We can use hate, like, love and prefer with an -ing form or with a to-infinitive:

I hate to see food being thrown away.

I love going to the cinema.
I prefer listening to the news on radio than watching it on TV.
He prefers not to wear a tie to work.
In American English, the forms with to-infinitive are much more common than the -ing form.
There is a very small difference in meaning between the two forms. The -ing form emphasises
the action or experience. The to-infinitive gives more emphasis to the results of the action or
event. We often use the -ing form to suggest enjoyment (or lack of it), and the to-infinitive form
to express habits or preferences.
Compare
I like making jam.
emphasis on the
He likes telling jokes.
experience/action
They don’t like sitting for too long.

We have a lot of fruit in the garden. I like to make jam

every year.
I prefer to sort out a problem as soon as I can. a habit or preference
If you prefer not to go camping there are youth hostels
nearby.

The -ing form is more common than the to-infinitive form after hate and love:
I hate decorating. I’d rather pay a professional to do it.

Would + hate, like, love, prefer

When we use would or ’d with hate, like, love, prefer, we use the to-infinitive, not the -ing form:
We would love to hear you sing.
Not: We would love hearing you sing.
They’d hate to cause a problem. They would hate to cause a problem.
Not: They’d hate causing a problem.
I’d prefer not to give you my name.
Not: I’d prefer not giving you my name.
Would you love to hear me sing?
Would you like some coffee?
What would you like to have?

I love cooking. I don’t love cooking. Do you like cooking/making a cake?

I hate waking up early. Would you like to make some coffee?
Morning person/night person
I would prefer not to drink coffee in the morning.

Like
I like drinking beer. +. I would like to drink beer. I would like drinking beer.
I love drinking beer. ++
I don’t like doing homework. –
I hate doing homework. – -

CONJUNCTIONS
When, while, as soon as, after, before and until are conjuctions of time which introduce
secondary clauses.

See how these sentences refer to future time but we use a present tense.

When my mom calls, I will tell her about my new job.

I will call you as soon as I get to New York.

While we are away, don´t forget to water the plants!

Before you study, you should mute your phone.

I packed my suitcase before I left the house.
I always drink a cup of coffee before breakfast.

I am going to be a lawyer after I graduate from university.

I drank a bottle of beer after the dinner.

After her husband passed away, she moved to Mugla.

Wait here until I get back.

I stayed at home until it stopped raining.

Until you get your driver’s license, you shouldn’t drive.

Past habits with used to

We can use used to to talk about both past habits, actions, or states of being. Use the following
formula: subject + used to + base form of the verb. For the negative, use subject + didn’t use
to + base form of the verb.

1. My father used to work after school when he was a boy. This is a repeated action or
past habit. We know he didn’t work only one time. He worked every day

2. My uncle didn’t use to work after school, because his family was wealthy.
3. I used to do tai chi in high school. This is also a repeated action or past habit.

4. I didn’t use to do track in high school.

5. When my brother was younger, he used to play football every day.

6. My brother didn’t use to play basketball when he was younger.

7. I used to live in New York. This is a past state of being. I lived in New York over time,
but I no longer live there.

8. She didn’t use to live in California.

9. When he was a child, he used to be sick often. This is also a past state of being.

10. When I was a child, I didn’t use to be sick often.

Past habits with would

We can discuss past habits using would in much the same way, and with the same
meaning as used to. Here is the formula: subject + would + base form of the verb. for
the negative use subject + wouldn’t + base form of the verb.

1. When we were young, our mother would cook delicious meals every day.

We could also say, “Our mother used to cook delicious meals every day.”

2. When we were young, our mother wouldn’t cook delicious meals. She was
always too busy.
 3. Every weekend I would take a long bike ride during summer vacations.

“Every weekend I used to take a long bike ride” is also correct.

4. I didn’t use to ride my bike during the summer. It was too hot.

There is one important difference between would and used to. We can
use would only to discuss past habits or actions. We cannot use would to discuss
past states of being. Instead, use used to for that.

1. I used to live in France. Not I would live in France

2. I used to be afraid of the dark. Not I would be afraid of the dark.

Past habits with the simple past

We can talk about past habits, past actions, and past states of being using the
simple past. Be careful, however. The person you are talking to needs to
understand that you are not talking about something that happened only once.
You are talking about something that happened over and over again. You need to
make sure that you the person you are talking to understand by the context that
this was a repeated action.

3. I had a dog when I was young. Or, I used to have a dog when I was
young.
4. I worked part time in high school. Or, I used to (would) work part time
when I was in high school.
5. She was sick all the time when she was a baby. Or, she used to be sick
all the time when she was a baby.
6. My kids attended Carson Elementary School many years ago. Or, My
kids used to attend Carson Elementary School.

