"-ING" vs. "TO ..........."

"-ing" vs. "to"

-ING or TO?

• When a verb is followed by another verb, it needs to take either the -ing form or the infinitive ("to .................").

• Cara finished eating.

• Mark decided to go home.

• Jim hates running.

• Laura stopped to tie her shoe.

Some verbs can only be followed by -ing:

• imagine, finish, don't mind, enjoy

• Brooke doesn't mind walking to school.

• Billy enjoys watching TV with his friends.

Some verbs can only be followed by the infinitive:

• want, refuse, agree, decide, promise, forget, offer, need

• Monica offered to go with her sister to the dentist.

• Larry and Moe promised to finish their project on time.

• I need to take a break!

Some verbs can be followed by both, without changing the meaning of the sentence

• like, hate, prefer, start, try, love

• "I like swimming" AND "I like to swim"

• "Grant hates eating alone" AND "Grant hates to eat alone"

• "I prefer doing my homework right after class" AND "I prefer to do my homework right after class"

Some verbs can be followed by both forms, but the meaning changes.

• stop

• Jonah stopped eating his sandwich - Jonah was eating his sandwich and then he stopped.

• Jonah stopped to eat his sandwich - Jonah stopped what he was doing in order to eat his sandwich.

LET'S PRACTISE!

Multiple Choice

He agreed ___________ dinner tonight.

• cooking

• to cook

• both "to cook" and "cooking" are correct.

Multiple Choice

I don't mind __________ my mum's dog for a walk.

• taking

• to take

• both "to take" and "taking" are correct.

Multiple Choice

I love _________

• to swim

• swimming

• both "to swim" and "swimming" are correct.

Multiple Choice

What's another way to say these two sentences:

Mary was reading. Then she stopped.

• She stopped to read.

• She stopped reading.

Multiple Choice

What's another way to say this sentence:

Gerry stopped what he was doing in order to sit down.

• He stopped to sit down.

• He stopped sitting down.

Multiple Choice

Jack enjoys _________ movies with his friends

• to watch

• watching

• both "to watch" and "watching" are correct.

Multiple Choice

Clara prefers ____________ outside when the weather is nice.

• to eat

• eating

• both "to eat" and "eating" are correct.

Multiple Choice

Joey refused __________ a haircut.

• to get

• getting

• both "to get" and "getting" are correct.

Fill in the Blank

Enter the correct form of verb in the (parentheses):

Mike doesn't mind ................. (clean) his room because he likes being tidy.

Fill in the Blank

Enter the correct form of verb in the (parentheses):

Robert promised .................... (find) his textbook by next week's lesson.

Fill in the Blank

Enter the correct form of verb in the (parentheses):

Just when Sarach finished .................... (sweep) the floor, her dog tracked dirt in from the backyard.

Fill in the Blank

Enter the correct form of verb in the (parentheses):

Jonah wants .................. (be) a veterinarian when he's older.