Teens Pre- Intermediate

Lesson 2

Verb + verb-ing / verb + verb to be

The verbs followed by-ingincludeenjoy,mind,stopandrecommend.

I told him you reallyenjoy cooking.
Would youmind helpingme?
It didn'tstop rainingall day yesterday.
Daisyrecommends tryingAlfie’s tiramisu.

The negative isverb+not+-ing.

Imagine not havingpizza! I eat it all the time.

Verbs usually followed by-ing

stop finish imagine suggest recommend avoid mind miss risk enjoy

The verbs followed by infinitive includedecide,want,promise,planandforget.

Shedecided to gowith Elliot instead.
Iwanted to visitRome.
Shepromised to takeme there.
Iplanned to goto some real Italian restaurants.
She didn’tforget to phone.

The negative isverb+not+infinitive.

They decidednot to makepizza.

Here are more verbs that are usually followed by the infinitive:

hope offer fail agree forget manage learn afford arrange ask expect would like decide plan promise want invite

The verbs that can be followed by either form includestart,begin,continueandbother.

Itstarted raining.or Itstarted to rain.
Don’tbother waitingfor me.or Don’tbother to waitfor me.

The verbslike,loveandhatecan be followed by-ingor theinfinitivewhen talking aboutrepeated actions.

Ilove readinglong novels.(British English or American English)
Ilove to readlong novels.(American English)

But when we are talking about situations, we use the-ingform.

Pauloloves livingby the beach in Rio.
Do youlike workingas a waitress?
But there are some more verbs which can be followed by-ingor theinfinitive, but the two options havedifferentmeanings, for examplerememberandstop.

I never remember to lockthe door, and my mum gets really angry!
(remember + infinitive =remember something and then do it)
I neverremember lockingthe door, but when I go back and check I always have.
(remember + -ing =remember something you did before)

Shestopped smokingthree years ago.
(stop + -ing =to not do something any more)
It was hot, so westopped to havea drink. (we stopped walking)
(stop + infinitive =to not do something in order to do something else)

  1. Put the verbs in the correct box.
    stop – invite – decide – finish - avoid - would like - mind – want – plan – enjoy

Verb + verb-ing / Verb + to verb
  1. Choose the correct phrase to complete the sentences.
    a. I'm really looking forward ______at the weekend.
    to seeing you
    to see you
    b. I promise not ______.
    to tell anyone
    telling anyone
    c. I must remember ______on his birthday.
    to call dad
    calling dad
    d. The thing I most enjoy ______at the weekend is sleeping.
    to do
    doing
    e. Do you remember ______when you were two?
    to come
    coming
    f. You can't pretend ______- you only look twelve!
    to be eighteen
    being eighteen
    g. What do you want ______for her birthday?
    to give mum
    giving mum
    h. I need to stop ______late at night - I keep making terrible mistakes!
    doing my homework
    to do my homework
  2. Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verb in brackets.
    a. I love______(go) to see my grandparents!
    b. Please remember ______(give) your keys to your brother.
    c. We’ve decided ______(go) to Turkey for our holidays!
    d. I’d really love ______(see) you again.
    e. I’m not looking forward to ______(go) to the dentist.
    f. Oh, I hate ______(have) to get up early on a Sunday!
    g. What do you want ______(do) later?
    i. Would you mind ______(close) the window?