Verb patterns: verb + infinitive or verb +

-ing?

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 manage refuse
ask hate mean (= intend)
begin help need start
choose hope offer try
continue intend plan want
decide learn prefer
I can’t afford to go on holiday.
The bank director intends to approve the loan .
She hopes to go to Germany with on the Erasmus program next year.
If you haven’t learnt to swim, you risk going under once you get out there with the sharks.
They refused to accept the conditions of the contract.

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
I always enjoy cooking.
Not: I always enjoy to cook.
The government needs to make some cuts if it wants to avoid raising the VAT tax.
He keeps changing his mind about which candidate to hire.

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.

Verbs followed by a to-infinitive or -ing

With little or no difference in meaning - 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 I like to drink
Indian food. juice in the
(emphasis on morning, and tea
the process at lunchtime.
itself and (emphasis more on
enjoyment of the preference or
it) habit)
She hates
I hate to be the
cleaning her
only person to
room.
disagree.
(emphasis on
(emphasis more on
the process
the result: I would
itself and no
prefer not to be in
enjoyment of
that situation.)
it)
We prefer to drive
Most people
during the day
prefer
whenever we can.
watching a
(emphasis more on
film at the
the result and on
cinema rather
the habit or
than on TV.
preference. The
(emphasis on
speaker doesn’t
the process
necessarily enjoy
itself and
the process of
enjoyment of
driving at any time
it)
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 lunch 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
mean regret stop want

Compare
-ing form to-infinitive
Working in
London means I didn’t mean
leaving home at to make you
6.30. (Because I cry. (I didn’t
work in London, intend to make
this is the result or you cry.)
consequence.)
She recited a
poem, then
He went on
went on to sing
singing after
a lovely folk
everyone else had
song. (She
finished. (He
recited the
continued singing
poem first, then
without stopping.)
she sang the
song.)
I tried searching
the web and I tried to email
finally found an Simon but it
address for him. (I bounced back.
searched the web (I tried to email
to see what him but I did
information I not succeed.)
could find.)
We stopped to
buy some
She stopped water at the
crying as soon as motorway
she saw her service area.
mother. (She was (We were
crying, and then travelling and
she didn’t cry we stopped for
anymore.) a short time in
order to buy
some water.)
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 …

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
I heard someone
shouting in the
shout ‘Help!’,
street below and
so I ran to the
looked out of the
river.
window.
(emphasises the
(emphasises that
whole event: the
the shouting
person probably
probably
shouted only
continued or was
once)
repeated)
Emily saw
A police officer
Philip run out of
saw him running
Sandra’s office.
along the street.
(emphasises the
(emphasises the
whole event
running as it was
from start to
happening)
finish)

Verbs followed by a direct object and a to-infinitive

Some verbs can be used with a direct object (underlined) followed by a to-infinitive. These verbs include:
advise hate like persuade require
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 use the new software?
They want me to go to Germany with them.
-‘ing’, infinitive with ‘to’ or infinitive without ‘to’?

1. (achieve) results is all my boss cares about.

2. It’s important (present) a professional image of the company and its brands.
3. I look forward to (work) with you on the new campaign.
4. My agent made me (publicize) the new beverage, even though I can’t stand
(drink) it.
5. I’ve persuaded two management experts (attend) the meeting.
6. Can you ask Sam about (set) up the stand at the trade fair?
7. You’ll need (liaise) with the manager about the store displays.
8. On my way to work I stopped (smoke) a cigarette.
9. Our internet provider’s quality of service declined, so we stopped (use) it and
switched to another one.
10. The president of the commission denies (provide) insider information to
investors.

Compose a sentence in which one of these verbs is followed by another verb.

avoid - would - afford – fail – refuse – stop – intend – let - involve – risk
 1 Achieving results is all my boss cares about.
2 It’s important to present a professional image of the company and its brands.
3 I look forward to working with you on the new campaign.
4 My agent made me publicize the new beverage, even though I can’t stand
drinking it.
5 I’ve persuaded two management experts to attend the meeting.
6 Can you ask Sam about setting up the stand at the trade fair?
7 You’ll need to liaise with the manager about the store displays.
8 On my way to work I stopped to smoke a cigarette.
9 Our internet provider’s quality of service declined, so we stopped using it
and switched to another one.
10 The president of the commission denies providing insider information to
investors.

Language for advising and suggesting:

There are several correct forms you can use with suggest, recommend and advise –
examples:
May I suggest (that) you open a savings account?
I suggest opening a savings account.
I suggest that you open a savings account.
(Note: NOT I suggest you to open a savings account)
I’d/I recommend (that) you open a savings account.
I’d/I recommend opening a savings account.
(Note: NOT I recommend you to open a savings account)
I’d advise you to open a savings account.
I’d advise against opening a savings account.
(Note: advise is the verb; advice is the noun)