THE INFINITIVE AND THE -ING FORM

I. THE INFINITIVE AND THE -ING FORM AFTER VERBS

I wanted to call you but I ran out of time.

They enjoy learning English.

1) After some verbs, we use the infinitive with to: 

- She decided to train as a nurse. 

- She hopes to find a job near her parents' home. 

- Students want to find accommodation not far from their university. 

- Students plan to visit an apartment tomorrow afternoon under the auspices of a real estate agency. 

2) And after some verbs, we use the -ing form: 

- She doesn't mind sleeping in the top bunk at a youth hostel.

- I have just finished drafting an email to my supplier.

- They enjoyed speaking foreign languages.

- He suggested walking to the supermarket, which was just a stone's throw from their home. But we can also say: He suggested they walk to the supermarket, which was just a stone's throw from their home.

3) Here are some of the most common verbs of both types:

a) Verbs + the infinitive with to: agree, arrange attempt, be, can afford, choose, dare, decide, expect, fail, forget, have, hope, learn, manage, need, offer, ought, plan, prepare, promise, refuse, seem, used, want, wish.

- I hope to see you at the conference.

- I need to rent a car to get around during my holiday abroad.

- He managed to board the 8 o'clock train to Leffrinckoucke.

- She can afford to pay top dollar for an elegant pantsuit.

b) Verbs + the -ing form: avoid, can't help, dislike, enjoy, finish, go on, imagine, keep, mind, miss, practise, risk, stop, suggest, it's no fun, it's no good, it's no use, it's worth.

- Keep working hard on your English until your reach excellence.

- Stop complaining about  your bad grade in English, you should have worked harder. 

- Avoid throwing rubbish on the floor that has just been cleaned.

- She can't help thinking about her early teenage years, when she was in middle school (= junior high). But we can also say: She can't help but think about her early teenage years, when she was in middle school (= junior high)

II. THE INFINITIVE AND THE -ING FORM: SPECIAL CASES

1) After begin, start, continue and intend, we use either the infinitive or the -ing form: 

- She began to do her English exam as soon as she got the green light or She began doing her English exam as soon as she got the green light. 

- He had intended to do her shopping at the time the supermarkets opened or He had intended doing her shopping at the time supermarkets opened.

2) After like, love, prefer and hate, we use either the infinitive or the -ing form: 

- She likes to have her friends over for dinner during the holidays or She likes having her friends over for dinner during the holidays.

 - They love to check their mobile phones after meals or They love checking their mobile phones after meals.

3) We use an infinitive after like to talk about something a person chooses to do but may not enjoy doing: 

- I like to go to school every day (we do but don't enjoy much). But: I like going to school every day (we do and enjoy much).

- I like to go to meetings on Wednesdays (she goes but doesn't enjoy much). But: She likes going to meetings on Wednesdays (she goes and enjoys much).

4) After would like (= want), would love, would prefer and would hate, we use the infinitive: 

- He would like her to keep him company .

- She would prefer to stay alone.

5) We use an infinitive after remember or not forget when we remember that we have to do something: 

- He remembered to bring a small gift for her birthday. 

- He didn't forget to bring a small gift for her birthday.

6) We use an -ing form after remember or not forget when we remember something that happened in the past: 

- I remember calling her over the weekend to ask for help with computers. 

- I'll never forget calling her over the weekend to ask for help with computers.

7) We use an infinitive after try when try means to make an attempt, to do your best to succeed: 

- I'm trying to reread my notes after English class to fully absorb the information!

- I am doing my best to pass my English test by working very hard.

8) We use an -ing form after try when try means to make an experiment, to do something as a test to see if it will succeed: 

Why don't you try adding chili pepper to the sauce to see if it's better? or Why not try adding chili pepper to the sauce to see if it's better?

9) We use an infinitive after stop when someone stops in order to do something: 

- I stopped to refuel before continuing my journey to Strasbourg, my hometown. (= I stopped in order to refuel …)

- He stopped to ask for directions because his GPS was broken. (= He stopped in order to ask …)

10) We use an -ing form after stop to talk about something finishing, something that no longer happens: 

- It will stop raining when all the clouds have disappeared from the sky. (= It will no longer rain …)

- The baby stopped crying because you gave him the bottle. 

III.THE INFINITIVE WITHOUT TO AND THE -ING FORM AFTER SEE, HEAR etc.

1) We use the infinitive without to after verbs of perception (see, hear etc.) and with watch and listen to, to talk about a complete action: 

a) We saw a student on the highway. He hitchhiked to the nearest gas station. 

a) We saw a student hitchhike on the highway. (= We saw him hitchhike the whole way). 

b) We heard a busker (= a street musician). He sang. 

b) We heard a busker sing (= He sang once, and we heard his singing.)

2) We use the -ing form after these verbs to talk about part of an action, but not the whole action from beginning to end: 

a) We saw a student on the highway. He was hitchhiking to the nearest gas station. 

a) We saw a student hitchhiking to the nearest station (= but we did not see him hitchhike the whole way).

b) We heard a busker. He was singing.

b) We heard a busker singing (= He sang for a while and we only heard part of his singing).