Verb patterns: verb + infinitive or verb + -ing?

1.Verbs followed by a to-infinitive

Some verbs can be followed immediately 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

Ex: 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?

2.Verbs followed by -ing

-ing but not to-infinitive

Some verbs are normally followed by the -ing form, not the to-infinitive:

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

Ex: I always enjoy cooking.

Not: I always enjoy to cook.

We haven’t finished eating yet.

Not: We haven’t finished to eat.

She keeps changing her mind about the wedding.

*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.

3.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.

Compare

-ing form to-infinitive

I love cooking Indian food. (emphasis on I like to drink juice in the morning, and tea at
the process itself and enjoyment of it) lunchtime. (emphasis more on the preference or habit)

She hates cleaning her room. (emphasis on I hate to be the only person to disagree. (emphasis
the process itself and no enjoyment of it) more on the result: I would prefer not to be in that
 situation.)

We prefer to drive during the day whenever we

Most people prefer watching a film at the
can. (emphasis more on the result and on the habit or
cinema rather than on TV. (emphasis on the
preference. The speaker doesn’t necessarily enjoy the
process itself and enjoyment of it)
process of driving at any time of day.)

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?

*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

wan
mean regret stop
t

Compare

-ing form to-infinitive

Working in London means leaving home

I didn’t mean to make you cry. (I didn’t intend to make
at 6.30. (Because I work in London, this is
you cry.)
the result or consequence.)

He went on singing after everyone else She recited a poem, then went on to sing a lovely folk
had finished. (He continued singing song. (She recited the poem first, then she sang the
without stopping.) song.)

I tried searching the web and finally

I tried to email Simon but it bounced back. (I
found an address for him. (I searched the
tried/attempted to email him but I did not succeed.)
web to see what information I could find.)
She stopped crying as soon as she saw We stopped to buy some water at the motorway service
her mother. (She was crying, and then she area. (We were travelling and we stopped for a short time
didn’t cry anymore.) in order to buy some water.)

4.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.

Not: They made us to wait …

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.

5.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 I heard someone shout ‘Help!’, so I ran to the
looked out of the window. (emphasises that the river. (emphasises the whole event: the person
shouting probably continued or was repeated) probably shouted only once)

A police officer saw him running along the Emily saw Philip run out of Sandra’s
-ing infinitive without to

street. (emphasises the running as it was office. (emphasises the whole event from start to
happening) finish)

6.Verbs followed by a direct object and a to-infinitive

Some verbs are used with a direct object (underlined) followed by a to-infinitive. These verbs include:

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.