us all breathless. Her
fame as a performer means _________________ (make) regular appearances at high
profile events. Last month, for example, she agreed __________________ (appear) in
a series of recitals organised by Coca-Cola. This involved ________________ (travel) to
far-flung places like Seoul, Oslo and Montevideo on successive days, a schedule which
would have caused any normal person to wilt. I can’t stand ________________ (do)
nothing’, she says. I happen ___________________ (have) a particular talent, and it
would be wasteful not _______________________ (exploit) it to the full’. I
encouraged her ___________________ (tell) me about her upbringing, but she was
rather reticent to sign her own praises. I did, however, succeed in persuading her
___________________ (confess) to a secret desire. ‘If I hadn’t been a musician, I
would have loved to train ___________________ (become) a martial arts expert,’ she
says. Certainly, she would have had the discipline, but I couldn’t imagine someone so
physically frail actually ___________________ (stand) there hitting someone. But it
was an interesting revelation, and one that I was __________________ (learn) more
about during my day with her.