A2 Elementary Verb patterns, quantifiers, articles, present perfect
Verb + to-infinitive or -ing
Lesson goal. After this lesson you know which verbs take to + verb and which take V-ing.
When to use it
- Joining two verbs: I want to go. / I enjoy going.
- Plans and wishes: want, hope, plan, decide + to V.
- Likes and habits: enjoy, practise, give up + V-ing.
Form
| Group | Typical verbs | Example |
|---|---|---|
| + to + verb | want · would like · hope · plan · decide · promise · agree · learn · need · try | I decided to stay at home. |
| + verb-ing | enjoy · finish · avoid · mind · give up · practise · suggest · keep | She finished doing her homework. |
| after a preposition always V-ing | in, at, of, about, for, to (trong look forward to) | I'm good at swimming. |
| takes both, same meaning | start · begin · continue · like · love · hate | It started raining / to rain. |
Step by step
- Look at the first verb.
- Check whether it belongs to the to V or the V-ing group.
- If a preposition comes before the gap, it is always V-ing.
- When in doubt, memorise whole chunks: want to go, enjoy reading.
A meaning-based hint
| Group | Example |
|---|---|
| to V | I hope to visit Japan. |
| V-ing | I enjoy visiting museums. |
| after a preposition | interested in learning |
Examples
I want to learn Japanese.
She enjoys listening to music.
We decided to stay at home.
He gave up smoking two years ago.
I'm looking forward to seeing you.
They promised to help us.
Common mistakes
I enjoy to read books. → I enjoy reading books.
enjoy always takes V-ing. Vietnamese makes no such distinction, so learn the chunks.
She wants going home. → She wants to go home.
want belongs to the to V group.
I'm good at cook. → I'm good at cooking.
After the preposition at you need V-ing.
Memory tip
Do not learn single verbs. Learn three-word chunks in sentences about yourself: I want to…, I enjoy …ing, I've given up …ing. Rhythm sticks better than lists.
Summary
- want, hope, decide, plan, promise, need + to + verb.
- enjoy, finish, avoid, mind, give up, practise + V-ing.
- After a preposition it is always V-ing.
Practise this lesson
Do exercises with an explanation for every question, take mini tests and track your progress on GrammUp.