INFINITIVE OR -ING FORM

There are certain words and verbs in English that are usually

followed by an infinitive (with or without ‘to’) or a gerund form.

Sometimes, we have the possibility of using both forms with a

change of meaning, with little change or no change at all.

Let’s see when we use the -ing form and when the infinitive (with

or without ‘to’).

-ING FORMS

-ing forms may be used:

(a) After certain verbs and phrases (see table below)

She enjoysreading.

The actress avoids being seen by the reporters.

It’s no use complaining now.

He could not help laughing.

(b) After prepositions

She is interested in reading.

I look forward to seeing you soon.

I’m thinking of changing my job.

I’m thinking to change my job.

(c) After worth and busy

The book is well worth reading.

She is busy doing her homework.

(d) As the subject in a sentence

Smoking is bad for you.

Skiing is expensive.

TO-INFINITIVE

Some uses of to-infinitives:

(a) after certain verbs and phrases (see table below)

(b) withwh-words:

I don’t know what to do.

(c) after adjectives:

I am very glad to see you again.

(d) to express purpose:

He stopped for a minute to rest.

(… in order to / so as to rest.)

(e) to express result:

He is too young to go to school.

He is not old enough to go to school.

(f) others:

To err is human, to forgive divine.

INFINITIVE WITHOUT ‘TO’

Infinitive without ‘to’ is used after certain verbs and idioms (see table below)

It’s raining: we’d better go inside.

He’d rather try and fail than give up.

He could do nothing but forgive her.

I saw him open the window.

They make him pay back the money.

Either bare infinitive (infinitive without ‘to’) or to-infinitive can be used after help:

Please help Mary (to) find her glasses.

-ING or INFINITIVE?

1 Some verbsmay be followed by either to-infinitive or -ing form, but the

meanings will be different.

(a) Remember, forget, regret

I always remembermeeting you for the first time.

Remember to go to the post office, won’t you?

I forgotvisiting Jean. (You did visit her but you forget.)

I forgot to visit Jean. (Perhaps I may visit her later.)

I regretmaking that remark yesterday.

I regret to tell you that your application is unsuccessful.

The structure used to talk about things people didis the -ing form, and the

one used to talk about things people are/were supposed to dois the

infinitive.

(b) Stop

I really must stopsmoking.

Every hour I stop work to smoke a cigarette.

The -ing form says that an activity stops, and the infinitive form gives the

reason for stopping.

(c) Go on

She went on talking about her illness for hours.

She went on to talk about her other problems.

The infinitive form is used for a change to a new activity, and the -ing

form is used for continuation of an activity.

(d) Try Please try to understand. (attempt)

I tried sending her flowers but it didn’t have any effect. (experiment)

He tried to open the champagne bottle but he did not succeed. (attempt)

He tried opening the door several times after oiling it to see if it still

creaked.(experiment)

(e) See, watch, hear

When I glanced out of the window, I saw Mary crossing the road. (you

saw her while she was doing something)

I watched him step off the pavement, cross the road, and disappear

into the post-office. (you watched him do and finish all the actions)

2 Some verbsmay be followed by either to-infinitive or -ing form, and the

meanings are about the same.

(a) Love, like, hate, prefer

I love lying / to lie on my back and staring / to stare at the sky.

I like swimming but I don’t like to swim on such a cold day.

I like walking in the rain.

(b) begin, start, continue, cease, can’t bear, be accustomed, propose,

attempt, intend, plan

The baby continued to cry / crying even after it had been given milk.

I was beginning to get angry. (NOT: getting)

(c) Allow, advise, forbid, permit

Sorry, we don’t allow smoking in the lecture room.

We don’t allow people to smoke in here.

(e) Deserve, need/require

These flowers need watering = These flowers need to be watered

V + to-infinitive

I want to go there next week.

V + infinitive (without

‘to’)

I may be there

tomorrow.

V + -ing

I enjoy playing tennis.

afford

agree

appear

arrange

ask

bear

beg

care

choose

consent

dare

decide

determine

expect

fail

forget

happen

help

hesitate

hope

learn

manage

mean

neglect

offer

prepare

pretend

promise

propose

refuse

regret

remember

seem

swear

trouble

try

want

wish

will, would

shall, should

can, could

may, might

must

had better

would rather

can do nothing but

cannot but

cannot help but

cannot choose but

can but

acknowledge

admit

anticipate

appreciate

avoid

celebrate

consider

contemplate

defer

delay

deny

detest

dislike

doubt

endure

enjoy

escape

excuse

face

fancy

finish

forgive

imagine

include

involve

mention

mind

miss

pardon

postpone

practise

recall

recollect

report

resent

resist

risk

save

suggest

tolerate

understand

V + N + to-infinitive

I allowed him to go.

V + N + infinitive

(without ‘to’)

I let her go.

be any/some/no use/good V-ing…

burst out crying/laughing

can’t help V-ing…

can’t stand V-ing…

feel like V-ing…

go swimming/shopping

keep (on) doing something

prevent somebody (from) V-ing…

spend time/money doing something

waste time/money doing something

advise

allow

ask

bear

beg

cause

command

compel

encourage

expect

help

instruct

intend

invite

leave

mean

need

oblige

order

permit

persuade

prefer

press

recommend

request

remind

teach

tell

tempt

trouble

want

warn

wish

Make

let

see

watch, notice, observe

hear

feel

smell