Page 85 - Advanced English Grammar in Use

V e r b + t o - i n f i n i t i v e o r - i n g ?

Some verbs are followed by a to-infinitive Some verbs are followed by -ing but not a
but not -ing: agree, aim, ask, decline, to-infinitive: admit, avoid, consider, delay,
demand, fail, hesitate, hope, hurry, manage, deny, detest, dread, envisage, feel like, finish,
offer, plan, prepare, refuse, want, wish. imagine, miss, recall, resent, risk, suggest.

The verbs begin, cease, start, and continue can be followed by either a to-infinitive or an -ing
form with little difference in meaning:
• Even though it was raining, they continued to play / playing.
However, with these verbs we normally avoid using two -ing forms together, as a repeated
pattern can sound awkward:
• I'm starting to learn Swahili. (rather than I'm starting learning Swahili.)
The verbs advise and encourage are followed by -ing when there is no object and to-infinitive
when there is one. Compare:
• I'd advise taking more exercise. and • I'd advise you to take more exercise.

В Other verbs can be followed by either a to-infinitive or an -ing form, but there can be a
difference in meaning. These include come, go on, mean, regret, remember, stop, try.

+ to-infinitive + -ing
come to talk about a gradual change to say that someone moves in the way that
• After some years, they came to accept is described
her as an equal. • He came hurrying up the path.
go on to mean that something is done after to say that someone moves in the way that
something else is finished is described
• After the interval, Pavarotti went on • Although she asked him to stop, he went
to sing an aria from Tosca. on tapping his pen on the table.
mean to say that we intend(ed) to do to say that something has something else as
something a result
• I meant to phone you last week. • If we want to get there by 7.00, that
means getting up before 5.00.
regret to say that we are about to do something to say we have already done something
we are not happy about that we are not happy about
• I regret to inform you that your • It's too late now, but I'll always regret
application has been unsuccessful. asking John to do the work.
remember to mean that remembering comes before to mean the action comes before
the action described remembering
• Remember to take your hat when n • I remember going to the bank, but
you go out. (first remember, and then • nothing after that. (I remember that I
take it) went there)
stop to say why we stop doing something to say what it is that we stop doing
• She stopped to make a cup of tea. • They stopped laughing when Malcolm
walked into the room.
try to say that we attempt to do something to say we test something to see if it
• I tried to get the table through the improves a situation
door, but it was too big. О • I tried taking some aspirin, but the pain
• didn't go away.

Verb + to-infinitive or bare infinitive? = Verb + -ing =