Used to for something besides past habits

There is another way to use used to that does not involve past habits. Used to can
also mean to be come accustomed to something. We use this to describe
something that once felt strange, but now feels normal.
 7. When I first came to the USA, it was strange to hear English everywhere.
But I’m used to it now. It’s no longer strange. It feels normal.
8. It took some time to get used to my new schedule, but I’m comfortable
with it now.

Ability
We use can and can't to talk about someone's skill or general abilities:
She can speak several languages.
He can swim like a fish.
They can't dance very well.
We use can and can't to talk about the ability to do something at a specific time in
the present or future:
I can see you.
Help! I can't breathe.

We use could and couldn't to talk about the past:

She could speak several languages.
They couldn't dance very well.

Permission
We use can to ask for permission to do something:
Can I ask a question, please?
Can we go home now?
could is more formal and polite than can:
Could I ask you a question please?
Could we go home now?
We use can to give permission:
You can go home now.
You can borrow my pen if you like.
We use can to say that someone has permission to do something:
We can go out whenever we want.
Students can travel for free.
We use can't to refuse permission or say that someone does not have permission:
You can't go home yet.
Students can't travel for free.

Possibility and impossibility

We use could to show that something is possible, but not certain:
They could come by car. (= Maybe they will come by car.)
They could be at home. (= Maybe they are at home.)
We use can to make general statements about what is possible:
It can be very cold here in winter. (= It is sometimes very cold here in winter.)
You can easily get lost in this town. (= People often get lost in this town.)
We use can't or cannot to say that something is impossible:
That can't be true.
You cannot be serious.

Requests
We use could you … as a polite way of telling or asking someone to do something:
Could you take a message, please?
Could I have my bill, please?
can is less polite:
Can you take a message, please?
Offers
We use can I … to make offers:
Can I help you?
Can I do that for you?
We sometimes say I can ... or I could ... to make an offer:
I can do that for you if you like.
I could give you a lift to the station.

Suggestions
We use could to make suggestions:
We could meet at the weekend.
You could eat out tonight.

Questions and negatives

We make questions by putting the subject after can/could:

Can I ...? Can you ...?

Could I ...? Could you ...?
etc.

The negative form is can't in spoken English and cannot in written English.
We sometimes say cannot, but it is very emphatic.
The negative form of could is couldn't in spoken English and could not in written
English.

MODALS OF OBLIGATION
Need to Do—Important for Someone
Use "need to" to express that something is important for you to do. This form is
often used for something that is important one time, rather than referring to
a responsibility or duty.

 She needs to go to Seattle next week.

 Do you need to get up early tomorrow?
 I need to spend more time with my children because I've been so busy lately.
 We need to focus on getting new business this month.

Don't Need to Do—Not Necessary, but Possible

Use the negative form of "need to" to express that something isn't necessary, but
possible. At times, English speakers use "don't need to" to express that they don't
expect someone to do something.

 You don't need to come to the meeting next week.

 She doesn't need to worry about her grades. She's a great student.
 I don't need to work next Monday!
 Peter doesn't need to worry about money because he's independently
wealthy.

Had better: form and meaning

We use had better to refer to the present or the future, to talk about actions we
think people should do or which are desirable in a specific situation. The verb form
is always had, not have. We normally shorten it to ’d better in informal situations.
It is followed by the infinitive without to:
It’s five o’clock. I’d better go now before the traffic gets too bad.
Not: I’d better to go now.
The democratic movement had better concentrate on the immediate issues of the
economy and security. (more formal)
Had better is a strong expression. We use it if we think there will be negative
results if someone does not do what is desired or suggested:
She’d better get here soon or she’ll miss the opening ceremony.

Spoken English:
Sometimes people say had best instead of had better, especially in informal
speaking. This sounds slightly less strong and less direct:
You’d best leave it till Monday. There’s no one in the office today.

Had better: negative and question forms

The negative of had better is had better not (or ’d better not):
I’d better not leave my bag there. Someone might steal it.
You’d better not tell Elizabeth about the broken glass – she’ll go crazy!
The question form of had better is made by inverting the subject and had. This
means the same as should, but is more formal:
Had I better speak to Joan first before I send this form off? What do you think?
Had we better leave a note for the delivery guy to take the parcel next door?
Negative questions with had better are more common than affirmative ones:
Hadn’t we better ring the school and tell them Liam is sick?
Hadn’t you better switch your computer off? It might overheat if you leave it on.

Had better or be better, be best?

We use had better to give advice in a specific situation. We use the phrase be
better or be best +to-infinitive for more general suggestions:
It’s always better to be safe than sorry. (‘It’s better to be safe than sorry’ is a
saying which means that you should be careful before taking any action.)
I think it would be best to speak to the people in the video shop to see what they
recommend.

Had better or would rather, would prefer?

We don’t use had better when we talk about preferences. We use would
rather or would prefer.
Compare

I’d better get a taxi. The buses are It is a good idea, better, or advisable to
so slow. get a taxi.

I’d rather get a taxi. I don’t like

I prefer to get a taxi.
buses.