VERB + ing / to

verb + ing verb + to verb +object+ infinitive

admit afford let – “Let me help you”
advise/allow agree make – “That makes me feel good”
avoid arrange or “He made us cry”.
consider decide but in the passive we say: “This was
deny deserve made to help students.”
enjoy fail
fancy forget
finish hope
imagine learn
keep manage
mind offer
postpone plan
stop / give up promise
suggest refuse
seem/appear/tend/pretend
preposition + ing threaten
in
at working
with learning
of studying
for having
doing
about
…
instead of
in spite of
“looking forward to”
expressions + ing verb + object + to
It’s no use worrying advise/allow
It’s no good having ask
There’s no point in waiting beg
The point of expect
It’s (not) worth get (persuade)
Have trouble help
Spend (time) mean/intend
Waste (time) order
Be busy remind/warn
teach
tell
want
would like/would prefer
verb + ing or to verb + ing or to
(with a difference of meaning)
begin remember
bother “I remember paying the bill”- I’ve already paid the bill.
continue “I must remember to pay the bill” – I still haven´t paid the bill
intend regret
“I regret saying that””- I’ve already said that, and I´m sorry.
start
“I regret to say that you have lost your job” – Giving bad news
go on
“You must go on trying”- Continue with the same thing
“After correcting the homework, the teacher went on to talk about the test” – do or say
something new
try
“I tried to fix the computer, but I couldn’t” or “Try to be faster” – making an effort to do
something
“- I can’t understand this text!
- Try reading it again” – if try = test or doing an experiment is followed by a verb you use ing.
need
“I need to study more for this test” or “He needs to work harder” = I have to, it is necessary for
me to do it
“My phone needs charging” or “This jacket needs cleaning” = it needs to be done
help
“I can help you to do that” or “Can you help to do that”
“I can’t help felling like this” or “I couldn’t help feeling sorry”
like/love/hate (repeated actions)
“I like/love/hate getting up early” or “I like/love/hate to get up early”
“I like/love/hate living in London” – a situation that already exists or existed.
“I like doing the laundry” – I like and I enjoy doing the laundry
“I like to do the laundry” – It´s a good think to do, but I don’t necessary enjoy it.
“I would like to play tennis today!” – I want to play tennis today.
“Would you mind playing tennis with me today?” – asking something
“I would like to have passed the test, but I didn’t study enough last week” – I regret now that I
didn’t or couldn’t do something.
prefer
“I prefer driving than travelling by train” vs “I prefer to drive rather than travel by train”
used to
“I’m used to playing the cards and I always win” – It’s not strange for me
“I used to drive to work, but now I usually go by bus” – not I am used – I don’t do it anymore