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2.- How to say it – Verb patterns – To infinitive and –ing form.

Chica pensativa con el puño de la mano cerrado apoyado en la boca.

If you look at the following examples, you will realize that in English there are different verb patterns.

  • Would you mind repeating that again?(Mind + -ing form)
  • I decided not to accept his first offer. (Decide + to infinitive)
  • I want you to be pleasant with our potential customers. (Want + object + to infinitive)
  • They didn't let me fix a price. (Let + object + infinitive without to)
  • Do you remember being a trainee manager in your company?(Remember + -ing form)
  • Remember to take notes during the meeting.(Remember + to infinitive)

As you can see it depends on the first verb if we need infinitive or –ing form after it. In the following table you will see which verb pattern each verb needs:

Verb patterns
Verb + -ing form Verb + to infinitive Verb + object + to infinitive Verb + object + infinitive without to
  1. Avoid.
  2. Be used to.
  3. Be worth.
  4. Cannot help.
  5. Cannot stand.
  6. Deny.
  7. Dislike.
  8. Enjoy.
  9. Feel like.
  10. Get used to.
  11. Give up.
  12. Go on.
  13. Hate.
  14. Like.
  15. Look forward to.
  16. Love.
  17. Mind.
  18. Miss.
  19. Put off.
  20. Risk.
  21. Suggest.
  22. There's no point in.
  23. There's no use.
  1. Aim.
  2. Arrange.
  3. Ask.
  4. Cannot afford.
  5. Be about to.
  6. Decide.
  7. Deserve.
  8. Expect.
  9. Fail.
  10. Hope.
  11. Manage.
  12. Need.
  13. Offer.
  14. Plan.
  15. Promise.
  16. Refuse.
  17. Seem.
  18. Swear.
  19. Used to.
  20. Want.
  21. Wish.
  22. Would like.
  1. Advise.
  2. Allow.
  3. Ask.
  4. Beg.
  5. Command.
  6. Expect.
  7. Forbid.
  8. Force.
  9. Help.
  10. Invite.
  11. Order.
  12. Persuade.
  13. Remind.
  14. Tell.
  15. Want.
  16. Warn.
  17. Wish.
  1. Let.
  2. Make.

A piece of advice

Pay attention to those verbs which can be used with two different verb patterns, for example, ask, expect, want.
Verbs + -ing form or to infinitive with a difference of meaning
Verb Meaning 1: Verb + -ing form Meaning 2: Verb + to infinitive
Remember.

Remember + -ing form:

I remember going to Disneyland when I was a child.

(Acordarse de haber hecho algo)

Remember + to infinitive:

Remember to send the fax to the travel agency.

(Recordar hacer algo).

Forget.

Forget + -ing form:

I'll never forget visiting Bali.

(Olvidarse de haber hecho algo).

Forget + to infinitive:

Don't forget to bring the brochures.

(Olvidar hacer algo).

Stop.

Stop + -ing form:

We stopped travelling with low cost airlines.

(Dejar de hacer algo).

Stop + to infinitive:

We stopped to visit the museum.

(Parar para hacer algo).

Mean.

Mean + -ing form:

My new job means moving to a different country.

(Implicar algo).

Mean + to infinitive:

I didn't mean to hurt you.

(Tener la intención de algo).

Regret.

Regret + -ing form:

I regret travelling with him.

(Arrepentirse de haber hecho algo).

Regret + to infinitive:

We regret to tell / inform you that you haven't got the position you applied for.

(Lamentar informar o decir algo).

Other uses of –ing form.

In the tables above we have studied that the form –ing is used after certain verbs. And now we are going to study other uses of this form:

  • After prepositions: Apart from negotiating, try not to complain too much.
  • As the subject of a sentence: Reaching an agreement with that important company is our dream.
  • After verbs of perception like hear, see, watch, feel, notice… you can use two structures:
    • Verb of perception + object + infinitive without to: I saw him enter.
    • Verb of perception + object + -ing form: I saw him entering.
    • This second structure is used when the progress of the action is emphasized.

A step ahead

For a full list of verb patterns, click on the following link:

Verb patterns.

Ejercicio Resuelto

Click to read the Spanish translation: