Verb Pattern Flashcards
ING or TO
ING
admit
deny
finish
mind
avoid
dislike
give up
miss
(can’t) help
enjoy
imagine
practise
(can’t) stand
fancy
involve
put off
consider
feel like
keep (on)
risk
I always enjoy cooking.
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.
Verbs followed by a to-infinitive
afford
demand
like
pretend
agree
fail
love
promise
arrange
forget
manage
refuse
ask
hate
mean (= intend)
remember
begin
help
need
start
choose
hope
offer
try
continue
intend
plan
want
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
Some verbs are use
advise
hate
like
persuade
request
ask
help
love
prefer
teach
challenge
instruct
need
recommend
tell
choose
intend
order
remind
want
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.
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.
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?
Compare
-ing form
to-infinitive
I** love cooking** Indian food. (emphasis on the process itself and enjoyment of it)
I like to drink juice in the morning, and tea at lunchtime. (emphasis more on the preference or habit)
She hates cleaning her room. (emphasis on the process itself and no enjoyment of it)
I hate to be the only person to disagree. (emphasis more on the result: I would prefer not to be in that situation.)
Most people prefer watching a film at the cinema rather than on TV. (emphasis on the process itself and enjoyment of it)
We **prefer to drive **during the day whenever we can. (emphasis more on the result and on the habit or preference. The speaker doesn’t necessarily enjoy the process of driving at any time of day.)
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 on
need
remember
try
mean
regret
stop
want
Ing form
to-infinitive
Working in London means leaving home at 6.30. (Because I work in London, this is the result or consequence.)
I didn’t mean to make you cry. (I didn’t intend to make you cry.)
He went on singing after everyone else had finished. (He continued singing without stopping.)
She recited a poem, then went on to sing a lovely folk song. (She recited the poem first, then she sang the song.)
I tried searching the web and finally found an address for him. (I searched the web to see what information I could find.)
I tried to email Simon but it bounced back. (I tried/attempted to email him but I did not succeed.)
She stopped crying as soon as she saw her mother. (She was crying, and then she didn’t cry anymore.)
We stopped to buy some water at the motorway service area. (We were travelling and we stopped for a short time in order to buy some water.)
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.
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
hear
overhear
watch
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 and looked out of the window. (emphasises that the shouting probably continued or was repeated)
I heard someone shout ‘Help!’, so I ran to the river. (emphasises the whole event: the person probably shouted only once)
A police officer saw him running along the street. (emphasises the running as it was happening)
Emily saw Philip run out of Sandra’s office. (emphasises the whole event from start to finish)
