INFINITIVE VS. –ING FORMS

INFINITIVE

To express purpose:

She went to the bank to get money.

INFINITIVE

After certain verbs: advise, agree, decide, hope, promise, refuse, seem, want etc.

She decided to wait for a better offer.

INFINITIVE

After verbs like know, decide, ask, learn, remember followed by WH- words:

I can’t decide where to go on holiday.

INFINITIVE

After adjectives like: sorry, happy, glad, afraid, ashamed etc.

She was glad to be back.

INFINITIVE

After too and enough:

She is too sad to talk right now.She was frightened enough to keep silent.

-ING FORM

As a noun:

Swimming is a pleasant activity.

-ING FORM

After certain prepositions: with, without, of

She left without saying a word.

-ING FORM

After certain verbs: consider, avoid, deny, look forward to, involve, mention, risk, mind, regret, admit, suggest, imagine etc.

They avoided speaking to each other all day long.

-ING FORM

After go for activities:

They went camping.

-ING FORM

After: it’s no use, it’s (not) worth, it’s no good, be busy, there’s no point in, can’t help, can’t stand, be/get used to, have difficulty in

I can’t stand waiting in a queue.

-ING FORM

After: like, love, enjoy, hate, dislike, prefer etc

She likes going for long walks.

INFINITIVE OR -ING FORM?

a) NO change in meaning

begin, start, continue, allow, permit, recommend, need, require

They began to speak / speaking in a lower voice. They don’t allow parking / us to park here.

INFINITIVE OR -ING FORM?

b) With a change in meaning

like + infinitive = preference like+ -ing = enjoy

I like to keep my room clean.I like swimming.

INFINITIVE OR -ING FORM?

stop + infinitive = cease an activity in order to do something else

stop + -ing = cease / interrupt an activity

They stopped to greet each other. They stopped laughing because they were too loud.

INFINITIVE OR -ING FORM?

try + infinitive =make an attempt try + -ing = try as a solution

I tried to speak louder, but I failed.I tried speaking English to him because he didn’t understand my language.

INFINITIVE OR -ING FORM?

remember + infinitive = remember to do an activity

remember + -ing form = remember already performing an activity

I must remember to water the plants.Ok, I now remember watering the plants.

INFINITIVE OR -ING FORM?

forget + infinitive = not doing an activity

forget + -ing = activity is done and forgotten about

I forgot to tell her to water the plants.I forgot telling her to water the plants, so I did it again.

INFINITIVE OR -ING FORM?

hear / see / watch / listen + -ing = witnessing a performing action

I heard him talking on the phone.

hear / see / watch / listen + infinitive= witnessing the whole process

I heard him talk on the phone.