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English grammar

like doing or want to do

A2 · Elementary Verbs and time Questions 10

The rule

Some English verbs are followed by the -ing form and some by to + the plain verb, and there is no way to hear which. Learn them in two groups. -ing after: like, love, enjoy, hate, mind, finish, stop, keep. to after: want, need, hope, decide, learn, would like, try, forget. After a preposition the -ing form is always the one: I am interested in learning.

Pattern

like / enjoy / mind / finish + verb-ing · want / need / hope / decide + to + verb · preposition + verb-ing

Examples

  1. I enjoy cooking at the weekend.

  2. She wants to change her hours.

  3. We finished painting the room yesterday.

  4. I am interested in learning to drive.

Common mistakes

  • Wrong: I enjoy to cook.

    Right: I enjoy cooking.

    enjoy takes the -ing form.

  • Wrong: She wants changing her hours.

    Right: She wants to change her hours.

    want takes to + the plain verb.

Practice questions

Try each one yourself first, then open “Show answer” for the solution and the reason.

  1. 1Fill in the gap.

    I do not mind _____ late.

    1. worked
    2. to work
    3. working
    4. work
    Show answer

    Answer: C I do not mind working late.

    mind takes -ing.

  2. 2Fill in the gap.

    She decided _____ for the job.

    1. applied
    2. applying
    3. to apply
    4. apply
    Show answer

    Answer: C She decided to apply for the job.

    decide takes to.

  3. 3Fill in the gap.

    We have finished _____ the kitchen.

    1. to clean
    2. cleaning
    3. cleaned
    4. clean
    Show answer

    Answer: B We have finished cleaning the kitchen.

    finish takes -ing.

  4. 4Fill in the gap.

    He hopes _____ the exam in June.

    1. pass
    2. passed
    3. to pass
    4. passing
    Show answer

    Answer: C He hopes to pass the exam in June.

    hope takes to.

  5. 5Fill in the gap.

    I am good at _____ things.

    1. fixed
    2. fix
    3. fixing
    4. to fix
    Show answer

    Answer: C I am good at fixing things.

    After a preposition, the -ing form.

  6. 6Fill in the gap.

    They want _____ earlier this year.

    1. started
    2. starting
    3. to start
    4. start
    Show answer

    Answer: C They want to start earlier this year.

    want takes to.

  7. 7Choose the correct sentence.

    1. I love to walking by the river.
    2. I love walking by the river.
    3. I loving walk by the river.
    4. I love walk by the river.
    Show answer

    Answer: B I love walking by the river.

    love takes the -ing form here.

  8. 8Choose the correct sentence.

    1. She need to renew her passport.
    2. She needs to renew her passport.
    3. She needs renewing her passport.
    4. She needs renew her passport.
    Show answer

    Answer: B She needs to renew her passport.

    need takes to.

  9. 9This sentence is wrong. Choose the fix.

    Which sentence is wrong?

    1. I stopped smoking last year.
    2. I have stopped smoking.
    3. I have stopped to smoke last year.
    4. She stopped smoking last year.
    Show answer

    Answer: C I have stopped to smoke last year.

    stop + -ing means you gave it up.

  10. 10This sentence is wrong. Choose the fix.

    Which sentence is wrong?

    1. We are thinking about moving.
    2. We are thinking about it.
    3. They are thinking about moving.
    4. We are thinking about to move.
    Show answer

    Answer: D We are thinking about to move.

    After a preposition, the -ing form.

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