Teaching English through e-learning

Verb + -ing/Infinitive

When one verb follows another, it may appear in the infinitive or –ing form. The form depends on the first verb, and the following structures are possible:

• Verb + infinitive, e.g. appear, attempt, decide, manage, need, offer, promise, seem, want.

Globalisation appears to be a serious political issue these days.

• Verb + object + infinitive, e.g. advise, allow, encourage, invite, persuade, remind, request, tell.

The  Internet allows people to communicate.

• Verb + -ingform, e.g. consider, deny, dislike, enjoy, feellike, finish, practise, suggest.

Would you consider givingus a refund?

• Verb + -ing or infinitive with different meanings:
  •  remember
    • Remember to bring the tickets. We need the m for our flight. (+ infinitive: thinking about a future  action)
    • I remember watching the Olympics in 2004. (+ -ing form: thinking about an earlier action)
    •  forget
      • Don’t forget to bring your passport. (+ infinitive: thinking about a future action)
      • I won’t forge teating  my first Thai curry. (+ -ingform: thinking about an earlier action)
    •  stop
      • I stopped to have a break. (+ infinitive: stop one action in order to do something else)
      • They stopped making them in 2002. (+ -ingform:finish an action)
    •  try
      • Carla’s trying to lose weight. (+ infinitive: make an  effort to do something difficult)
      • Why don’t you try cooking it in olive oil? It might taste better. (+ -ing form: do something as an experiment – you don’t know If it will work or not)