ING / To grammar | CleverCookie

-Ing or to + infinitive

Activities

When two actions appear together, you need two verbs. In this case, the second verb should be either an -ing form or an infinitive. As you have read in the section CleverCookie's notes, there is a historical reason for this, and, although practising would lead you to success, lists are quite handy in this case (thanks, Cambridge Dictionary Online).

CleverCookie's notes

Followed by -ing

admit

deny

finish

mind

avoid

dislike

give up

miss

(can’t) help

enjoy

suggest

imagine

practise

(can’t) stand

fancy

involve

put off

consider

feel like

keep (on)

risk

Followed by 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

¿Necesitas esta explicación en castellano?
- Ing or to + infinitive (versión en castellano)

There are also some special cases you must consider.

Some verbs can be followed by - ing or a to + infinitive with no change in meaning:

I begin to work. = I begin working.

It started to rain. = It started raining.

Or little difference in meaning:

I love, hate, prefer, like cooking = emphasis on the process.

I love, hate, prefer, like to cook. = emphasis on the result.

But others do make a difference: go on, need, remember, forget, try, mean, regret, stop, and want.

She forgot to call. = She did not call because she forgot she had to do it.

She forgot calling. = She did not have a memory of calling before.

She remembered to call. = She called because she remembered she had to do it.

She remembered calling. = She had a memory of calling before.

She tried to call. = Calling was difficult, but she tried.

She tried calling. = Calling was an option among others.

She stopped to call. = She stopped an action to call.

She stopped calling. = She gave up the action of calling.

Some verbs can also be followed by an infinitive without to, with both or by either an -ing or to + infinitive:

Followed by an infinitive without to (always with an object):

She let me enter the room.

My teacher made it happen.

Followed by either:

They help me finish. -------- with an object.

They help to finish. ---------- without an object.

Followed by an infinitive without to or by -ing: feel, notice, see, hear, overhear, and watch.

To emphasise the action in progress: I saw him falling from the building.

To emphasise the whole event: I saw him fall from the building.