-ing forms (7): remember, go on etc + -ing or infinitive 299

2 to as a preposition: I look forward to .. .ing

To is actually two different words. It can be an infinitive marker, used to show

that the next word is an infinitive (e.g. to swim, to laugh). It can also be a

preposition, followed for example by a noun (e.g. She's gone to the park, I look

forward to Christmas).

When to is a preposition, it can be followed by the -ing form of a verb, but not

normally by the infinitive. Common expressions in which this happens are

look forward to, object to, be used to, prefer (doing one thing to doing another),

get round to, in addition to.

In the following examples, note how the preposition to can be followed by

either a noun or an -ing form.

- I look forward to your next letter.

I look forward to hearing from you. (NOT ... to hear from you.)

- Do you object to Sunday work?

Do you object to working on Sundays?

- I'm not used to London traffic.

I'm not used to driving in London.

- I prefer the seaside to the mountains.

I prefer swimming to walking.

- I'll get round to the washing up sooner or later.

I'll get round to doing the washing up sooner or later.

A few verbs and adjectives are used with to before nouns, but are followed by

the infinitives of verbs. Examples are agree, consent, entitled, inclined, prone.

She agreed to our plan. I She agreed to do what we wanted.

He's inclined to anger. I He's inclined to lose his temper.

Accustomed can be followed by to + -ing form or an infinitive (see 299.11).

3 object + infinitive after for: for her to arrive

Note that some verbs are followed by for + object + infinitive. An -ing form is

not usually possible in these cases.

We're still waiting for her to arrive. (NOT waiting for her arriving.)

Can you arrange for us to get tickets? (NOT for our getting tickets?)

For the difference between used to + infinitive and be used to + -ing form, see 604-5.

For -ing forms after conjunctions (e.g. When planning a holiday ... ), see 411.6.

For time clauses with on + -ing form, see 411.6.

299 -ing forms (7):

remember, go on etc + -ing or infinitive

Some verbs and adjectives can be followed by either -ing forms ('gerunds')

or infinitives.

I started playing I to play the violin when I was 10.

She was proud of having won I to have won.

With some of these verbs and adjectives, there is a difference of meaning.

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1 remember and forget

Remember/forget + -ing form looks back at the past - at things that one did.

Forget ... ing is used mostly in the phrase I'll never forget ... ing, and

expressions with similar meanings.

I still remember buying my first bicycle.

I'll never forget meeting the Queen.

Remember/forget + infinitive looks forward in time - at things that one still

has or still had to do at the moment of remembering or forgetting.

You must remember to fetch Mr Lewis from the station tomorrow.

I forgot to buy the soap.

2 go on

Go on + -ing form means 'continue'.

She went on talking about her illness until we all went to sleep.

Go on + infinitive refers to a change of activity.

She stopped talking about that and went on to describe her other problems.

3 regret

Regret + -ing form looks back at the past - at something that one is sorry that

one did.

I regret leaving school at 14 - it was a big mistake.

Regret + infinitive is used mostly in announcements of bad news.

We regret to inform passengers that the 14.50 train is one hour late.

We regret to say that we are unable to help you.

4 advise, allow, permit and forbid

In active clauses after these verbs, we use an -ing form if there is no object. If

there is an object we use an infinitive. Compare:

- I wouldn't advise taking the car - there's nowhere to park.

I wouldn't advise you to take the car ...

- We don't allow/permit smoking in the lecture room.

We don't allow/permit people to smoke in the lecture room.

- The headmistress has forbidden singing in the corridors.

The headmistress has forbidden children to sing ...

Note the corresponding passive structures.

- Smoking is not allowed/permitted in the lecture room.

People are not allowed/permitted to smoke in the lecture room.

- Singing is forbidden. - Early booking is advised.

Children are forbidden to sing. Passengers are advised to book early.

5 see, watch and hear

After these verbs, the difference between object + -ing form and object +

infinitive is like the difference between progressive and simple tenses. With

-ing forms the verbs suggest that one pays attention to events or actions that

are already going on; infinitives usually refer to complete events/actions which

are seen/heard from beginning to end. (Note that these verbs are followed by

the infinitive without to.) Compare: ~

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- I looked out of the window and saw Mary crossing the road.

I saw Mary cross the road and disappear into the post office.

- As I passed his house I heard him practising the piano.

I once heard Brendel play all the Beethoven concertos.

For more details, see 242.

6 try

To talk about making an experiment - doing something to see what will

happen - we use try + -ing.

I tried sending her flowers, writing her letters, giving her presents, but she

still wouldn't speak to me.

To talk about making an effort to do something difficult, we can use either

try + infinitive or try + -ing.

[ tried to change the wheel, but my hands were too cold.

(OR I tried changing the wheel ... )

7 mean

Mean in the sense of 'involve', 'have as a result' (see 348) can be followed by an

-ing form.

If you want to pass the exam it will mean studying hard.

In the sense of 'intend', mean is followed by an infinitive.

I don't think she means to get married for the moment.

8 learn and teach

These verbs (and others with similar meanings) are followed by -ing forms

mostly when we are referring to lessons or subjects of study.

She goes to college twice a week to learn typing.

Mr Garland teaches skiing in the winter.

Infinitives are preferred when we talk about the result of the study - about

successfully learning a skill.

She learnt to read German at school, but she learnt to speak it in Germany.

I taught myself to type.

9 like, love, hate and prefer

After these four verbs, both infinitives and -ing forms can often be used

without a great difference of meaning.

I hate working I to work at weekends.

I don't get up on Sundays. I prefer staying I to stay in bed.

Like + infinitive is used to talk about choices and habits. Compare:

I like climbing I to climb mountains (=: I enjoy climbing.)

When I pour tea I like to put the milk in first. (=: I choose to; it's my habit.)

After would like, would prefer, would hate and would love, infinitives are most

often used.

I'd like to tell you something. (NOT I'd like telling you something.)

Can I give you a lift? ~ No thanks, I'd prefer to walk. (NOT ... I'd prefer

walking.)

Compare:

Do you like dancing? (=: Do you enjoy dancing?)

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Would you like to dance? (= Do you want to dance now?)

For more about like, see 325.

For details of structures with prefer, see 444.

10 begin and start

Begin and start can be followed by infinitives or -ing forms. Usually there is no

important difference.

She began playing / to play the guitar when she was six.

He started talking / to talk about golf, but everybody went out of the room.

After progressive forms of begin and start, infinitives are preferred.

I'm beginning to learn karate. (NOT I'm beginning learning karnte.)

Infinitives are also preferred with understand, realise and know.

I slowly began to understand how shefelt. (NOT ... began ttntierstantiing ... )

He started to realise that if you wanted to eat you had to work.(NOT ... stttrteti realising ... )

11 attempt, intend, continue, can't bear, be accustomed to, be

committed to

After these words and expressions we can generally use either an -ing form or

an infinitive without much difference of meaning.

I intend telling / to tell her what I think.

I'm not accustomed to giving/give personal information about myself to

strangers.

For details of structures with to + -ing, see 298.2.

12 -ing form or infinitive of purpose: stop

Some verbs that are followed by -ing forms can also be followed by an

infinitive of purpose (see 289). A common example is stop.

I stopped running. (NOT ... I stoppet/;to run.)

I stopped to rest. (= ... in order to rest.)

13 afraid

To talk about fear of things that happen accidentally, we prefer

afraid of + -ing.

I don't like to drive fast because I'm afraid of crashing.

Why are you so quiet? ~ I'm afraid of waking the children.

In other cases we can use afraid of + -ing or afraid + infinitive with no

difference of meaning.

I'm not afraid of telling / to tell her the truth.

14 sorry

Sorry for/about + -ing is used to refer to past things that one regrets.

(That-clauses are also very common in an informal style.)

I'm sorry for/about losing my temper this morning.

(OR I'm sorry that I lost my temper.)

Sorry + perfect infinitive (more formal) can be used with the same meaning.

I'm sorry to have woken you up. (OR I'm sorry that I woke you up.) ~

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Sorry + infinitive is used to apologise for current situations - things that one is

doing or going to do, or that one has just done.

Sorry to disturb you - could I speak to you for a moment?

I'm sorry to tell you that you failed the exam.

Sorry to keep you waiting - we can start now.

15 certain and sure

Certain/ sure of + -ing are used to refer to the feelings of the person one is

talking about.

Before the game she felt certain of winning, but after a few minutes she

realised it wasn't going to be so easy.

You seem very sure of passing the exam. I hope you're right.

Certain/sure + infinitive refer to the speaker's or writer's own feelings.

The repairs are certain to cost more than you think. (NOT The repairs are

certain of costing ... )

Kroftoua's sure to win - the other girl hasn't got a chance.

Note that He is sure to succeed means 'I am sure that he will succeed'.

16 interested

To talk about reactions to things one learns, interested + infinitive is

commonly used.

I was interested to read in the paper that scientists have found out how to

talk to whales.

I'm interested to see that Alice and fake are going out together.

I shall be interested to see how long it lasts.

To talk about a wish to find out something, both interested + -ing andinterested + infinitive are common.

I'm interested in finding out / to find out what she did with all that money.

Aren't you interested in knowing / to know whether I'm pregnant?

To talk about a wish to do something, we use interested with an -ing form.

I'm interested in working in Switzerland. Do you know anybody who could

help me? (NOT I'm interested to work in Switzerland ... )

300 -ing forms (8): participles; progressive verbs

1 a crying baby

We can use -ing forms as adjectives before nouns.

I was woken by a crying baby.

There is growing anger at the government's policies.

When -ing forms are used like this, they are called 'present participles'. Their

use is explained in 408-410.

2 not knowing what to do ...

Participles can be used in another way. They can combine with other words

into 'participle clauses'.

Not knowing what to do, I telephoned the police.

Who's the girl dancing with your brother?

For details of participle clauses, see 411.

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